مقاله سال ۲۰۱۶

The technological optimism that began in the 1990s with the expansion of information- and knowledge-based economies not only promised to promote economic growth, but also to reduce social exclusion. This optimism was fueled in academic circles where the sub-discipline known as ICTD (Information Communication Technology for Development) arose.

From this perspective, information communication technologies (ICT) are conceived as a disruptive innovation and a revolutionary step towards development, which Manuel Castells has called the “Information Age” (Castells, 1998). Since then, however, this optimism, particularly in academic circles, has declined. Advances in ICTS have undoubtedly had a significant impact on the lives of the poor. The phenomenon of mobile phone adoption has facilitated communication, thereby decreasing transaction costs and strengthening the social capital of the most vulnerable population. However, the expected quantum leap in the “information age” for marginalized groups has yet to take place. The first lessons regarding the lack of success of initiatives seeking to spread the adoption of ICT in marginalized communities indicate that they tend to focus on technology rather than community needs (Heeks, 2002).

Today, a new impetus has arisen due to the diffusion of broadband as a general-purpose technology that has the capacity to deliver applications with access to services with a high development potential impact such as e-health, e-government and e-commerce. This has given rise to a second generation of universal access policies. In Latin America, as well as other regions, several countries are developing National Broadband Plans, which, through large public or private investments, will deploy new ICT infrastructure networks. Behind these plans there is clear optimism that access to broadband will have a positive impact on development. In this context, it is relevant to explore the impact of broadband access on marginalized communities and to identify the mechanisms through which it may contribute to the achievement of development objectives.