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Internet Access in India: What You Need To Know

internet access in IndiaIndia is a heavily populated country with over one billion citizens. Many of these people are living in extreme poverty, lacking both life-sustaining basic needs and other more modern necessities. Among these inadequacies is the connectedness through the World Wide Web. With a national GDP of USD 2,000 in 2017, the internet access in India is hard for many to obtain. Though India is the second largest online market in the world, roughly 75 percent of the population is offline. Furthermore, 71 percent of internet users are men, which means that less than 30 percent are women.

Problem background

Across the nation, urban and rural areas are lacking internet access in India and here is a quick look into why this void exists.

  • Poor infrastructure: cables and/or fibers have yet to be installed in many undeveloped and poorly developed areas, especially low-income ones.
  • Purchasing electronic devices to access the internet is not a basic need for people in extreme poverty.
  • The absence of IT education prevents citizens from the desire for internet access.
  • Gender inequality prevents women from using the web since to assure they will not be tempted to stray from cultural norms and expectations.
  • Net neutrality: in all of India, there was a total of 174 internet shutdowns in the six years up to mid-2018.

Why does it matter

As previously stated, there are over a billion people in India. Today’s world is mostly connected to the internet and those without access are being left behind which represents a huge disadvantage. With 75 percent of a billion people in one geographical location left unconnected, there is a huge untapped market that India and the rest of the world are being deprived of. In 2016, the U.S. gained 16 billion dollars from India’s digital buyer market. If more people had internet access in India, it is likely the economy would grow and poverty would decrease, resulting in improved international relationships as well.

The solution

Fortunately, the movement to provide more citizens with internet access in India is in motion. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is reducing the internet shutdowns that happen due to net neutrality thanks to the influence of the Telecommunication Regulation Authority of India (TRAI). The Government of India is making progress in providing access to more Indian citizens and is partnering with independent partners such as BharatNet is enhancing the internet infrastructure. India Accelerator is another organization doing the groundwork to raise funds for many internet start-up companies which encourages entrepreneurship.

Internet future in India

Moving forward, facts above mostly mean a brighter future for India in internet access. As the DoT and the TRAI work together to prevent unfair blocks to internet access in India, internet freedom is becoming a reality for many formerly oppressed people. According to Inc42 Media, India has a 50 billion dollars potential online commerce market. When millions of people gain access to this market backed by empowerment and funding, this has a power to change India economy in a positive direction. By launching new companies, creating more income and more jobs, the GDP will rise, significantly lowering the poverty rates and creating a more sustainable and stable India.

India currently lacks the power to provide its citizens with the means to send and receive electronic data, something many would consider a basic human right in today’s world. This is coming to an end as internet access in India is becoming a priority for the Government and for the people.

– Heather Marie Benton
Photo: Flickr

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Three Ways the Digital GAP Act Will Fight Poverty

digital gap act
The Digital Global Access Policy (GAP) Act was passed in the House of Representatives on January 24, 2017. This bill is a vital step in reducing global poverty in developing nations, creating more interconnectedness between people and nations and saving millions of lives.

Currently, nearly 60 percent of the world’s 7.6 billion people remain offline. In this increasingly global society, access to the internet is becoming a necessary service alongside electricity and running water. Developing nations and governments need internet access to connect systems, provide services to residents and lift themselves out of poverty to participate in global markets.

The Digital GAP Act, introduced by Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), had overwhelming bipartisan support in the House. On its way to the Senate, the bill will bring mobile or broadband internet access to 1.5 billion people for the first time. The passing of the Digital GAP Act will spur economic growth in developing nations, save millions of lives through increasing global health and crisis response and fight to bring more women online in the fight for global equality and human rights.

Economic Benefits of the Digital GAP Act

Closing the digital divide would boost global commerce by billions of dollars. Providing internet access to communities will increase thhe earning potential of individuals and communities, allowing for more prosperous people.

The availability of internet means emerging markets in need of data plans. The new sales of platforms and data plans open up a market opportunity worth $50 to $70 billion. Furthermore, the addition of internet access to disadvantaged communities will allow companies and businesses to invest in the area. The creation and attraction of local and foreign businesses to establish themselves within communities previously without internet access will drum up industry and increase economic growth and opportunity.

The More Women Online, the More Prosperity

On the House floor, prior to the vote which passed the Digital GAP Act, Rep. Chairman Ed Royce highlighted the way women are disproportionately affected by the digital gap and the importance to bringing more women online. “[Women are] …serving as the principal consumers, caregivers, educators, peacemakers and income-earners across the developing world. Bringing women online will not only deepen the benefit of existing investments in governance and global health, it will accelerate economic growth,” Rep. Royce said.

Intel Corporation argues that bringing even just 150 million more women online has immense benefits for the women themselves, their families and their communities. Seeing another 600 million women online would contribute an estimated $13 to $18 billion to the annual GDP across 144 developing countries.

Providing internet access to more women would expand opportunities as 180 million women would see improved abilities to generate income for themselves and their families. Passing the Digital GAP Act would see nearly 500 million women able to improve their education and see greater freedom and connectivity to the public sphere as a result of being online.

Increasing Global Health and Crisis Response Saves Lives

In 2014, the Ebola virus claimed over 11,000 lives, with Liberia suffering the worst. Liberia, without reliable internet access, saw community health centers struggle to coordinate efforts to save lives. With 60 percent of the world left out of the technological revolution, there is a lack of coordination, communication and response to global health crises. The lack of internet access resulted in more deaths from Ebola.

Today, many communities struggle with the Zika virus, which disproportionately affects women and infants. Without internet access, communities are unable to track the virus. This means individuals in communities affected by the virus will remain completely unaware of its presence until it is too late. This allows the virus to spread over borders with more ease.

Not only does the addition of internet access increase crisis response capacity, but it also increases education surrounding global health. With access to information about disease, sanitation and general health and well-being, communities have more tools to prevent health crises. In rural areas where clinics may be expensive or difficult to travel to, access to health advice and knowledge about ailments can allow communities to make better decisions regarding global health.

Passed in the House and on its way to the Senate, the Digital GAP Act can save lives, spur economic growth and opportunity and achieve gender equality. Now more than ever, it is important to support poverty reducing legislation that will make a difference in millions of lives.

– Kelilani Johnson

Photo: Flickr