WTO Information Technology Symposium Information society indicators in practice

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WTO Information Technology SymposiumInformation
society indicators in practice

• Presentation on
• Estonian
• achievements
• Linnar Viik

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Where is Estonia at this moment?
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IT penetration in public sector is 80 of IT
needs, private sector has made its choice
several years ago, home penetration has
doubled in two years up to 15
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Internet penetration ranks Estonia with
it 250.000 Internet users 150.000 active
Internet users Internet host per 54 persons on
the non-geographical map of Global
Village right behind USA and Northern Europe
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Estonia is covered with more than 60
Internet Public Access Points
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50 of Public Sector PCs have Internet
connection 88 of Public Institutions are
presented via WWW TCP/IP is de facto data
communication protocol of the Public Sector
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There are over 300.000 mobile telephony
subscribers, three operators
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There are over 20 ISPs, 5 major ones Internet
dial-up prices have halved in two years 0.-
price Internet dial-up in September 99
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Where was Estonia in 1992?
No telecommunication infrastructure, no
services End users had no experience on
filtering the incoming information, no previous
experience in total interaction No financing
nor management structures
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Why Estonia caught up so well?

• No old technology
• Efficient know-how transfer
• Good academic background and overall level of
  technical education
• Use of de facto standards
• Embraced openness
• Underregulation
• Liberal economic environment
• Direct foreign investments
• Foreign technical assistance
• Public investments