The Great Connecting: The Emergence of Global Broadband and How That Changes Everything

by Jim Cashel

Overview

What happens when affordable broadband finally reaches the half of the planet that has little or no Internet access? Google, Facebook, SpaceX, and many others have major initiatives underway to connect the rest of the planet over the next few years. For the first time, even the poorest and most remote of global citizens will have access to information, communications, identity authentication, government programs, global philanthropy, online banking, telehealth, distance education, and other powerful services heretofore impossible. In The Great Connecting, Jim Cashel speaks with the major players driving the broadband revolution and travels to the most remote corners of the globe to consider the changes in our world about to take place — certainly one of the biggest events in human history. As Cashel explains, the expansion of broadband offers many challenges but will also bring a remarkable opportunity for the planet.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781635766547
Publisher:	Radius Book Group
Publication date:	06/11/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Jim Cashel is a researcher and Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He also is Chairman of Forum One, a web strategy and development firm. After completing studies in Human Biology at Stanford University, and Public Policy and Medicine at Harvard University, Jim has worked in international development, philanthropy, and technology. When not on the road, Jim lives with his family in Sonoma, California.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Attraction 5

Exploration 21

Possibility 39

Investment 57

Growth 85

Challenge 107

Partnership 149

Afterword 167

How to Get Involved 169

Resources 171

Technical Glossary 193

Acknowledgments 201

Index 203

About the Author 211

Editorial Reviews

"[Cashel] provides a searching discussion of the many ways—financial, medical, political, and communicative, just to name a few—in which broadband will positively alter the socioeconomic landscapes of the beneficiaries. In addition, the author assesses the challenges, particularly the use of the internet as a tool of extremist hate and political oppression. Finally, he presents a series of thoughtful solutions to these impediments, and a kind of road map for governments and investors alike to accelerate the process and clear inevitable hurdles." - Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2019-06-06
A researcher assesses both the challenges and the potentially transformative power of global internet access.

As ubiquitous as the internet may seem, debut author Cashel observes, a considerable swath of the world—its poorest parts—remains without access to it, "locked out" of one of the most significant technological inventions of this era. But there are good reasons to believe that will change soon, in particular the plummeting costs associated with satellite technology, which effectively delivers faster and higher quality broadband service. In addition, major companies like Google and Facebook, with commercial interests in reaching more customers, are experimenting with new ways to supply the developing world with internet access. Facebook has been using drones as instruments of delivery, and Google has been harnessing balloons. Moreover, governmental institutions are making a contribution as well; in 2010, the United Nations established the Broadband Commission for Digital Development and considers the general adoption of broadband access central to the achievement of its other developmental goals for poorer nations. The author astutely raises an important question: How will the widespread promulgation of broadband—what Cashel calls the "Great Connecting"—affect otherwise disadvantaged populations? He provides a searching discussion of the many ways—financial, medical, political, and communicative, just to name a few—in which broadband will positively alter the socio-economic landscapes of the beneficiaries. In addition, the author assesses the challenges, particularly the use of the internet as a tool of extremist hate and political oppression. Finally, he presents a series of thoughtful solutions to these impediments and a kind of road map for governments and investors alike to accelerate the process and clear inevitable hurdles. Cashel is a researcher and visiting fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and so it is unsurprising his study is impressively exacting. At the same time, it's an exceedingly practical work and draws heavily not only on theory and data, but also on the author's travels to the developing world. Unfortunately, his optimism can be excessive; for example, especially after the last year of revelations about Facebook's business, it is remarkable he can write: "The good news is that Facebook does have in its mission statement—and undoubtedly in its corporate DNA—the idea of making the world a better place." Still, this remains an incisive tour of a complex set of issues.

A thorough and concise look into the technologically saturated future.

Kirkus Reviews