5G further widens the global digital divide

 "What is Page" is the first screen-sharp short film in 2019. In the short film, the grandfather who lives in the mountains is dumbfounded by his grandson's "Page". Grandpa read the dictionary first, then ran to the broadcasting station to ask the village for help, and finally learned from his fellow nanny in the city that Peppa was a pig that looked like a blower.

　　 In addition to the friendship between grandparents and grandchildren, the short film also portrays the reality that the current countryside is seriously disconnected from external information. This is also a microcosm of the global digital divide in the information age.

Recently, researchers from the University of British Columbia in Canada, the World Bank, and the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research in Germany investigated the impact of the digital revolution on the global rural and impoverished areas for the first time. They found that small farmers around the world have access to mobile networks and The frequency of the Internet is very low.

　　 With the popularization of 5G networks, the digital divide of the global poor may further widen.

　　 Zia Mehrabi of the University of British Columbia, who led the research, said that there is an assumption that these new technologies will benefit everyone, but the result is not the case.

　　Related papers were published in "Nature-Sustainability" on November 3.

　　 so close and so far

　　 The digital revolution has been incorporated into the global public discourse, and it is increasingly becoming a driving force for social change.

"Digital transformation is fundamentally changing all aspects of the global society and economy, and may change the interpretation of the sustainable development paradigm itself. Digitalization is not only a tool to solve the challenges of sustainable development, but also the basis for driving multi-level disruptive change." Nebojsa Nakicenovic, executive director of the World 2050 Research Project (TWI2050), told the China Science Daily.

The United Nations University Institute of Environment and Human Security, International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis and other institutions have issued a new version of the TWI2050 report, pointing out that people are in a new historical era characterized by digital systems such as artificial intelligence and deep learning. These digital systems will be enhanced , And eventually supplement or surpass human cognitive ability in certain areas.

　　 In fact, digitization has spread to every corner of people's lives. The use of high-tech methods such as artificial intelligence will promote the development of precision treatment solutions, automated driving, smart life, smart banking, smart cities, and the Internet of Things, making people's lives more convenient and efficient.

　　 But, like the other side of the coin, the ensuing digital divide widens the gap between rich and poor.

　　 In September, the ITU issued a research report stating that by 2030, an investment of about 428 billion U.S. dollars will be needed to enable broadband Internet access for the 3 billion people over the age of 10 who are not online.

　　Data shows that more than 12% of the global population without Internet access live in remote rural areas, most of which are located in Africa and South Asia.

　　Perhaps, the digital age has brought unlimited hope for 500 million small farmers in the world. A smart phone equipped with a suitable application can tell farmers when it may rain, how to identify and eliminate pests, and even help them bargain.

Although digital technology has been popularized among more and more farmers, the fact is that with the rapid development of the digital revolution, a farmer who can watch the latest weather forecast or can sell agricultural products by simply tapping on the screen will count. Millions of farmers are marginalized.

"We are facing a digital poverty trap-those who are already marginalized are further behind, while others can benefit from the myriad opportunities of digital innovation in agriculture," said Andy Jarvis of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture and co-author of the new paper. reporter.

　　 unreachable corner

　　In this new study, Mehrabi and others believe that there are different reasons for the digital divide in different regions, which may be due to lack of equipment or outdated network coverage.

　　 For example, in Mexico, the second largest economy in Latin America, almost everyone has a mobile phone, but only 25% of farmers have access to the Internet.

　　 In many places in sub-Saharan Africa that have the potential to become a global granary, less than 40% of farmers have access to the Internet.

　　 And unlike the widespread use of mobile phones in Asia and Latin America, less than 70% of farmers in sub-Saharan Africa have handheld devices.

　　 Only 9% of users can access the 4G network to run more complex applications.

　　The research also shows the difference between farm size and mobile network services.

　　 Globally, 24%~37% of farms with an area of ​​less than 1 hectare can access 3G or 4G networks.

　　For farms with an area of ​​more than 200 hectares, network availability is as high as 80%.

　　 This research focuses on the mobile phone coverage gap that farmers need most.

　　Data shows that in areas lacking nitrogen, crop yields are low due to the lack of proper fertilizer management, but the availability of 3G/4G networks is 60% and 22% respectively.

　　 In areas that rely on rainfall to maintain crop production, the coverage of these two networks is 71% and 54%, respectively.

　　The coverage rates in arid and barren areas are only 37% and 17%.

　　Researchers pointed out that these coverage gaps constitute an obstacle to the development of nutrition consulting, climate services, and financial services that require mobile Internet.

　　 For example, in 2018, malaria caused more than 400,000 deaths, but the 3G/4G network accessibility of malaria patients worldwide was only 37% and 7%.

　　 "Insufficient network coverage of at-risk populations poses a serious threat to food security and health effects of emerging diseases, including new coronary pneumonia. Today, lack of coverage is more problematic than ever before." Mehrabi said.

　　 bridge the gap

　　 Researchers call on governments, companies, and development agencies to make necessary investments and interventions to narrow the digital divide.

　　 They called for immediate action on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to achieve universal access to the Internet by the least developed countries by 2020.

　　 Researchers believe that investment in the "last mile" infrastructure innovation, such as renewable energy, low-cost mobile base stations, and scalable microwave technology, should be invested.

　　 At the same time, increase mobile phone payment capabilities and popularize data access. Researchers have found that in some African countries, the basic plan of 1GB of data per month exceeds the annual income of the poorest 10% of the population.

　　 At the same time, relevant research funding should be increased, and baseline studies should be updated regularly to track progress and establish indicators related to capacity building, skills, digital literacy, and service culture appropriateness, especially across age and gender indicators.

Houlin Zhao(replica hermes kelly), Secretary-General of ITU, stated that investment is indispensable if everyone is to have access to the Internet in 10 years. This requires unprecedented coordination between the public and private sectors, and policymakers need to embark on “providing accessibility for all. The way forward is to obtain, affordable, reliable and secure digital technologies and services."

　　 "This study pointed out that not only the coverage needs to be expanded, but also the cost needs to be drastically reduced to make it affordable."

　　 Jarvis(2021 hermes bags) said, “We need to treat digital connectivity as a basic need and do a good job of next-generation innovations that can work in every corner of Africa.”

　　 "5G is about to be launched in many areas. If low-end technology cannot solve the access problem, this will only increase the gap between the rich and the poor and cause greater inequality." Mehrabi said, "The longer we delay, the more serious the problem will become.