Questionnaire: The Global Diffusion of The Internet

The questionnaire consists of three parts: 

1.	Dimensions of Internet Diffusion 
2.	Determinants of Internet Diffusion 
3.	Dimension Predictions

Before you begin, please give us a little information about yourself:

Name:

Title: 

Organization:

Email Address:

Nation:

Part 1. Dimensions of Internet Diffusion

This part is divided into 6 sections, corresponding to our six dimensions:  pervasiveness, geographic dispersion, sectoral absorption, connectivity infrastructure, organizational infrastructure and sophistication of use.  Each of the questions below calls for an explanation of your answer.  Do not feel compelled to provide explanations for all of your answers.

1.  Pervasiveness (check the appropriate level)

__ Level 0, Non-existent: 

The Internet does not exist in a viable form in this country. No computers with international IP connections are located within the country. There may be some Internet users in the country; however, they obtain a connection via an international telephone call to a foreign ISP. 

__ Level 1, Experimental: 

The ratio of users per capita is less than one in a thousand. There is limited availability, and use of the Internet is embryonic. Only one or a few computers are connected to the international IP network. The user community comprises principally networking technicians. 

__ Level 2, Established: 

The ratio of Internet users per capita is on the order of magnitude of at least one in a thousand. The user community has been expanded beyond networking technicians. 

__ Level 3, Common: 

The ratio of Internet users per capita is on the order of magnitude of at least one in a hundred. The infrastructure of supporting and related goods and services has become well- established, although is not necessarily extensive. 

__ Level 4, Pervasive: 

The Internet is pervasive. The ratio of Internet users per capita is on the order of magnitude of at least one in ten. Internet access is available as a commodity service. 

Explanation: Briefly explain the basis or evidence for your choice. If you had any doubt as to the correct level for your nation, explain that as well. 

2.  Geographic Dispersion (check the appropriate level)

__ Level 0, Non-existent: 

The Internet does not exist in a viable form in this country. No computers with international IP connections are located within the country. 

__ Level 1, Single Location: 

Internet points-of-presence are confined to one major population center. There is an international IP link from only one city. 

__ Level 2, Moderately Dispersed: 

Internet points-of-presence are located in at least two major population centers. There is an international IP link from only one city. 

__ Level 3, Highly Dispersed: 

Internet points-of-presence are located in at least three- quarters of the first-tier political sub-divisions of the country. There are international IP links from two or more cities. 

__ Level 4, Nationwide: 

Internet points-of-presence are located in all first-tier political sub-divisions of the country. Rural access is publicly and commonly available. There are international IP links from more than two cities. 

Explanation: Briefly explain the basis or evidence for your choice. If you had any doubt as to the correct level for your nation, explain that as well. 

3.  Sectoral Absorption

There are four sectors, Academic, Commercial, Health and Public. Rate use in each one as rare, moderate or common using the following definitions: 

a. Academic: primary and secondary schools, universities

__ rare: less than 10% have leased-line Internet connectivity
__ moderate: 10-90% have leased-line Internet connectivity
__ common: over 90% have leased-line Internet connectivity

b. Commercial: businesses with more than 100 employees

__ rare: less than 10% have Internet servers
__ moderate: 10-90% have Internet servers
__ common: over 90% have Internet servers

c. Health: hospitals and clinics

__ rare: less than 10% have leased-line Internet connectivity
__ moderate: 10-90% have leased-line Internet connectivity
__ common: over 90% have leased-line Internet connectivity

d. Public: top and second tier government entities (this refers to your national government and the governments of the states, regions or other second-level regions).

__ rare: less than 10% have Internet servers
__ moderate: 10-90% have Internet servers
__ common: over 90% have Internet servers

Explanation: Briefly explain the basis or evidence for your choices. If you had any doubt as to the correct level for a sector, explain that as well. 

4. Connectivity Infrastructure

This dimension considers five factors: 

1.	Domestic backbone: the average speed of inter-city domestic backbone links 
2.	International links: the combined speed of all international links 
3.	Internet Exchanges: the existence of open network-access points (NAPs), bilateral Internet exchange points and metropolitan-area rings 
4.	Home access: the availability of high-speed (faster than ISDN) digital access (ADSL, HFC, wireless, etc.) as an alternative to modems from homes 
5.	Frontier: proximity to the technological frontier -- the availability of advanced protocols and variable quality of service (QOS) 

Rate your nation on each of these factors: 

The average speed of inter-city, domestic backbone links is:

__ zero, there are no inter-city, domestic backbone links
__ less than T1
__ between T1 and T3
__ between T3 and OC4
__ greater than OC4

The total speed of all international IP links is:

__ zero, there are no international IP links
__ less than T1
__ between T1 and T3
__ between T3 and 10 gb/s
__ greater than 10 gb/s

Internet Exchanges (IXs)

__ there are no IXs
__ there is one IX in the nation
__ there are IXs in two cities
__ there are IXs in at least half of the first-tier political sub-divisions of the country
__ there are IXs in over 90% of the first-tier political sub- divisions of the country

Availability of high-speed (faster than ISDN) digital access from homes (this is not measuring the subscription rates -- just the availability of the service)

__ there is no IP access from homes
__ nearly all access from homes is via modem or ISDN
__ high-speed access is available in 10% of homes 
__ high-speed access is available in at least half of the homes 
__ high-speed access is available in over 90% of the homes 

Proximity to the technological frontier

__ the majority of users have store-and-forward accounts
__ the majority of users have IP accounts (shell or direct)
__ there is one advanced protocol (such as RSVP or IPv6) on 90% of backbone routers
__ there is variable-rate quality of service and pricing on 90% of backbone routers
__ there are two or more advanced protocols and variable-rate quality of service and pricing on 90% of backbone routers 

Explanation: Briefly explain the basis or evidence for your choices. If you had any doubt as to the correct level for a factor, explain that as well. 

5. Organizational Infrastructure (check the appropriate level)

__ Level 0, None:

The Internet is not present in this country. 

__ Level 1, Single:

A single ISP has a monopoly in the Internet service provision market. This ISP is generally owned or significantly controlled by the government. 

__ Level 2, Controlled:

There are only a few ISPs because the market is closely controlled through the maintenance of high barriers to entry. All ISPs connect to the international Internet through a monopoly telecommunications service provider. The provision of domestic infrastructure is also a monopoly. 

__ Level 3, Competitive:

The Internet market is competitive and there are many ISPs due to the existence of low barriers to market entry. The provision of international links is a monopoly, but the provision of domestic infrastructure is open to competition. 

__ Level 4, Robust:

There is a rich service provision infrastructure. There are many ISPs and low barriers to market entry. The provision of international links and domestic infrastructure are open to competition. There are collaborative organizations and arrangements such as public exchanges, industry associations, and emergency response teams. 

Explanation: Briefly explain the basis or evidence for your choice. If you had any doubt as to the correct level for your nation, explain that as well. 

6. Sophistication of Use (check the appropriate level)

__ Level 0, None:

The Internet is not used, except by a very small fraction of the population that logs into foreign services. 

__ Level 1, Minimal:

The small user community struggles to employ the Internet in conventional, mainstream applications. 

__ Level 2, Conventional:

The user community changes established practices somewhat in response to or in order to accommodate the technology, but few established processes are changed dramatically. The Internet is used as a substitute or straight-forward enhancement for an existing process (e.g., e-mail vs. post). This is the first level at which we can say that the Internet has "taken hold" in a country. 

__ Level 3, Transforming:

The user community's use of the Internet results in new applications, or significant changes in existing processes and practices, although these innovations may not necessarily stretch the boundaries of the technology's capabilities. 

__ Level 4, Innovating:

The user community is discriminating and highly demanding. The user community is regularly applying, or seeking to apply the Internet in innovative ways that push the capabilities of the technology. The user community plays a significant role in driving the state-of-the-art and has a mutually beneficial and synergistic relationship with developers. 

Explanation: Briefly explain the basis or evidence for your choice. If you had any doubt as to the correct level for your nation, explain that as well. 

Part 2: Determinants of Internet Diffusion 

In the first section of this questionnaire, you answered questions designed to determine the level of Internet development on each of our six dimensions. 

In this section, we would like you to briefly state the most important factors stimulating or restricting the growth of the Internet in each of these dimensions. The following are examples of factors affecting Internet diffusion: 

Necessary Resources and Conditions 

•	Telecommunication infrastructure 
•	Personal computers and software 
•	Financial resources 
•	Human capital 
•	Sectorial demand and awareness 
•	Competitive environment 

Relevant Government Policies 

•	Markets and choice 
•	Investment policy 
•	National security 
•	Cultural concerns 
•	Social equity 

Multinational Issues 

•	The role of multinational corporations 
•	Technological progress 
•	The gap between have and have-not nations 
•	Regional and global Internet governance organizations 
•	Technological improvements 
•	Non-Internet, regional or global networks (e.g., for EDI or banking) 

Do not feel restricted by this list -- extend it as necessary for your nation. 

For each dimension, state the one or two most important factors stimulating or constraining Internet progress, and briefly explain the situation in your country: 

1. Pervasiveness

stimulating factors:

constraining factors:

2. Geographic Dispersion

stimulating factors:

constraining factors:

3. Sectoral Absorption

stimulating factors:

constraining factors:

4. Connectivity Infrastructure

stimulating factors:

constraining factors:

5. Organizational Infrastructure 

stimulating factors:

constraining factors:

6. Sophistication of Use 

stimulating factors:

constraining factors:

Part 3: Dimension Predictions

State whether or not you expect each dimension to increase within one year. Explain briefly why you expect it to change or remain the same. 

1. Pervasiveness

__ increase next year
__ remain the same

explanation:

2. Geographic Dispersion

__ increase next year
__ remain the same

explanation:

3. Sectoral Absorption

__ increase next year
__ remain the same

explanation:

4. Connectivity Infrastructure

__ increase next year
__ remain the same

explanation:

5. Organizational Infrastructure 

__ increase next year
__ remain the same

explanation:

6. Sophistication of Use 

__ increase next year
__ remain the same

explanation: 

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