The development of both broadband and Internet technologies has greatly enriched people's lives, and the latest technologies provide an opportunity to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. However, technology has mainly benefited the rich, as it remains unaffordable to less-developed countries and regions. Finding ways to bridge the digital divide and create a harmonious society is also a cause of concern for many governments. SPs and vendors should provide affordable services and technologies to ensure that more people are able to enjoy the conveniences brought about by an information society.

• What kinds of services are most useful to the poor? How can we help them become better off?
• What kinds of cost-effective technologies can vendors provide? Considering that many poor people live in rural areas, one of the best solutions could be to deploy wider-coverage wireless networks or wireless networks that use existing broadband networks.
• What role can the government play?

In this session, SPs, vendors, and governments will share their ideas, visions, and experiences with regards to how the digital divide can be bridged.

Eliceo Sanchez Co-Chief Executive Officer China Netcom National Lab

Mr. Sanchez previously held the position and took main responsibilities at Telefýíica, including chief executive officer of Telefýíica Solutions, the ICT company of Telefýíica Group; chief executive officer of Terra Mobile, a multinational company with presence in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Germany, England, Sweden, and Finland; managing director of innovation and technology in Telefýíica mobile corporation; chief executive officer of Telefýíica R&D; marketing director of SME's market; and coordinator of Telefýíica for voice services in Unisource.

Saverio Orlando Department Executive Director, Wireline Access Transport Layer Telecom Italia

From October 2004 to November 2005, Mr. Orlando previously led the mass-market network services department with the responsibility to design and deploy all new mass-market broadband services such as ADSL or IPTV as well as evolve the legacy voice services toward new-generation services such as VoIP and video telephony. From February 2003 to October 2004, he led a department of about 500 engineers, software developers, and system integrators devoted to designing and implementing OSS solutions for the business units of Telecom Italia.

Daniel Tang Vice President, Marketing, Network Product Line Huawei Technologies

Mr. Tang was named to his current position in 2005 and previously held the positions of vice president of Global Key Account Marketing; director of BT 21CN Solution Marketing; director of Solution Marketing; R&D manager; and senior engineer. He has also led various teams in providing innovative solutions for key carriers in both China and Europe. Mr. Tang received a master's in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California in 1998 and a bachelor's in engineering from the University of Science and Technology of China in 1993.