ABSTRACT
For some years, leaders in Asia have argued that Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) would play a significant role in economic, political, and social developments in Asia. There is some compelling evidence of the truth of this judgment, although the outcomes have frequently defied the hopes and dreams of planners. Of all the benefits promised by ICT proponents, the one which seemed to hold the greatest promise within Asia was that of economic development. These benefits may be viewed directly in terms of the creation of a booming market in information and communications equipment and networks, and indirectly in terms of the growing business applications that are linked to ICTs (e.g. online commerce, accounting, and communications). They may also be observed in the proliferation of Internet access, websites, and bulletin boards reaching millions of people, not only in the urban centers of Asia, but also in rural areas. Such developments have also led governments to see an efficient telecommunications infrastructure as a crucial element in the attraction of investments, becoming a priority investment alongside transportation and manpower in the basket of items essential to the building of a country’s economic competitiveness.
