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BI Accra, implemented by BusyInternet International, is an incubator for ICT companies that gives local businesses and the general public affordable and reliable access to ICT. BusyInternet revamped an old two-storey building and created Internet access halls that house 100 flat-screen personal computers and 15 wired offices. The building has a VSAT Internet connection and 1 megabyte of bandwidth -- which costs US$8,000 a month, plus a yearly licence fee to the government of US$2,000 -- a back-up power system, and an internal network. The centre is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and gets about 1800 visitors per day. It provides affordable service that makes it sustainable and also offers social services at low or no cost to those visiting the centre for HIV/AIDS and "Internet-for-Beginners" workshops. It's skill building programme on use of ICTs to local people is crucial in enabling people to use ICTs for communication. It is a good case study of private sector enterprise involvement with social and health programmes.

This report provides a survey of what is known and what is being done about international and domestic digital divides, highlights trends, and draws some conclusions about what more is needed to tackle the range of problems. It reviews some of the basic facts about ICT access and use, and provides an extensive list of resources for further information. It goes on to examine the major approaches to the problems, describing the various on-the-ground initiatives and considering government policies that play a role. It reflects on what is working best and what is failing -- and why. Finally, it illustrates the key elements necessary for integrating technology into society in an effective, sustainable way so that people can put technology to use to improve their lives: "real access" to technology