xDSL as a broadband solution for the developing countries

Developing countries present a graphic picture of the digital divide. This is the result of locating previously disadvantaged people in underdeveloped areas. These areas are characterized by a high rate of unemployment and a poor level of education. This results in a scenario where most of the residents are unable to utilize IT resources. Some people in these areas are not informed about the availability and importance of these technologies in the market. Those who are academically fit for accessing these technologies often cannot afford them. High deployment costs associated with broadband services makes it even more challenging to deploy such services in this environment. Approximately 80% of the population in Africa is rural, which alone creates a demand for the coverage of rural regions. In this research it is shown that broadband services can be delivered to rural people by applying xDSL technologies, using the existing telecommunications infrastructure. With this technology a number of different high bandwidth services can be delivered to homes, schools, hospitals, telecentres and small businesses.