WTO Information Technology Symposium Information society indicators in practice Presentation on Estonian achievements Linnar Viik

Where is Estonia at this moment?

IT penetration in public sector is 80 % of IT needs, private sector has made its choice several years ago, home penetration has doubled in two years up to 15%

Internet penetration ranks Estonia with it Internet users active Internet users Internet host per 54 persons on the non-geographical map of Global Village right behind USA and Northern Europe

Estonia is covered with more than 60 Internet Public Access Points

50 % of Public Sector PCs have Internet connection 88 % of Public Institutions are presented via WWW TCP/IP is de facto data communication protocol of the Public Sector

There are over mobile telephony subscribers, three operators

There are over 20 ISPs, 5 major ones Internet dial-up prices have halved in two years 0.- price Internet dial-up in September 99

Where was Estonia in 1992? No telecommunication infrastructure, no services End users had no experience on filtering the incoming information, no previous experience in total interaction No financing nor management structures

Why Estonia caught up so well? No old technology Efficient know-how transfer Good academic background and overall level of technical education Use of de facto standards Embraced openness Underregulation Liberal economic environment Direct foreign investments Foreign technical assistance Public investments