In the relatively near future, experts suggest there will be cheap full coverage for rural wireless communications.

This work is being speeded up by Indian investment in particular.

The Indian government has recently established the Centre for Excellence in Wireless Technologies in Chennai. It is a public-private initiative to promote R&D in fixed and mobile technologies and to create next generation wireless platforms.

This is likely to be good news for people living in rural areas in India who want low cost connection to the digital world.

The Indian government is keen to speed development in this area, not only to provide a better platform for business, but also to deliver education.

They recognise the long term educational benefits to the community when you supply this service with the help of government funding.

In the meantime, in New Zealand the new Minister of Local Government, Act party leader Rodney Hyde is debating whether or not local councils need to keep funding libraries; he suggests the benefit of borrowing and reading a book is to the individual, not the community - therefore why should the community pay?

But isn’t there a benefit to having our communities education and informed?