Resumen
The billion -- a population equivalent to that of the US and Europe combined -- lives overwhelmingly in sub-Saharan Africa or Central Asia. Life expectancy in these regions is just 50 years. Not surprisingly, the bottom-billion nations have been among the least digital. But that is changing. Beyond the Internet, there is an even greater bottom-billion phenomenon: the cellphone. Ten years ago, Manhattan had more phone connections than all of Africa. Today, thanks to the cellphone, Africa has more phone connections than the US and Canada combined. IT can generate new market opportunities. Flying somewhat under the radar of government and donor agencies, IT can help directly create new microenterprises for the poor. IT can offer access to new sources of finance. Organizations like Kiva use Web microfinance portals to make a direct link between individual sponsors in the global North, and microentrepreneurs in the bottom billion.