Recycled technology

The imperative to secure affordable access lead us to look at the refurbishment/remanufacturing option. The digital partnership surveyed 20 global corporations in Europe and the US and discovered that more than 1m PCs are being decommissioned in the next three years. Based on our research, the acquisition cost of these computers was possibly more than $1.5bn but they are likely to have a residual value of less than $60m and a book value that is significantly lower still.

The top 100 global companies have an estimated IT stock in excess of 7m PCs and the top 1,000 companies may have more than 30m. It has been estimated that in the countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, over 600m PCs will be decommissioned in the next five years. The value to the companies concerned is generally less than $50 per PC and effective disposal is becoming increasingly costly for companies as managers have to observe stricter environmental regulations and residual values are declining as IT is comoditized. The key is how to achieve scale

But these PCs are worth something to poorer counties and their value would be immeasurably greater if they were part of a sustainable programme. Deployment requires partnerships with education authorities and schools, where e-learning centres can be created for enterprise, training and health and social projects.

Reuse of mass donated technology might raise a range of risks:

• Unfair competition for IT retailers - but the evidence suggests that as more people have basic access and training in use of IT and diffusion increases so skills shortages shrink, demand increases and markets are grown
• IT can be dumped in a context where it cannot be used - yes it can unless integrated with training and other factors as per the Digital Partnership model
• The hardware can be obsolete - yes it can but the Digital Partnership only makes use of near new hardware with an extensive future use, and with proper arrangements for end of life disposal
• IT cannot be sustained - yes, unless partners are picked only where viable support plans exist
• A point made by some Northern academics and idealists is that the developing world should have new technology - we agree, but in the meantime and the foreseeable future where there are other spending priorities the model offers a responsible, scalable and sustainable kick-start for communities as enthusiastic partners which simply could not get access to opportunities.

Access to the internet does not guarantee effective use and learning. Poor communities are often ill-prepared for technology and equipment can be left languishing in rooms where few people have access to it. The partnership aims to offer technical support both in IT deployment and learning for teachers. Sometimes buildings will require security improvements.

The use of CD-ROM and electronic storage brings new possibilities for learning resources to schools starved of books. Active partnerships with content providers offer ground-breaking possibilities to develop those resources.

The mission is simple. It was to mobilise the immense problem-solving capability of people in business, make use of the vast IT resources they dispose of each year and provide access to content that can do something practical about low levels of literacy among the poor.

The model could have a significant impact on the digital divide and it offers a unique opportunity for companies, institutions and public authorities to make a contribution. It will provide a socially responsible way for companies to recycle technology, demonstrate their corporate citizenship and share the opportunities of globalisation.