Internet Access and Training Program (IATP)

Internet Access

Why Provide Internet Access?

By providing access to the Internet, IATP fosters the development of new human networks. Through these networks, ideas are exchanged and new viewpoints are formed, enabling citizens to better understand the complexities of their local and national communities as they strive to develop more active civil societies and further the process of democratization. At the same time, access to the Internet can have a remarkable impact on individual and organizational productivity, leading to more informed and therefore effective decision-making through increased information.

The access that IATP provides takes on even greater importance considering the environments which characterizes many of the countries in which the program works. For example, mass media in some former soviet countries is under strict government control. In Moldova, the major newspapers are outlets for the country’s major political parties. In several Central Asian countries, government censorship curbs independent reporting and occasionally outwardly oppresses the media. In such situations, the Internet is often the only way to access information that has not been tainted by national governments for political purposes.

IATP Sites

There are 83 IATP access sites in 11 countries of Eurasia. Members of the public are able to access the computers at IATP sites whenever training courses are not being conducted. Approximately five hours per day are available for open Internet access. Time is reserved on a computer-by-computer basis in increments of one hour by either calling ahead or visiting an IATP site.

IATP sites are constantly busy and frequently maintain waiting lines for Internet access. This is because access to the Internet in the countries of the former Soviet Union is still rare. Few individuals have access at work even in capital cities. Access from home is out of the price range of most people and therefore even less common. Universities generally offer limited Internet access, but these facilities are frequently overwhelmed and available only to students. Internet cafes have sprung up in many capital cities but charge prices that are out of the reach of the average person. Access through IATP is almost always the only way for individuals to get online via a free-of-charge facility.

The typical IATP site averages five computers, a server, a printer, and a scanner. The type of hardware that the program has varies from country to country and site to site. Most computers on the IATP network have processor speeds between 233 MHZ and 700 MHZ with either 64 or 128 RAM. IATP uses a mix of technologies such as dial-up, leased lines, and radiomodem networks to overcome the challenges presented by the state of local telecommunications infrastructures.

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