Intel Corp invests $ 1 b to increase PC ownership, literacy rate

by Surekha Galagoda

Indika De Zoysa

Prof. V. K. Samaranayake

Intel Corporation has invested US$ one billion in emerging markets including Sri Lanka to increase PC ownership and IT literacy rate.

The company partners with the national government of the respective country and up to now the Government Assisted PC Purchase Program (GAPP) has been launched in more than 75 countries.

In Sri Lanka Intel partnered with the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) to launch the e-Sri Lanka PC Programme to address affordability, accessibility and awareness.

ICTA Chairman Prof. V. K. Samaranayake and Sales Manager for Intel Sri Lanka Indika De Zoysa outlined the success of the e-Sri Lanka PC Programme.

Prof. Samaranayake told the Sunday Observer that a survey done two years ago revealed that the IT literacy rate in Sri Lanka was only 11%. This was because the western province accounted for a higher percentage.

IT is needed for every sphere of development and everybody needs a computer as it is a way of facilitating work but computers have to be affordable. At present there is a paradigm shift from teaching to learning. The computer and the internet are learning tools. It is a world of knowledge at your fingertips.

Therefore ICTA together with Intel launched the e-Sri Lanka PC programme to make the e-Sri Lanka PC available at affordable monthly instalments. The financing solution is provided through the National Savings Bank (NSB). It is available on a monthly installment scheme making it affordable for everybody.

"We have already sold over 25,000 units within one-and-a-half years and the scheme is very popular among government employees and teachers. We are very optimistic that Intel would be able to increase the PC penetration under this program.

Through this private public partnership we are trying to increase the PC penetration and thereby help the country become an IT literate nation, said De Zoysa. We have appointed three partners including PC House, Cobian Technologies and Neat Technologies and there are three configurations that are available.

A trilingual call centre has been set up to provide technical assistance to all new e-Sri Lanka PC users.

Prof Samaranayake said that it operates on open source software as it is affordable compared to Microsoft software but anybody who wishes can install the microsoft software to the PC.

The e-Sri Lanka PC is part of the government's efforts and Intel's vision to create a knowledge-based society by offering a PC that is affordable and widely available in Sri Lanka.

The e-Sri Lanka PC Programme was launched jointly by Intel and ICTA to create awareness on the benefits of owning PCs and using software and the Internet to enhance efficiency.

He said that the barriers to adoption of PCs in emerging markets such as Sri Lanka include affordability, accessibility and awareness.

Therefore Intel introduced programs to address these barriers. Intel is helping governments and other organisations of emerging markets to foster increased PC ownership and IT literacy.

Through this program Intel will enhance people's lives by accelerating access to uncompromised technology.

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