What is the "Information Superhighway?"

"Information superhighway" is a phrase attributed to now-Vice President Al Gore and is generally used to refer to the National Information Infrastructure (NII) and Global Information Infrastructure envisioned by the Clinton administration. It will consist of computers, electronics and telecommunications equipment, networking components and standards, and applications that enable connected users to create, organize, and exchange data, voice, images, audio, video, and other media. The infrastructure is being built primarily through private sector efforts. Government participation includes research, policy-making, and grants to facilitate technology development. The Rural Information Infrastructure (RII) is the part of the NII that will reach into rural areas.

Ensuring affordable universal access to the NII is a challenge facing information policy-makers. A 1995 report by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) finds that a number of Americans lack telephone service, particularly among rural Native Americans. The report looks at the number of households with telephones, computers and modems by age, income level, location, educational attainment, and race. Another area studied by the NTIA is the use of on-line services for taking classes, accessing government reports, and searching classified advertisements.

The NTIA sees public libraries, schools, and other community centers as necessary ingredients in providing access to the NII.

Efforts of the NTIA to bring information to rural areas include its Telecommunications Information Infrastructure Assistance Program (TIIAP). TIIAP grants have been used to connect schools, hospitals, and community centers in rural areas to the "information superhighway."

The following links provide more information about the National Information Infrastructure and universal access:

The NII Virtual Library has information on NII projects and standards, plus other NII information.

The National Information Infrastructure Advisory Council WWW Site has lots of information and links regarding the NII.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) provides information on extending the NII to American citizens.

Falling Through the Net, the NTIA report. Also download the tables (25K PKZIP'ed WordPerfect file) that accompany the report. Instructions for downloading PKZip.

The Sunsite (UNC) NII Home Page has audio and video clips related to the NII.

Universal Access to Email is a RAND study that looks at the possibility and implications of universal email access.

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