Community developers can assist communities thru the CD process to aggregate local demand and work in partnership with telecommunications providers to ensure affordable access to the necessary technology for applications in education, business, government,and health care. Access, which is the human side of infrastructure, is three-fold. Community developers can help build awareness of the opportunities and unintended consequences. Training is key to obtaining the technological literacy required to make informed decisions about telecommunications investment, to know how to apply the technology, access and create information resources, and interact with others on-line. Community development practitioners can assist in ensuring communities create an environment for equity in access, that the lowest common denominator is considered for access, such as e-mail and fax.
Sustainability is a key guiding principle when considering telecommunications and community.
It depends on diligent,long-term human investment in relationship building and partnerships between providers and consumers, public and private sector, and a collaborative versus competitive approach. Application to CDS Principles of Good Practice. Telecommunications development for the good of community depend on adherence to a set of guiding principles such as the CDS principles, which encourage us to embrace telecommunications as a tool AND ensure development of critical thinking skills alongside. There is much opportunity in the emerging telecommunications environment for positive uses, such as promoting active and representative citizen participation in decision making. Telecommunications provides tools for each of us to become better informed and more engaged with community.