This is the second part of a two part Interview with Leighton Phillips, Intel World Ahead Program Manager for Asia Pacific. The first part focussed on questions related to Intel’s WorldAhead program. As promised, this second part deals with some of the controversial questions including Intel’s abrupt exit from the One Laptop Per Child project.

1. You have been heading Intel’s South East Asia solution organization since 2004. Tell us about the issues that you identified in this region, with respect to access to computation, connectivity and literacy. How can this be improved by a public-private partnership? What has Intel done in this so far? What are the future plans?
   There are issues at several levels. The first issue is government implementation approaches. If you look across the region it is clear that governments with national implementation models are making faster progress - not just in the area of digital divide, but even in the economy at large. I believe a number of the countries could learn from the others which have chosen a more ‘standard national approach’ to the validation, trialing and implementation of solutions to the digital divide.
   Secondly, connectivity policies are critical to resolving the digital divide. There is an opportunity presented by the sizeable amount of under-utilized Universal Service Organization (USO) funding (a ‘tithe’ paid by telecommunications carriers as a guarantee of equitable access to voice services). What is important is that the country’s telecommunications regulators prioritize USO funding to all citizens, particularly in rural and remote areas, for both voice and data services. This will enable people to be connected to 21^st century opportunity in areas such as education and healthcare. Intel since last year has taken an active role now governments to push their USO funding policies and ensure the funding can genuinely deliver the services that will stimulate the economy.
   Intel has a number of regional accomplishments under the World Ahead Program, in the form of programs, products and policy shifts, all of which are aimed at connecting the next billion people to the Internet and the digital world that many of us are now hopeless without. I believe the greatest thing Intel is doing, in collaboration with governments and organizations is to bring transparency to the problem and employing more and more smart minds to resolving these problems. By taking one step at a time, one project at a time and one learning at a time, we are making progress and making a difference.

 

2. Why did Intel exit from the One Laptop Per Child project, if it was so keen on spreading computing and connectivity in developing countries?
   We reached a philosophical impasse. Nicholas Negroponte had asked Intel to end its support for non-OLPC platforms including the Classmate PC and to focus its support exclusively on the OLPC system the XO. Intel concluded that it cannot accommodate the OLPC request for two reasons: First Intel has long believed that there is no single solution to the needs of children in emerging and underdeveloped markets. We have always said there will be many solutions but the most important priority to serve the need. Secondly, if Intel were to exclusively support the XO over other platforms it would force us to abandon our relationships with many local OEMs and suppliers.
   Intel has been at the forefront of developing education programs for students and teachers for the past decade. Intel works with customers, schools, educators, and governments around the world to develop products and programs that will advance the cause of education and promote access to technology in developing countries.

 

3. Throw some light on Intel’s Classmate PC. How does it compare with OLPC’s XO or Asus’ EEE PC.
   Intel-powered Classmate PCs are designed specifically to meet the needs of 1:1 education in emerging economies with its rugged form factor and education specific software. Intel’s philosophy is that computers aren’t magic, teachers are. Intel invests $100 million in education each year, which has included training four million teachers in more than 30 countries since 2000 on how to apply technology to improve student learning. The Intel-powered Classmate PC approach also enables teachers to mentor and lead students in the classroom. This approach empowers the teachers, providing them control over the use of PC, enable interaction between students and teachers.
   Intel sees netbooks such as the EeePC as affordable general purpose notebooks that are ideal for first time buyers and schools in emerging markets which require a product that does not require specific features such as those found in Classmate PCs. Intel plans to work with newer entries such as Asus to address education programs in emerging economics.

 

4. Tell us something about Intel’s WiMax initiative?
   WiMAX is a key component of Intel’s broadband wireless strategy to deliver innovative mobile platforms for broadband Internet connectivity anytime, anywhere. Intel believes that personal broadband will create one of the biggest step changes in computing that we have experienced in the last 50 years.
   Intel, in collaboration with service providers, infrastructure equipment vendors, and device and PC manufacturers, plans to begin delivering integrated mobile WiMAX silicon in 2008.
   Intel is leading the mobility charge with the world’s first integrated WiMAX/ Wi-Fi solution as an option, available on the next-generation platform for notebooks (codenamed ‘Montevina’), planned to be available in time with the Montevina launch in mid-2008. Intel is also developing a low power integrated WiMAX solution for mobile Internet, ultra mobile and consumer electronics devices, targeted to be available in mid-2008.

 

5. Does WiMax lends itself easily to Mobile platform? Some people say LTE is a better alternative for Mobile connectivity than Mobile WiMax. Your comments?
   Intel has no plans to support LTE. LTE is 2-3 years away and will merely offer similar broadband speeds and equipment upgrades to today’s WiMAX networks. With WiMAX coming online now and laptop sales reaching 100s of millions soon, consumers do not have to wait 2-3 years to get comparably faster wireless Internet access from WiMAX today. It is premature to make comparisons to mobile WiMAX (standard since 2005).
   While LTE isn’t expected on the market until at least 2012, Intel will introduce its next generation Centrino chips for laptops that will have WiMAX built into them in Q2 2008, delivering a highly simplified and cost effective solution for OEMs. Several OEMs including Toshiba, Lenovo and Panasonic have already agreed to use the WiMAX-enabled chips.

 

6. In India, the mobile phones growth is phenomenally higher than that of laptops. Don’t you think, barring the education sector, mobile handheld devices will be defining “connectivity” more predominantly and significantly than cheap-laptops?
   The Intel-powered Classmate PC is Intel’s specific response to the needs of students and teachers. The PC’s hardware and software solutions have been designed to address gaps in education found by Intel’s Ethnographic and Market research teams. To improve education, keep in mind that computers aren’t magic, teachers are. With trained teachers, local educational content, connectivity to the world’s resources, and tailored PCs - youth in emerging economies will have an opportunity to realize the potential of their ideas. Intel is working to enable a broad range of other solutions for different emerging market needs.

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