Despite Carter's controversial proposal to levy £6 a year on each household with a fixed phoneline to help pay for the next generation of the internet, the affordability of access remains a critical issue for poorer familes.
There are two reasons why, despite the widespread use of mobile phones, they have not tried the internet - affordability and awareness.
Rwanda is rolling out its 4G LTE program nationwide and is the highest ranked African country on the Alliance for Affordable Internet's Affordability Index.
Improving Internet access and affordability, on the other hand, are "supply side" initiatives.
Improving internet availability and affordability in Africa had become central to the continent's burgeoning IT ecosystem.
In addition to the aforementioned, Internet accessibility and affordability are significant hurdles that need to be overcome, as well, but they're essentially engineering problems with a finite scope.
Questions about the speed, availability and affordability of Internet service in the United States will be central to the study Congress has required from the Federal Communications Commission next year.
Despite the controversial proposal to levy £6 a year on each household with a fixed line phone, the Digital Britain White Paper says the affordability of internet access is a critical issue for poorer families, preventing them going online.
Points will be given for creativity and originality (to try to ensure that recipes aren't copied from the Internet or a magazine), for affordability, and for the "back story".
The proposals could dramatically change everything from access and affordability of the Internet to oversight by the ITU -- and therefore governments -- of ICANN, the IETF and other organizations responsible for elements of the Internet's architecture.
With the increasing availability and affordability of high-speed internet connections, this problem should become less pressing.
