2004, showed that the Internet serves as an
important networking and communication tool,
with all respondents using the Web to e-mail or
chat. 13
In an effort to further increase the Internet
penetration rate, the government launched
“Knowledge Stations” across the country in
2001. Jordanians in rural areas can access the
Internet and attend courses in computers at
these Stations. 14 An ongoing plan called the
Jordan Broadband Learning and Education
Network Project aims to create an extensive educational network by linking 8 public universities,
3,200 public schools, 23 community colleges,
and 75 Knowledge Stations nationwide. 15
Jordan has an advanced, though expensive, telecommunications infrastructure as compared with other countries in the region.
16
The
telecom sector serves as a key industry for the
Jordanian economy, accounting for 10 percent of
the GDP. 17 Since the sector was liberalized in
2004,
18
private companies—in particular
Wanadoo and Batelco, which together claim 83
percent of the Internet service provider (ISP) market—have overtaken the government’s share of
the market. 19 The government-owned National
Information Technology Center (NITC) remains
the exclusive registrar for the country code toplevel domain (ccTLD) “.jo”. 20
Legal and regulatory frameworks
Established in 1995, the Telecommunications
Regulatory Commission (TRC) regulates telecom
and information technology services in Jordan. 21
Under the Telecommunications Law of 1995, the
TRC is in charge of ISP licensing and telecommunications equipment. 22 Prospective ISPs must
file a license application and document their
financial resources, base prices, services and
technologies, and geographical coverage
areas. 23 ISPs must supply a mechanism for handling customer complaints and may increase
user fees only after notification has run for at least
one full month in two local newspapers. 24
To obtain a license to open an Internet café,
a party must submit an application with “an organizational site plan for the location to be used.” 25
The Internet Café Regulations state that records
of Internet use, including personal information,
should be kept and that “a special technique
should be provided to block and filter the sites” 26
that contain pornography or offensive religious
material, that promote recreational drug use or
gambling, or that show “the method of manufacCountry Summaries
309
KEY INDICATORS
worst
best
GDP per capita, PPP (constant 2000 international $) ........4,585 4.10
Life expectancy at birth (years)..............................................72 5.96
Literacy rate (% of people age 15+)......................................90 6.00
Human development index (out of 177) .................................86 5.55
Rule of law (out of 208).........................................................79 5.86
Voice and accountability (out of 208)...................................151 3.53
Digital opportunity index (out of 180).....................................77 5.44
Internet users (% of population) ..........................................11.2 4.11
Source (by indicator): World Bank 2005, 2006a, 2006a; UNDP 2006; World Bank 2006c, 2006c; ITU 2006, 2004
important networking and communication tool,
with all respondents using the Web to e-mail or
chat. 13
In an effort to further increase the Internet
penetration rate, the government launched
“Knowledge Stations” across the country in
2001. Jordanians in rural areas can access the
Internet and attend courses in computers at
these Stations. 14 An ongoing plan called the
Jordan Broadband Learning and Education
Network Project aims to create an extensive educational network by linking 8 public universities,
3,200 public schools, 23 community colleges,
and 75 Knowledge Stations nationwide. 15
Jordan has an advanced, though expensive, telecommunications infrastructure as compared with other countries in the region.
16
The
telecom sector serves as a key industry for the
Jordanian economy, accounting for 10 percent of
the GDP. 17 Since the sector was liberalized in
2004,
18
private companies—in particular
Wanadoo and Batelco, which together claim 83
percent of the Internet service provider (ISP) market—have overtaken the government’s share of
the market. 19 The government-owned National
Information Technology Center (NITC) remains
the exclusive registrar for the country code toplevel domain (ccTLD) “.jo”. 20
Legal and regulatory frameworks
Established in 1995, the Telecommunications
Regulatory Commission (TRC) regulates telecom
and information technology services in Jordan. 21
Under the Telecommunications Law of 1995, the
TRC is in charge of ISP licensing and telecommunications equipment. 22 Prospective ISPs must
file a license application and document their
financial resources, base prices, services and
technologies, and geographical coverage
areas. 23 ISPs must supply a mechanism for handling customer complaints and may increase
user fees only after notification has run for at least
one full month in two local newspapers. 24
To obtain a license to open an Internet café,
a party must submit an application with “an organizational site plan for the location to be used.” 25
The Internet Café Regulations state that records
of Internet use, including personal information,
should be kept and that “a special technique
should be provided to block and filter the sites” 26
that contain pornography or offensive religious
material, that promote recreational drug use or
gambling, or that show “the method of manufacCountry Summaries
309
KEY INDICATORS
worst
best
GDP per capita, PPP (constant 2000 international $) ........4,585 4.10
Life expectancy at birth (years)..............................................72 5.96
Literacy rate (% of people age 15+)......................................90 6.00
Human development index (out of 177) .................................86 5.55
Rule of law (out of 208).........................................................79 5.86
Voice and accountability (out of 208)...................................151 3.53
Digital opportunity index (out of 180).....................................77 5.44
Internet users (% of population) ..........................................11.2 4.11
Source (by indicator): World Bank 2005, 2006a, 2006a; UNDP 2006; World Bank 2006c, 2006c; ITU 2006, 2004