Shrinking the Digital Divide

By Mark Evans | Published: February 19, 2008

For those of you who accuse me of highlighting bad news stories about Nortel, here’s a definite change of pace.

Nortel and Dream A Dream, a non-profit organization, have joined forces to create a facility in Bangalore that will provide economically-challenged children with access to the Internet and technology. The Nortel LearniT center will feature mentors who will provide computer and Internet-based training.

Ravi Chauhan, managing director of Nortel India, said “The Nortel LearniT Center in Bangalore gives us the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of some of the neediest children by helping them achieve success in the digital age.”

Nortel should be lauded for the initiative, which I’m sure is desperately needed.

For more on Nortel’s LearniT program, click here.

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  • A Close Observer

    “For those of you who accuse me of highlighting bad news stories about Nortel…”

    There's /substantive/ good news?

  • kls

    Good news about Nortel's prospects would be better.

  • protosphere

    Hopefully this will combat Human Rights Groups' outrage over supplying China with technology to spy on its own citizens.

    Non profit is refreshingly commendable but does little for its beaten down shareholders.

    Good news for the right reasons just doesn't seem to fit Nortel's cultural history as of late which leads me to suspect it is just a clever PR ploy.

    They have a long way to go towards restoring trust /credibility if ever albeit this appears like a step in the right direction. I am leery of the underlying intent in this group hug to combat an evil empire image, ironic news given Nortel's past …

    Losing money this way may deserve philanthropic support than feeding exorbitant management pay practices for a company losing money as they cut employees and their benefits in their very own country. It is a lovely PR stunt in my view.

    Lets hope they teach these disadvantaged children in Bangalore ethics early on to compete honorably in an increasingly competitive global climate. Not to set specs against competitors in below cost deals for revenue, cook false profit for lucrative bonuses, hype endless contradiction with motive, etc… Nortel's actions are astoundingly endless to come up with something like this, hence my PR ploy theory.

  • Timur

    Hey guys give it a rest! This is a great program that is teaching poor kids how to use computers. What is wrong with that? And… Ravi Chauhan in one of the “superstars” at Nortel. I'm not in the Nortel fan club but we should at least stay positive about this!

  • Jason

    Saw something similiar on Phil's blog recently:
    http://blogs.nortel.com/enterpriseblog/2008/02/…

  • Another Nortel Watcher

    This is what healthy companies do, which Nortel is not. After losing three-quarters of their investment since MZ joined the company, I'm sure the shareholder base would rather see MZ fund this out of his own pocket instead of taking more out of their pockets.

    Of course the truly frightening thought is that maybe MZ doesn't really understand how much trouble Nortel is in.

  • Not Observer

    It's incredible to hear the whining and complaining about Nortel being a good Corporate Citizen and extending offers to underpriviledged children. No doubt if they were to pull out of initiatives like this it would result of more whining and complaining that Nortel is doing wrong too.

  • timmy

    What about Canada's North of 60 “economically-challenged” aboriginal youth?” Why not provide “access to the Internet and technology” there and “make a difference in the lives of some of the neediest children by helping them achieve success in the digital age.”

    Too much.

  • http://www.NortelLearniT.org Rob

    Nortel actually has many Nortel LearniT initiatives around the world and unknown by many, through good times and bad, Nortel has for many years steadfastly continued to promote STEM education with a particular focus on Technology in education witness Nortel LearniT and its many associated activities and resources (http://www.NortelLearniT.org). But to your particular comment, in Canada's far North, Nortel has been working with ACTUA (http://www.Actua.ca) to provide Nortel LearniT centered technology camps for children that do not normally have access to multimedia technology, let alone camps. In partnership with ACTUA and their staff trained by Nortel through Nortel LearniT, these programs will be expanded again this year.

  • timmy

    I stand corrected, then, Rob.
    Thanks.

  • Casual Observer

    Close observer – there is good news but its slow in coming. The strategy is showing signs of working in the marketplace. The problem is the economic slowdown is now hitting home and will overshadow any positive news. The truth of the matter is many companies may become victims of a generational credit crisis the likes of which hasn't been seen since the 1930s. Nortel's timing is just poor because we are at the end of an economic cycle.

  • Casual Observer

    Close observer – there is good news but its slow in coming. The strategy is showing signs of working in the marketplace. The problem is the economic slowdown is now hitting home and will overshadow any positive news. The truth of the matter is many companies may become victims of a generational credit crisis the likes of which hasn't been seen since the 1930s. Nortel's timing is just poor because we are at the end of an economic cycle.

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