The digital and information revolution has changed the way the world learns, communicates, does business, and treats illnesses. New information and communications technologies (ICT) offer vast opportunities for progress in all walks of life in all countries - opportunities for economic growth, improved health, better service delivery, learning through distance education, and social and cultural advances.

Comparable statistics on access, use, quality, and affordability of ICT are needed to formulate growth-enabling policies for the sector and to monitor and evaluate the sector's impact on development. Although basic access data are available for many countries, in most developing countries little is known about who uses ICT; what they are used for (school, work, business, research, government); and how they affect people and businesses. The global Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development is helping to set standards, harmonize information and communications technology statistics, and build statistical capacity in developing countries. However, despite significant improvements in the developing world, the gap between the ICT haves and have-nots remains.
Households with television (%)
Estimates of households with television are derived from household surveys. Some countries report only the number of households with a color television set, and so the true number may be higher than reported. Discrepancies between global and national figures may arise when countries use a different definition than the one used by ITU. Discrepancy may also arise in cases where the end of a fiscal year varies from that used by ITU, which is end of December of every year. A number of countries have fiscal years that end in March or June of every year.
Households with television are the share of households with a television set. Some countries report only the number of households with a color television set, and therefore the true number may be higher than reported.
The proportion of households with a TV is calculated by dividing the number of in-scope households with a TV by the total number of in-scope households. A TV (television) is a stand-alone device capable of receiving broadcast television signals, using popular access means such as over-the-air, cable and satellite. It excludes TV functionality integrated with another device, such as a computer or a mobile phone.