Telecentres are increasingly being looked at as an important interface for bringing social and economic development in rural communities worldwide. They are known to the world as information centres, knowledge centres, info-kiosks, community services centres, etc. aiming to bridge the access and knowledge divides between the haves and the have-nots.

The increased interest in telecentres in many developing countries, at a stage when the world is moving towards becoming a knowledge society, provides an opportunity for different stakeholders to exchange knowledge and learn from success stories. In Asia, several models of telecentres exist and have been tried and tested.

They vary in their scope and reach, and there are many success stories to share. Yet, the community is neither cohesive nor built as a network of practitioners. They are also important tools for testing alternatives and solutions in the new and emerging markets zone for software and information and communications technologies (ICTs).