Introduction History Role of the Tunisian Internet Agency (ATI) Internet Access in Tunisia Internet Community in Tunisia Boosting Internet in Tunisia National Networks The Publinet Project Electronic Commerce in Tunisia Future Prospects

The Publinet Project In October 1998, the Tunisian Government launched an ambitious project with two objectives: Making access to Internet and Internet services general throughout Tunisia, especially in rural areas Creating jobs for young university graduates. This project consists in setting up Internet public centers in every part of the country. To encourage young entrepreneurs and for the first 100 such centers, the government contributes to the project by supplying grants covering 50% of the costs of the equipment and the rest of the amount should be covered through bank loans carrying low interest rates. As of March 2000, there are 60 Publinets that benefited from such funding. For other Publinets, funding would be payable by the promoter. Private investors are setting up a number of other cyber centers as a side activity to their already established business. Every Publinet is linked to the Internet network via one of the seven points of presence of the national Backbone through a leased Nx64 Kbps-line so as to ensure good quality service. Each Publinet offers access to the Web and e-mail accounts at a more competitive rate than that offered by Internet Services Providers. Thus giving access to the widest possible number of users especially those who cannot afford to have one.