With the growth of e-commerce, E-Government and e-communities, as well as the consumption of online products and services, physical access in the form of appropriate ICT infrastructure is required to engage with the new digital networks. This includes access to hardware, software, dial-up connections, high-speed connections, and general network connectivity (Ibid). Financial access speaks to the affordability of telecommunication’s and ICT networks, products and services. It is the ability of governments, businesses, organisations and individuals to meet the costs required to (a) join the global network of networks that is the Internet, and (b) take advantage of costly high-value-added services and knowledge resources once they get there. This is diffusion throughout society, including affordability at every level for broader numbers of people, in homes as well as through public facilities (Ibid). Researchers often refer to obstacles to the realisation of basic access, which is another way of speaking about people’s levels of language literacy and education as well as their ability to understand new ICT frameworks and learn how to use them effectively. This includes the capacity to engage with new digital systems, hardware, software, products, and services (Ibid). Secure access refers to the level of security required to ensure consumer, merchant and participant protection, boost confidence and guarantee personal privacy. This is the level of certainty participants have that their online 27