Abstract The dramatic growth of World Wide Web (WWW) indicates that graphical and multimedia protocols on the Internet are gaining popular, wide-ranging acceptance. Such protocols are becoming the bases of new devices such as network computers (NCs) and information appliances, devices that are likely to widen the reach of the information superhighway. This paper discusses the equipment, software, and infrastructure factors that affect the possibility and quality of users' access to WWW. Based on an understanding of these factors, it is possible to develop categories of access ranging from threshold access to premium access. The paper offers a conceptual framework for understanding the technological aspects of access to the information superhighway and concludes with a discussion of the role of technological developments in affecting access.
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