[Kictanet] Operators alarmed by slow ICT reforms

[Wainaina Mungai]

A simple question for our beloved CCK DG, Eng. Waweru would be, "Is banning 
VOIP an action in the interest of the public?" Will "Wanjiku", "Kaluki" 
and "Atieno" benefits from a restricted market?

If not, then am tempted to believe there is another very good reason for your 
decision. 

The whole idea behind what we were supporting in Kikambala was a "technology 
neutral" approach as per the new framework for the post-exclusivity (of Telkom) 
era.

Regards,
Wainaina


Quoting Odhiambo Washington <wash at wananchi.com>:

> When the changes that made Waweru and Kirui swap places were made, I
> thought it was the worst thing that could happen not only to the ICT
> industry, but even to Waweru and Kirui themselves as individuals!
> 
> For the industry: We were already aware of the level of Waweru's
>                   resistance to embracing the changes that were being
>                   implemented by CCK. His going to CCK then gave him
>                   the mandate to dismantle all the gains that were
>                   already made! CCK under Kirui was on the right path.
> 
> For Kirui: He was now going to be made to get a "taste of his own
>            medicine" (The good changes he was in the process of
>            implementing, and which Waweru was resisting) by being
>            told to implement the very things Waweru was adamant to.
> 
> While change is inevitable, the decision that led to Waweru and Kirui
> swapping places made me sick, but well, it was supposed to send a
> clear signal to the telecommunications operators on what was in
> store for the sector. It was so in black and white I am left wondering
> why it did not strike them at that time.
> 
> I'll say that one thing for sure, the current government is not at
> all keen on liberalising the telecommunications sector. Is anyone still
> hearing of the sale of Telkom?
> 
> I will not attempt to blame Hon. Tuju and his advisers for irrational
> actions, especially when they moved Kirui to TELKOM and Waweru to CCK.
> It was ethically a bad move, but why care anyway (for him)?
> His was the implementation of "government policy".
> 
> I may be irrational in my reasoning here, but I did not hear (read)
> anywhere that these issues were ever raised during the Mombasa
> consultative conference.
> 
> 
> 
> * Brian Longwe <cto at nbi.ispkenya.com> [20050712 11:58]: wrote:
> > In a nutshell the industry is rather concerned about the  
> > retrogressive stance that the new Director-General of CCK (Eng.  
> > Waweru) has taken. He seems to be seeking to reverse the trend  
> > towards full liberalisation and competition that the Commission had  
> > firmly embraced.
> > 
> > It is very troubling to see a continuation of the bad habits that  
> > were developed while at Telkom Kenya.
> > 
> > Brian
> > 
> > On 12 Jul 2005, at 11:29, Emmanuel Njenga wrote:
> > 
> > >Hello all,
> > >
> > >Can people shed more light into this.
> > >
> > >http://www.eastandard.net/mags/fs/news.php?articleid=24957
> > >
> > >Regards,
> > >
> > >Njenga
> > >
> > >---------------
> > >
> > >Operators alarmed by slow ICT reforms
> > >
> > >By Alari Alare
> > >
> > >Reforms progress in the fast growing telecommunications sub-sector  
> > >could suffer a major setback if plans by the Communication  
> > >Commission of Kenya (CCK) to outlaw VoIP (Voice over Internet  
> > >Protocol) are implemented.
> > >
> > >Last week industry sources indicated that CCK Director-General John  
> > >Waweru was planning to restrict the provision of the popular  
> > >Internet telephone service that has drastically lowered  
> > >international call rates to one provider – a stance he has  
> > >maintained since his days at Telkom Kenya.
> > >
> > >Waweru’s position, which stakeholders see as a reversal of the  
> > >progress the telecom sector had made towards full liberalisation,  
> > >sparked fresh fears that the regulator was determined to take the  
> > >industry back to the days when State-owned Telkom Kenya enjoyed  
> > >exclusivity in the provision of Internet services.
> > >
> > >Sources at CCK indicated that Waweru had put on hold the issuance  
> > >of licenses for VoIP providers pending a review of the rules  
> > >governing the sector.
> > >
> > >The Telecommunication Service Provider Association of Kenya  
> > >(Tespok) expressed concern over the delay in release of the  
> > >guidelines and questioned CCK’s commitment to full liberalisation  
> > >of the VoIP market.
> > >
> > >The association’s chairman Joseph Mucheru said members were  
> > >concerned about on-goings at CCK. He accused the regulator of  
> > >stifling the industry’s growth through frequent change of goal posts.
> > >
> > >CCK, however, denied that it was backtracking on the reforms. Mr  
> > >Mutua Muthusi, CCK’s Assistant Director in charge of public  
> > >relations and communications said new guidelines will soon be  
> > >introduced to facilitate business in the segment.
> > >
> > >"In about a month’s time, we are going to have the guidelines. We  
> > >have taken into consideration responses from various stakeholders  
> > >so as to come up with something that will not police the operators  
> > >but guide them in their operations," he said.
> > >
> > >Muthusi said it was the CCK’s intention to seek industry consensus  
> > >before implementing any licensing structures that could hurt  
> > >licensed operators. "CCK does not believe in prescribing  
> > >regulations on each and every activity of the industry. Rather it  
> > >would be more appropriate for the players to develop self- 
> > >regulating mechanisms in certain areas."
> > >
> > >He said delay in release of the guidelines had been caused by CCK’s  
> > >commitment to involving service providers in the formulation of  
> > >rules within which they operate.
> > >
> > >Since Waweru swapped places with Sammy Kirui, the then CCK Director- 
> > >General, not much has taken place in the sector apart from last  
> > >month’s consultative meeting with industry players.
> > >
> > >CCK’s changed strategy also threatens the legality of existing VoIP  
> > >operators.
> > >
> > >The process of legalising VoIP started off last year through  
> > >radical market reforms that dismantled Telkom Kenya’s monopoly of  
> > >the Internet service provision.
> > >
> > >In December last year, CCK had declared VoIP legal and asked  
> > >Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) to surrender their licenses for  
> > >modification to allow them carry multimedia traffic. Licenses were  
> > >then issued to Internet Backbone and Gateway Operators (IBGO)  
> > >allowing them to carry VoIP in their networks.
> > >
> > >Though IBGO operators were not allowed to sell the service directly  
> > >to the end users, ISPs were given a go ahead to do so.
> > >
> > >Before he was sent on compulsory leave and later deployed to Telkom  
> > >Kenya, Kirui had also promised to release VoIP guidelines to  
> > >regulate the market.
> > >
> > >Last month, Waweru held a consultative meeting with industry  
> > >players and promised to issue the VoIP guidelines during the  
> > >National ICT Conference that was held in Mombasa later that month.  
> > >That did not materialize.
> > >
> > >The failure by Waweru to honour his promise left the operators, who  
> > >have invested heavily in the business, at the crossroads with many  
> > >of them wondering whether the telecommunications regulator was  
> > >still committed to pursuing reforms that had been implemented in  
> > >recent months.
> > >
> > >Tespok also read mischief in the move by CCK to allow IBGOs to vend  
> > >VoIP service, while denying retailers access to it.
> > >
> > >"Backbone operators (IBGOs) are like wholesalers in this process,  
> > >ISPs are the retailers who should sell the service to end users. As  
> > >it is now the retailers cannot offer the service as CCK is holding  
> > >onto their licenses," said Mucheru.
> > >
> > >Until the CCK issues the amended licenses, the law bars ISPs from  
> > >carrying VoIP traffic.
> > >
> > >Mucheru said delay in release of the licences once again raised the  
> > >question as to who should distribute the service to end-users?"
> > >
> > >What has incensed Tespok most, however, is CCK’s reluctance to fast  
> > >track reforms in the sector. The association views restriction of  
> > >ISPs from carrying VoIP in their networks as a deliberate policy  
> > >shift that is aimed at creating a lucrative black market.
> > >
> > >"This is a service that the Kenyans badly need to reduce the cost  
> > >of doing business in the country. Restricting the retail element  
> > >therefore opens up vending through the black-market," said Mucheru.
> > >
> > >While at Telkom Kenya, Waweru had disconnected ISP Kenya Limited’s  
> > >high capacity line that the firm used to offer VoIP services.
> > >
> > >Kirui, the managing director of Telkom Kenya, who was then at the  
> > >helm of CCK had ordered Telkom Kenya to restore the line but the  
> > >latter refused to abide by the directive.
> > >
> > >Muthusi said the CCK wanted telecommunications operators to settle  
> > >inter-connection agreement commercially without waiting for the  
> > >regulator’s intervention.
> > >
> > >"This should be handled through business negotiations in the best  
> > >interests of the operators and consumers," he said. The regulator,  
> > >said Muthusi, would only make a ruling if the parties fail to reach  
> > >a consensus.
> > >
> > >The near standoff between the industry and the regulator comes  
> > >barely nine months after the CCK released a new licensing structure  
> > >to guide the market in move to liberalise the telecommunications  
> > >sector.
> > >
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
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> > >kictanet at kictanet.or.ke
> > >http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
> > >
> > >
> > 
> > 
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> 
> -Wash
> 
> http://www.netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html
> 
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> 	"For I perceive that behind this seemingly unrelated sequence
> of events, there lurks a singular, sinister attitude of mind."
> 
> 	"Whose?"
> 
> 	"MINE! HA-HA!"
> 
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