[kictanet] Fibre Optic

Tue Dec 4 11:31:25 EAT 2007

Yawe,

u seem to insist on playing the 'Local Content OR the
International Fiber' card.  I chose to view it in terms of
'Local Content AND International Fiber'.  The two important
issues need not be conflicted. Instead, they can both be
simultaneously attacked without each cannibalising the
other.

Local Content: Biggest thrust would be eGovernment
programs. Put as much public stuff online as possible and
get to train a wide sector of the society on how to access
it (digital villages?)

International Fiber: Biggest motivator for now is to use
the link to tap into the BPO industry.  We cannot capture
those international ICT jobs while using our expensive,
time-delayed Satellite links.

Ofcourse Increased Porn, Cyber Crime, etc would be expected
to increase over the International Fiber.  But that should
be managed rather than provide a reason to lock our country
into a little, digitally safe but internationally
blacked-out  island.

walu.

--- robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

> Alex,
> 
> You again still have not justified the landing of the
> marine cable.
> 
> 1.  Of the US 500 Million spent on satellite connectivity
> 80% is none productive traffic such as porn, spam and
> chat (you and me both in Nairobi but chatting on MSN). 
> Reducing costs is not necessarily the only way to resolve
> an issue most of the times it is easier to increase your
> income so that the expense as a percentage is lowered.
> 
> 2.  Lets not replace the world bank loans with diaspora
> remittances, let us become productive and more ingenious,
> lets take advantage of our position as the most advanced
> economy in sub Saharan Africa.  We need to lay fiber to
> the neighbouring countries so that we can pick out
> sourcing contracts from Europe and America but set up the
> call centers in the neighbouring countries.  That way we
> utilise our higher value personnel to look for high value
> outsourcing.
> 
> 3.  Dream on . . . 
> 
> 4.  Log onto a locally hosted site and experience true
> high speed Internet, stop browsing foreign sites and the
> fiber ceases to be essential.  I know Dr. Ndemo says we
> cannot be an Island, is it being an Island when you are
> faithful to one partner.  Certain things can be shared
> such as a hand shake or a conversation but certain
> activities are best kept within.  Lets not over stretch
> ourselves bringing high speed garbage when we can use
> technology to improve our lives, locally.
> 
> 5.  Charity begins at home and so does B2B and B2C
> 
> 6.  Out sourcing what???
> 
> Have a good day.
> 
> PS.  Delay fiber or perish
>  
> Robert Yawe
> KAY System Technologies Ltd
> Phoenix House, 6th Floor
> P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
> KEnya 
> Tel: +254722511225
> 
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Alex Gakuru <alexgakuru.lists at gmail.com>
> To: robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk>
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
> <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> Sent: Friday, 30 November, 2007 6:25:46 PM
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fibre Optic
> 
> Robert:
> 
> I cannot rationally argue against fibre connectivity, but
> on processes
>  yes.
> 
> Of course, I will argue hypothetically since if I
> responded seemingly
> with insider information then I would be misleading
> consumers. And you
> know my issues...
> 
> On Nov 30, 2007 4:46 PM, robert yawe
> <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> > Explain one issue to me, how will the marine cable
> increase the
>  remittances
> > from the diaspora, they are sending 3.9 billion over
> slow, expensive
> > satellite links why should we reduce this by spending 7
> billion to
>  land the
> > fiber?
> 
> 1. AfDB data shows that in total Africa spends US$ 500
> million (shs 30
> billion) every year on transit satellite bandwidths.(
> i.e. 5 TEAMS
> projects). That would be a saving!
> 
> 2. Back to your question, since it would be (promised
> very) cheap to
> call them, then we shall call them day and night
> "convincing" them how
> they have neglected mother Africa, poetically narrating
> Wanjiku's
> financial sufferings back home, her kiosk that needs only
> one-off
> stocking and her anguish will ease. They are only human. 
> They  will
> dig deeper into their pockets, miss a few lunches,
> tighten their
> belts, or speak nicely to their bosses on their urgent
> need to
> alleviate home poverty. If we collude and do this
> nationally for just
> one year, then we could quadruple remmitances to 16
> billion shillings
> or at worst double it to 8 billion-enough to build a
> cable that will
> benefit us for the next 25 years:) That was on a light
> note though I
> am paraphrasing real comments attributable to *130*
> "Please call me"
> to diasporans.
> 
> 3. Imagine starting a movie company. Be it a comedy, folk
> tales, Flora
> and Fauna, or like developing video games like Wesley
> Kiriinya's,
> "Adventures of Nyangi" http://www.sinc-studios.com/. The
> fibre gives
> one a potential 1.2 billion internet users customer base.
> Because THEY
> can play quality demo videos clips fast many are bound to
> purchase and
> if, say 10,000 buy a product at US$10 that would be Kshs
> 6 million.
> Such opportunities are lost every day we are not
> connected by fibre.
> 
> 4. We have 2.7 million internet users. For how long does
> each one take
> tapping their fingers on the desk waiting for a slow web
> page to load?
> Multiply each one's lost productivity by 365 days/year
> then by 2.7
> million and compute the national productivity loss caused
> by slow, yet
> very expensive internet. Based on these mathematics OECD
> countries
> have put up a nifty graphic showing broadband rankings of
> member
> countries, but which also include average price of
> broadband and
> average throughput here
>
http://www.fiberevolution.com/2007/11/us-lags-in-grap.html,
> pointer
> courtesy Bill St. Arnaud http://www.canarie.ca/. I would
> be
> interesting to have Dr. Ndemo's expected consumer prices
> to compare.
> 
> 5. Consumer/Busineses costs saving would be the most
> apparent benefit.
> I need not dwell on that since we all feel them pretty
> well.
> 
> 6. I also skip outsourcing.
> 
> 
> > Alex, all I ask is can you give me a logical reason why
> we should
>  spend 7
> > billion to land this fiber?
> 
> Are above logical enough reasons sufficiently compelling
> justification
> to support the international fibre? But like I said,
> remember SAT3
> West Africa cable cost nearly the same as satellite
> because of
> Bandwidth cartels. So should be assured they have no
> space in TEAMS to
> clog broadband to consumers, but that is somebody's job.
> We are only
> asking for assurance it will not turn out to be a white
> grey elephant
> project:)
> 
> >
> > I am aware this discussion is academic but it should
> not stop us from
> > questioning the rational.
> >
> That's the spirit! We keep Ndemo on his toes, always....
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Alex
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>      
>
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