[kictanet] Day 5 - Statistics on Affordability - CCKInternetStudyReport
Fatma Bashir
fbashir at cyberschooltech.com
Fri May 4 15:55:55 EAT 2007
Rebecca
There is that side of the coin for the government that it is imperative for them to have their own fibre for many a strategic reason, but to avoid cries from the private sector....In my opinion, if it were possible we should be working with the Government for them to take on a role where they work on a strategy to ensure that prices remain down OR stay acceptable, by building critical mass on the demand side of things. ( WB money can do a fairly good job here). take a leaf from the mobile banking done by some banks where they move from place to place offering services, what of mobile digital literacy containers on wheels?
To create a scenario where well over 80% of your population above 15 and below 50 ( no offense meant) has digital literacy surely is a good goal to work towards? It should almost be like a re-education of all demographic groups above a certain age. and it can be done.
Why the rural areas are not seen as attractive is obvious to all. Building capacity is almost a B2Client role as a mass market approach is a no go area for the private sector because then it becomes anyone's game ( ie they consumer can just shift from supplier to suplier etc) and who will pay for the capacity building costs - the government ( + WB) I hope?
Fatma
----- Original Message -----
From: Rebecca Wanjiku
To: fbashir at cyberschooltech.com
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 10:22 AM
Subject: [kictanet] Day 5 - Statistics on Affordability - CCKInternetStudyReport
thanks Kai for the response,
we need many people responding to this issue,
in my opinion, the government should find a way of using the WB money through the private sector, so that the private sector does not see as if the government is competing and killing the profit margin,
in this regard, the government could come up with some MOU with the private sector so that some of the money invested is government's and some PS.
that way, part of the profits will be ploughed back (it will be mandatory)
i remember during the OFC workshop, Kai shared how IFC funded a private secotor consortium to carry out some survey at USD 300k and a similar survey carried out by govts was valued at USD 3m
maybe this can help reduce costs and provide a way for govt and PS to work together and deliver quality market services, develop the content and all..
its just an opinion, its not absolute,
lets hear as many voices as possible,
it is at these forums/discussions that great ideas come up,
regards
Kai Wulff <kai.wulff at kdn.co.ke> wrote:
Hello,
we leave it to the ISPs to create the demand. We were hoping that with our
rural initiatives, like connecting schools and showing them how to educate
the parents (and make money with this) will increase the demand on a natural
way.
What we have seen wit some Rural BTS, it takes about 12 month until it is
break even ...
The problem is when you create the demand and then some World Bank money
starts to compete before you can recover the cost. It is my strong believe
that wherever a device can be operated, there WILL be a market. The private
sector needs the Government as a user there as well as the private companies
and consumers. Only then will the prices drop! We still focus too much on
the INTERNET, what most people need for a start is LOCAL information and
communication .. so I would say: 90% local IP traffic and 10% international
..
Kai
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joan Walumbe"
To:
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 10:26
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 5 - Statistics on Affordability -
CCKInternetStudy Report
> Walu,
>
> I agree with you that affordablity is a factor especially for rural
> communities when it comes to access to the internet. But I think that lack
> of awareness is an even bigger factor. It's fine for the urban folk (who
> already recognise the benefits to the internet etc.) taking a short break
> in
> shags to have the internet access when back home, but it there is no
> demand
> for the internet among the residents what is the point?
>
> So does KDN enter a market and then hope to create demand or is their a
> market that demands the service or is it a little of both?
>
> I understand that Kai would not be venturing into the rural areas if it
> did
> not make any financial sense. Can anyone provide some info/statistics on
> demand for internet access in rural areas?
>
> Joan Walumbe
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Walubengo"
> To:
> Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 9:01 AM
> Subject: [kictanet] Day 5 - Statistics on Affordability - CCK
> InternetStudy
> Report
>
>
> Day 5- Statistics on Affordability.
>
> I acknowledge an interesting thread filtering in on Trust relationships
> b/w
> IGOs/ISPs...feel free to continue contributing on that as well as on
> today's theme on affordability (multi-tasking
> encouraged by internet technologies ...)
>
> and just to pick up from Kai's projection of KDN fiber hitting Bungoma in
> early August 2007. This would be quite a welcome and timely development,
> but at what cost to the consumer? To what extend will the (internet)
> services be affordable to the rural/average communities?
>
> Affordability is a subjective term gven that what is considered cheap by
> the
> Bill Gates of this world is probably not so for the average Kenyan on the
> street. In trying to get an objective measurement for affordability, the
> Report pegged it on the national average incomes. In other words, if the
> monthly average income in Kenya is around 100USD and if the average
> monthly
> cost for internet access is also around 100USD then obviously the average
> Kenyan will not bother with accessing the Internet - it just becomes way
> beyond their means or too expensive or not affordable.
>
> The report indicated that access through the more convenient Internet
> Dial-up/Desktop services costed over 200% the average incomes (too
> expensive), while the same access through mobile phones was costing just
> 8%
> of the average incomes (quite affordable). What needs to be done in
> order
> to make Internet Services more afforable to Kenyans?
>
> 1 day deliberation on this one.
>
> walu.
>
>
>
>
>
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>
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