[kictanet] Fwd: Conncet Africa, was Re: SV: [Fibre-for-africa] Connectivity: What does Africa really need?

Fri Oct 19 09:07:27 EAT 2007

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho at yahoo.com>
> Date: 19 October 2007 07:34:09 GMT+03:00
> To: anriette at apc.org, APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop  
> Participants <fibre-for-africa at lists.apc.org>
> Subject: Re: Conncet Africa, was Re: SV: [Fibre-for-africa]  
> Connectivity: What does Africa really need?
> Reply-To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants  
> <fibre-for-africa at lists.apc.org>
>
> Yes, Anders raise very pertinent points (in typical style!).
>
> I plan to be there. I was privileged to attend one of the technical  
> planning meetings in Addis. One of the strong targets being  
> recommended by the techies is "Broadband Connectivity to all  
> capitals and other major cities by 2012". The 'how-to' part of it  
> is still weak, and this is where Anders' proposal for a Broadband  
> Infrastructure Development fund comes in handy. Just note that  
> already there are at least: NEPAD Pan-African Infrastructure Devpt  
> Fund (understandably with billions of US$ already in it - thanks to  
> SA Pensions Funds) , COMESA Infrastructure Devpt Fund, East Africa  
> Infrastructure Devpt Fund (proposed), Digital Solidarity Fund, and  
> am sure there could be several others. Licensing fees, or even  
> better annual universal service/access contributions could be a  
> good sustainable entry entry point.
>
> Warmest rgrds.
> Shem, Nairobi
>
> Anriette Esterhuysen <anriette at apc.org> wrote:
> Very good arguments. And certainly a position we should
> be advocating for at the upcoming Connect Africa
> Summit.
>
> Who on this will will be there?
>
> Anriette
>
>
> From: "waudo siganga"
>
> To: "APC - Private list for use by EASSY
> Workshop Participants" ,
> "'APC - Private list for use by EASSY
> Workshop Participants'"
> Subject: Re: SV: [Fibre-for-africa] Connectivity: What
> does Africa really need?
> Date sent: Tue, 16 Oct 2007 15:25:05 +0300
> Send reply to: APC - Private list for use by EASSY
> Workshop Participants
>
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>
> > Good arguments from Anders - Waudo
> >
> > On Tue, 16 Oct 2007 13:26:53 +0200, "Anders Comstedt"
> > said:
> > > Dear Wakabi and others
> > >
> > > Isn't it difficult to ask for a Marshall plan and at the same time
> > > see how the sector and, above all, its users are financially
> > > drained?
> > >
> > > PROFITABLE TELECOMS
> > > Surprisingly there are higher profit margins in most of the  
> business
> > > that the mobile phone operators have in Africa, including or
> > > excluding the licence fees, comparing to counterparts in more open
> > > and competitive markets. How is that? Why is competition  
> restricted
> > > and prices not coming down, in particular considering the low
> > > purchase power of the users? Some people obviously don't want to
> > > change the ball game.
> > >
> > > The combined sector revenues to governments and shareholders  
> make it
> > > a little bit difficult to say that the sector cannot finance  
> its own
> > > investments, expanding footprint and new services. Actually at the
> > > same time even reduce user prices quite a bit. How come that the
> > > users are not given more choices from several competing providers?
> > > Shifting value to much to users, or?
> > >
> > > The typical licensing regime still seems, in general, to serve no
> > > other purpose but to sell operators a hunting licence on users,
> > > maximising the government revenues in the process. The scarce
> > > spectrum resource is in many ways used as an over inflated bogus
> > > argument in lack of any better. True, it is to some extent an  
> issue
> > > and the licensing should focus on it, skipping licensing and all
> > > other restrictions on open market, free provision of service.  
> On the
> > > contrary, dominant players should be obliged to interconnect, not
> > > being sheltered from competition.
> > >
> > > Why are operator investments taxed, instead of profits, if you  
> like
> > > to drive investments?
> > >
> > >
> > > SHARING INFRASTRUCTURE
> > > Sharing basic, non-differentiating infrastructure at cost related
> > > prices turns out to be a good business proposal (like
> > > http://www.openreach.co.uk ) as it is always cheaper than
> > > do-it-yourself if you have a few service competitors using it.  
> High
> > > utilisation would create a lower cost base for all operators.  
> But it
> > > requires organisational structure that lowers operational and
> > > political risks. What is done to lower those risks?
> > >
> > > Note, the most important thing in shared infrastructure is TRUST.
> > >
> > > Or, who would like to bet the farm on being depending upon a  
> flimsy
> > > operation controlled by people with no skin in the game?
> > >
> > >
> > > USERS
> > > The most appalling absence in the African telecom policy debate is
> > > the users and the user agents. True, the telecom sector is  
> dominated
> > > by a producer perspective globally, but in places where strong  
> user
> > > agents are balancing these forces we get a more reasonable  
> chunk of
> > > the value distributed to all parties. How will user agents come
> > > forward in the debate?
> > >
> > >
> > > The ITU
> > > Wouldn't it be interesting to put half of all the combined licence
> > > revenues for the coming two years into an African backbone and
> > > global interconnectivity fund? To create an infrastructure open to
> > > all providers, new or old, on equal terms. Now that is a task for
> > > the ITU! Or is the ITU too dominated by folks who don't want to
> > > change the ball game to the advantage of users?
> > >
> > >
> > > The document would benefit from touching the areas above.
> > >
> > > Sincerely
> > >
> > > Anders Comstedt
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
> > > Från: fibre-for-africa-bounces at lists.apc.org
> > > [mailto:fibre-for-africa-bounces at lists.apc.org] För Wairagala  
> Wakabi
> > > Skickat: den 16 oktober 2007 07:17 Till: APC - Private list for  
> use
> > > by EASSY Workshop Participants Ämne: [Fibre-for-africa]
> > > Connectivity: What does Africa really need?
> > >
> > > Netters,
> > >
> > > The ITU is convening the 'Connects Africa' summit in Kigali,  
> Rwanda
> > > on October 29-30. Its main concerns are that Internet services
> > > needed for business, government and consumer applications continue
> > > to be either very expensive or not available due to limited
> > > broadband network infrastructure; and that rural connectivity and
> > > access remain inadequate as does the availability of locally
> > > relevant content, applications and services.
> > >
> > > This paper, by the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for
> > > East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), outlines some of the issues  
> that
> > > need to be addressed for the vision of boosting connectivity in
> > > Africa to be realised.
> > >
> > >
> > > http://fibreforafrica.net/main.shtml?x=5236108&als[MYALIAS6] 
> =Joining
> > > %20the%2 0dots&als[select]=4051582
> > >
> > >
> > > Wakabi
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Fibre-for-africa mailing list
> > > Fibre-for-africa at lists.apc.org
> > > http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > > Fibre-for-africa at lists.apc.org
> > > http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa
> > --
> > waudo siganga
> > emailsignet at mailcan.com
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
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>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------
> Anriette Esterhuysen, Executive Director
> Association for Progressive Communications
> anriette at apc.org
> http://www.apc.org
> PO Box 29755, Melville, South Africa. 2109
> Tel. 27 11 726 1692
> Fax 27 11 726 1692
>
>
> Shem J. Ochuodho, MSc (Eng), PhD, LLD (Hon)
> Parliamentary Aspirant (2007), Rangwe Constituency, Kenya
> Kenya Community Abroad (KCA) 2006/07 Excellence Award Winner
> AfricaOnline 2005 Industry Pioneer Award Recipient
> Cell: +254-721-269702 (Kenya/roaming), Skype: shem.ochuodho
> Please join/be part of our campaign at: http://groups.yahoo.com/ 
> group/shemochuodhoforparliament2007/
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