[kictanet] [ke-internetusers] Re: Satement by Brian Longwe fromPanel on Access in Main Session of Internet Governance Forum, Hyderabad, India 3rd Dec 2008

Wed Dec 3 17:30:29 EAT 2008

Mwende

Brian is not a Kenyan. Why is he representing Kenya? He is malawian and he sits on CCK board. There is nothing to apologise on telling the truth

JM

________________________________
From: Mwende Gatabaki <mgatabaki at ktdateas.com>
To: John Maina <j.maina at ymail.com>; Brian Longwe <blongwe at gmail.com>; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>; Brian Munyao Longwe <brian at caret.net>
Cc: picta-kenya at yahoogroups.com; ke-internetusers at bdix.net
Sent: Wednesday, December 3, 2008 5:14:29 PM
Subject: RE: [ke-internetusers] Re: [kictanet] Satement by Brian Longwe fromPanel on Access in Main Session of Internet Governance Forum,Hyderabad, India 3rd Dec 2008

John; 

….I really think you need to revise your
attitude or your language – or both.  This is the kind of thing
that made us kill each other at the
beginning of this year. 

Ps:  I think you owe Brian an apology.

Mwende 

________________________________

From:ke-internetusers-bounces at bdix.net
[mailto:ke-internetusers-bounces at bdix.net] On
Behalf Of John Maina
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008
4:35 PM
To: Brian Longwe; KICTAnet ICT
Policy Discussions; Brian Munyao Longwe
Cc: picta-kenya at yahoogroups.com;
ke-internetusers at bdix.net
Subject: [ke-internetusers] Re:
[kictanet] Satement by Brian Longwe fromPanel on Access in Main Session of
Internet Governance Forum, Hyderabad , India 3rd Dec
2008

KICTANET

Why is a Malawian representing Kenya 
at the IGF? Do we lack enough Kenyans to sit on Kenyan boards and also
represent Kenya 
abroad? This is disgusting and the earlier the masqueraders like Brian Longwe
and the bunch of foreign attack dogs are told off the better.

JM

________________________________

From:Brian Longwe
<blongwe at gmail.com>
To: j.maina at ymail.com
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy
Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: Wednesday, December 3, 2008
3:15:20 PM
Subject: [kictanet] Satement by
Brian Longwe from Panel on Access in Main Session of Internet Governance Forum, Hyderabad , India 3rd Dec 2008

Brian Munyao Longwe – Main Session on Access (Development Perspective)

Traditionally teledensity has been used as a measure of access or the extent to
which communication technologies have pervaded a community.

In the past Africa as a region has recorded
extremely low fixed-line teledensity of below 1% that is less than 1 line per
100 people. Believe it or not this is still the case!

However, when one incorporates mobile lines in a teledensity analysis - the
results are not only incredible, they are amazing. as of 2007, Africa 's mobile teledensity stood at an impressive 23% or
23 lines per 100 people. There was a recorded growth in mobile users from 128
million in 2006 to over 215 million subscribers by 2007. This represents an
annual growth of over 46%. We have just heard that India 's mobile network is growing
at an incredible rate of over 10 million new connections per month!

Given the fact that most operators around Africa 
have rolled out GPRS/EDGE coverage across most of their networks as well as
deployment of 3G access across their larger markets it is entirely feasible
that mobile, not broadband may present the opportunity for increased access for
developing countries. MOBILE and not BROADBAND is the silver bullet.

Another key element crucial to the growth of access in developing countries is
a suitable environment for the dispersion of relevant content and applications
that meet the day to day needs of the populace. Internet Exchange Points are
the primary critical ingredient needed to create these conditions. By keeping
all locally originated and requested traffic local, Internet exchange points
serve a crucial role in enhancing the user experience, lowering operational
costs and providing a suitable framework for the growth and development of the
Internet in general.

While many developing countries have adopted policies and regulations that
encourage and promote competition in the mobile sectors, which has resulted in
continued growth in the numbers of users, the establishment of IXPs has
received a relatively low priority - despite the significant impact that such
simple infrastructure presents to the community. 

Access enhances the interface between government and the citizen at a
transactional level. The Kenya Revenue Authority last year suggested that the
Kenya Internet Exchange Point receive "critical infrastructure"
status with 24-hour armed guard due to the fact that 100% of all import/export
declarations and documentation transit the IXP via the revenue authority's
web-based platform.

Going back to mobile, Safaricom, a Kenyan mobile operator introduced a money
transfer service called M-Pesa less than two years ago. M-Pesa now has over 4
million subscribers (within 1 year - the service signed up more users than Kenya 's entire
banking industry signed up within a century!) Safaricom reported that over half
a Billion US 
dollar had been transacted over the platform within less than 18 months. 

Key policy lesson? The financial services and communications regulator in Kenya decided
not to subject m-pesa to punitive obligations through treatment as a bank but
rather chose to perceive m-pesa a non-bank payment service. That decision has
today affected and continues to affect millions of lives. Regulators can either
promote innovation, access & development or hinder it.

In East Africa communications regulators have completely opened up the
communications sector; fully liberalizing every area, but providing structure
through unified licensing regime that separates facilities, services and
content In Kenya this has spurred investments of over half a Billion USD over
the past 2 years.

Key stakeholder lesson: relevant content drives demand - Safaricom's m-pesa met
a basic and everyday need, this has driven the increased use of their mobile
platform by touching the lives & livelihoods of both urban & rural
citizens.

-- 
Brian Munyao Longwe
e-mail: blongwe at gmail.com
cell:  + 254 722 518 744
blog : http://zinjlog.blogspot.com
meta-blog: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com

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