[kictanet] Satement by Brian Longwe from Panel on Access in Main Session of Internet Governance Forum, Hyderabad, India 3rd Dec 2008

Wed Dec 3 17:35:37 EAT 2008

I may be a manamba on this list but for sure I do respect people and you 
don't. If you have personal vendatta with Brian, please square it with him and 
leave the rest of us alone. Brian sent out a very objective statement which 
did not warrant your insults, and if you will shout at me for standing up and 
saying no, please go ahead for I will not stop.

rgds,
Ok3ch

On Wednesday 03 December 2008 17:28:34 John Maina wrote:
> Joseph
>
> What do you help this forum with apart from squating? And who told you that
> you must be pleased all the time? Nobody is your entertainer here. You
> contribute and have nothing to offer in this forum apart from being a forum
> manamba
>
> JM
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Joseph Okech <okechukwu at gmail.com>
> To: kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> Cc: John Maina <j.maina at ymail.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 3, 2008 4:57:47 PM
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Satement by Brian Longwe from Panel on Access in
> Main Session of Internet Governance Forum, Hyderabad, India 3rd Dec 2008
>
>
> JM you are one hell of a bore and the sooner you realize the better!!
> ./Ok3ch
>
> On Wednesday 03 December 2008 16:34:38 John Maina wrote:
> > 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.

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