[kictanet] Upwardly mobile - Kenya?s technology start-up scene is about to take off
Barrack Otieno
otieno.barrack at gmail.com
Thu Aug 30 17:04:49 EAT 2012
For me Malili will be a great Milestone in addition to the current
developements.
On Thu, Aug 30, 2012 at 11:09 AM, Gideon <gideonrop at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Its good to see that start ups are becoming the in thing in Kenya, and
> with the several incubation hubs that have attracted global attention, the
> young people are able to foster and make their innovations a reality.
>
> Its only when we can localize our technologies and content to suit the
> Kenyan and or African Scenario shall we say that we have finally achieved
> and arrived, Kenya and indeed East Africa is a force to reckon in the ICT
> platform and a leading Hub.
>
> Gideon.
>
> On Thu, Aug 30, 2012 at 10:19 AM, <kictanet-request at lists.kictanet.or.ke>wrote:
>
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>> Today's Topics:
>>
>> 1. Upwardly mobile - Kenya?s technology start-up scene is about
>> to take off (Davis Onsakia)
>> 2. Re: Kibaki, Raila meddling stalls CCK actions (Mark Mwangi)
>>
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2012 08:06:04 +0300
>> From: Davis Onsakia <mautidavis at gmail.com>
>> To: kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>> Subject: [kictanet] Upwardly mobile - Kenya?s technology start-up
>> scene is about to take off
>> Message-ID:
>> <
>> CA+OPoZ6EvPC2XWcU8jZwDsJZiUdWwkZGX4aczTTyRf+cx3x8Tg at mail.gmail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>>
>> Dear all,
>>
>> A very interesting article about Kenyan's tech space and what the future
>> portends -
>>
>> http://www.economist.com/node/21560912?fsrc=nlw|mgt|8-29-2012|3282875|36370599|
>>
>> We might have Angry Matatu Drivers next after the success of Angry Birds,
>> from Kenya :)
>>
>> Best Regards,
>> Davis M Onsakia
>> "One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the
>> shore for a very long time."
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>> Message: 2
>> Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2012 10:13:34 +0300
>> From: Mark Mwangi <mwangy at gmail.com>
>> To: Ali Hussein <ali at hussein.me.ke>
>> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Kibaki, Raila meddling stalls CCK actions
>> Message-ID:
>> <CAH5fjcjOiDTX=pgKLaQzM924-SG2Kb0_tmNt7__=
>> kdNu6hAc5g at mail.gmail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"
>>
>> MNOs are in this for the money. We must never forget that. That they offer
>> a social/economic good in the process is a consequence of their business
>> not the inspiration for it. This is why none but Safaricom thought it was
>> a
>> good idea to put up a 3G network in a pitifully poor country. Safaricom
>> earned their dominance but they still must be controlled by government. I
>> believe the same happened to Microsoft in the US when they grew too big
>> they had to sell a stake to the government. I would rather trust the
>> government than a private firm out to make profit.
>>
>> Attempting to divorce politics from reality is foolhardy and will not
>> work.
>> Show me a completely independent body anywhere in the west ,east south or
>> north of the planet. Just one.
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Aug 30, 2012 at 8:00 AM, Ali Hussein <ali at hussein.me.ke> wrote:
>>
>> > John
>> >
>> > Well put. Let me add my two cents here.
>> >
>> > The fact that we are discussing these very pertinent issues goes to show
>> > how far we have come as a country. And we should never take that for
>> > granted.
>> >
>> > Washington, sometimes desktop activism as you put it actually does work.
>> > Cases in point:-
>> >
>> > 1. The very lively debate on Internet Governance and ITRs that
>> culminated
>> > in the IGFs that are now framing our positions prior to the Dubai WCIT
>> in
>> > December.
>> >
>> > 2. The Corporate Governance debate on KeNIC that resulted in an open AGM
>> > and hopefully progress in reenergizing the Organisation.
>> >
>> > I'm sure there are other examples so don't despair as I believe the
>> space
>> > is now open for Kenyams to provide concrete contributions for the
>> > betterment of our sector and the country at large.
>> >
>> > Back to the issue of the Telco sector. I honestly think that the problem
>> > lies mostly with the telcos themselves and not the regulator/Executive.
>> >
>> > One contributor mentioned the issue of Safaricom being the dominant
>> player
>> > and engaging in monopolistic behavior. How did this happen? I recall a
>> time
>> > when Airtel/Celtel/Zain had more subscribers or equal to Safaricom's.
>> What
>> > happened?
>> >
>> > At the risk of sounding simplistic Telco services are now generic which
>> > basically means that what differentiates is the value addition, customer
>> > service and marketing. And let's not forget Data. More than half the
>> > country is still not experiencing high speed Internet - what we now take
>> > for granted in Nairobi.
>> >
>> > Towards the end of Ramadhan I visited my home county of Kilifi as is our
>> > tradition to break the fast with the wazees. I found it very frustrating
>> > that the Internet speeds I've now come to take for granted in Nairobi
>> were
>> > non existent in the counties - at least in Kilifi. I'm willing to bet
>> that
>> > this is true in the majority of the counties.
>> >
>> > This leads me to start thinking why are the Telcos not picking up these
>> > low hanging fruits? Could it be that they are so intent on competing
>> with
>> > each other they have become myopic? I know one of the reasons that they
>> may
>> > raise is the huge investment required to ensure this type of service.
>> > However, how many telcos right now are willing to co-invest in the
>> > infrastructure required? All we hear is this individual telco/ISP
>> > announcing another infrastructure investment.
>> >
>> > In my opinion this discussion on executive interference at the CCK is a
>> > red herring. It does not detract from the fact that sone of the Telcos
>> and
>> > ISPs business models are broken and it's just a matter of time before
>> they
>> > drown in red ink.
>> >
>> > Telcos/ISPs need to understand and embrace the concept of 'Frenemy'.
>> Join
>> > forces and invest together in infrastructure and compete on service
>> > differentiation.
>> >
>> > Ali Hussein
>> >
>> > +254 773/713 601113
>> >
>> > Sent from my iPhone?
>> >
>> > On Aug 29, 2012, at 6:32 PM, John Kariuki <
>> ngethe.kariuki2007 at yahoo.co.uk>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> > Walu,Edith,Listers,
>> >
>> > The issue we face now seems to be a challenge facing many democratic
>> > governments(right from Canada through US,UK upto Australia) in the 21st
>> > century in an era of liberalization and globalization.
>> >
>> > Authors Warwick Funnel,Robert Jupe and Jane Andrew in their book "IN
>> > GOVERMENT WE TRUST",2009 have outlined these issues and quoted cases .
>> > Let me quote just two lines on pages 48 and 49 of the book.
>> > They quote the concerns expressed by Adam Smith about "the tendency for
>> > the powerful in business to ingratiate themselves with goverment so that
>> > they might pursuade it to use its powers for their own benefit',p48
>> > "....'powerful capital interests could influence state policy to benefit
>> > them at the expense of labour'.,p49.
>> >
>> > Regarding our Mobile Termination Rate debate, the matter is one of
>> > competition law in telecommunications sector. In this case Safaricom has
>> > the largest mobile network by far and Telkom has the largest fixed
>> network.
>> > So if you wish to call fixed line,there is no choice but to terminate in
>> > Telkom.Therefore there is little,if any, competition in the fixed
>> > termination market segment.They are virtually a monopoly in that market
>> > segment.
>> > In nearly similar situation, a very large number of mobile customers are
>> > on Safaricom network.If you wish to call them,there is really no choice
>> but
>> > to terminate in the Safaricom network. By virtue of their size ,it is
>> not
>> > difficult to notice that they have significant market power in that
>> market
>> > segment.
>> >
>> > It is therefore in the interest of Safaricom and Telkom to keep mobile
>> > termination rates as high as possible since there is little or no
>> > competitive pressure in that market segment for them.
>> >
>> > In almost similar case involving Vodafone and others in UK in January
>> > 2003, the Competition Competition concluded that....."There is vigorous
>> > competition amomg MNOs(mobile network operators) to attract and sign up
>> > subscribers to their networks.......but this is funded by excess returns
>> > from termination charges......this 'distorts the volume and direction of
>> > traffic on the network,leading to a distorted pattern of usage by
>> > consumers'.
>> >
>> >
>> > John Kariuki
>> >
>> > *From:* Walubengo J <jwalu at yahoo.com>
>> > *To:* ngethe.kariuki2007 at yahoo.co.uk
>> > *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>> > *Sent:* Wednesday, 29 August 2012, 16:13
>> > *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] Kibaki, Raila meddling stalls CCK actions
>> > **
>> > @Edith,
>> >
>> > Ave been working on some academic model whose preliminary data seems to
>> > support Mr. Presidents interventions i.e. the Telco market must
>> project
>> > significant Returns for the investor to continue playing. Competition
>> is
>> > good but cut-throat competition leaves the industry (Operators, Govt and
>> > Users) worse off than before. Think about it - would you like FREE
>> > internet that is so congested that you cannot send an email? Or would
>> you
>> > rather pay something extra for the reasonable use of the medium?
>> >
>> > Going back to Mr. Prime ministers interventions - of protecting
>> > frequencies allegedly irregularly acquired by others. My model has not
>> > factored in frequencies yet - But I think CCK may have a bigger impact
>> on
>> > the market by recovering frequencies held up by the Military (there's a
>> > band that ITU declared for public use but previous reports indicated our
>> > Military seems to hoard this band - not sure if this has changed).
>> >
>> > As to whether the President's and/or the Prime Ministers interventions
>> are
>> > legal? It is debatable. However, I think the current legislative
>> framework
>> > - Kenya Comm Amendment Act 2009 - provides for the government in power
>> to
>> > direct the Regulator - BUT through Policy frameworks - rather than
>> through
>> > specific or selected directives arising from which CEO had dinner with
>> the
>> > President/Prime minister the previous night.
>> >
>> > walu.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --- On *Wed, 8/29/12, Edith Adera <eadera at idrc.or.ke>* wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> > From: Edith Adera <eadera at idrc.or.ke>
>> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Kibaki, Raila meddling stalls CCK actions
>> > To: jwalu at yahoo.com
>> > Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>> > Date: Wednesday, August 29, 2012, 1:06 PM
>> >
>> > Any reactions from Bwana Ndemo, who seems to have received one of the
>> > letters?
>> >
>> > Is this also the reason why Airtel changed their rates to subscribers
>> from
>> > 1 shilling (permanent!! - the word has earned new meaning) back to ksh 3
>> > per minute? No one answered this question when I asked a while back.
>> > Airtel, why the change?
>> >
>> > As stakeholders, should we accept "regulatory capture" in this industry?
>> >
>> > Edith
>> > *From:* kictanet [kictanet-bounces+eadera=
>> idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke]
>> > On Behalf Of Grace Githaiga [ggithaiga at hotmail.com]
>> > *Sent:* Wednesday, August 29, 2012 12:36 AM
>> > *To:* Edith Adera
>> > *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
>> > *Subject:* [kictanet] Kibaki, Raila meddling stalls CCK actions
>> > **
>> > IN SUMMARY
>> >
>> > - The President?s intervention, which amounts to political meddling
>> in
>> > the work of an independent state organ, has for the second time in
>> as many
>> > years stopped the industry regulator, the Communications Commission
>> of
>> > Kenya (CCK), from lowering the Mobile Termination Rate (MTR).
>> > - MTR is the price that operators pay each other for calls
>> terminating
>> > in their networks from outside and ultimately determines call costs.
>> > - Mr Kibaki, who has been acting on behalf of Safaricom and Telkom
>> > Kenya, issued the directive in a letter to Information permanent
>> secretary
>> > Bitange Ndemo, stating that there should be no change in the MTR
>> until a
>> > fresh study of the same is carried out.
>> > - Prime Minister Raila Odinga, jumped into the CCK?s regulatory
>> > mandate with a similar directive on behalf of yet another big
>> business ?
>> > Royal Media Services.
>> > - Mr Odinga wrote to the CCK director-general asking him to withdraw
>> > the notice he had published of intention to revoke frequencies that
>> the
>> > media house is accused of acquiring irregularly.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Kibaki+Raila+meddling+stalls+CCK+actions+/-/539546/1489216/-/bay1qg/-/index.html
>> >
>> > -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
>> >
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>> > for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>> > regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>> > sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
>> development.
>> >
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>> > online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Regards,
>>
>> Mark Mwangi
>>
>> markmwangi.me.ke
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> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
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--
Barrack O. Otieno
+254721325277
+254-20-2498789
Skype: barrack.otieno
http://www.otienobarrack.me.ke/
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