[kictanet] Draft National ICT Policy Discussions Day 4 of 10: How to enhance Universal Service & Access

Tue Jun 28 11:10:19 EAT 2016

+ 1 @Ali.
Apart from the Interactive map, it would be useful to have half yearly reports showing the exact disbursements, not just as a matter of transparency, but also for encouraging the telcos that have to contribute to this fund. 
Further, a clear criteria on how to arrive at who gets funded would be useful. I have in mind projects that may be supported due to political patronage (my MP insisting), but do not warrant such funding. 
In addition, the need to have public interest representation in that USF board.
RgdsGG

Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2016 08:51:09 +0300
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Draft National ICT Policy Discussions Day 4 of 10: How to enhance Universal Service & Access
From: kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
CC: ali at hussein.me.ke
To: ggithaiga at hotmail.com

Barrack and all
The Universal Service Access Fund is a commendable initiative but too often there hasn't been much information on the impact the critical resource is having. My suggestion would be to have an interactive real time map showing its impact and why certain regions are chosen to receive its largess and not others. This should be linked with Infrastructure sharing and last mile strategies to provide connectivity from the NOFBI. 
WayLeaves in my humble opinion are a major stumbling block to achieving Universal Access. Some counties think that this is a major income earner. We need to dissuade them from this myopic thinking. There has to be robust engagement with counties to ensure that ISPs and Telcos are not held to ransom by short term county revenue hunting at the expense of spreading ubiquitous broadband connectivity. This is so critical that a clear strategy paper needs to be put together by all stakeholders to guarantee its implementation.
What are the roadblocks that hinder us from achieving universal broadband connectivity?
Ali HusseinPrincipalHussein & Associates+254 0713 601113 / 0770906375
Twitter: @AliHKassimSkype: abu-jomoLinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim

"Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought".  ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi
Sent from my iPad
On 28 Jun 2016, at 7:43 AM, Barrack Otieno via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

Listers,

We inadvertently skipped the day 4 discussion since it was to be done
over the weekend (Saturday 25 June 2016). As such we will back track
so that we can tackle the topics which are very important.

Today we focus on the following topics

*Universal Access (Infrastructure)

*Universal Service (PWD)

*Affordable Internet broadband Services

*Affordable User Devices

*Public e-Literacy

The Background
Universal service principles are based on the fact that all citizens
are entitled to basic communication rights.  In other words, the
government is obliged to ensure that communication signals reach all
Kenyans, irrespective of their income levels, remote localities, lack
of (e)literacy and/or disabilities (e.g. the blind/deaf/etc).

There was recent access-gap study commissioned by the regulator which
confirmed that a large number of Kenyan localities are underserved
http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/blogs/dot9/walubengo/-/2274560/3155384/-/l3vdw8z/-/index.html.

How can we change the situation?

Thank you

-- 
Barrack O. Otieno
+254721325277
+254733206359
Skype: barrack.otieno
PGP ID: 0x2611D86A

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The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform 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.

KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. 		 	   		  
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