[kictanet] Access Gaps: What would it take? A proposal

Wed May 30 11:07:42 EAT 2018

Hi Moses/All,

I quote:
findings include:

   1. Whereas geographical coverage is only 45% of Kenya’s land area, 94.4%
   of the population is already covered by 2G mobile services.
   2. Whilst 3G service geographical coverage is only 17% of the
   geographical land area, 78% of the population is covered; thus  the  access
    gap for 3G  broadband  service  is 22%  of the population.
   3. 264 out of the total 295 constituencies appear to have  a post
    office  and  therefore  31 constituencies, are without a  sub - post
   office.

A critical factor that some of these studies either do not consider or may
cover very shallowly is the affordability of these services to the populace
in these regions. It has been proven time and time again that "coverage"
does not equal "access", because many other factors come into play.

In addition, even in cases where there is coverage+affordability studies
have shown that if there is no relevant content, then the "natives" will
simply ignore the technology.

Sorry for steering this discussion slightly off course, let me try to get
back onto the right lane...

What Collin seems to have been referring to in his initial post are what I
would describe as NAPs (Network Access Point) and not IXPs. This is mainly
because a NAP can provide similar functionality to an IXP (opportunity for
peering and traffic exchange), but goes way, way further in terms of
providing network operators and service providers with a full menu of
options that would make from the largest to the smallest feel at home. Put
this picture in your head - a full service "Broadband Hotel" which offers
small rooms, big rooms, conference facilities, meeting rooms, different
restaurants with different menus, gyms, spas, parking space, short-lets,
long-lets, presidential suites and not-so-presidential suites. This is the
kind of investment/business model that is needed to allow for the kind of
penetration that Collin aspires towards. Who pays for it? Your guess is as
good as mine!

My two cents,

Mblayo

On Tue, May 29, 2018 at 9:03 PM Mose Karanja via kictanet <
kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

> In 2016, the Kenyan government through the Communication Authority
> paid Intelecon Research & Consultancy Ltd, a Canadian company, to conduct
> an ICT access gaps study.
>
> Some findings include:
>
>    1. Whereas geographical coverage is only 45% of Kenya’s land area,
>    94.4% of the population is already covered by 2G mobile services.
>    2. Whilst 3G service geographical coverage is only 17% of the
>    geographical land area, 78% of the population is covered; thus  the  access
>     gap for 3G  broadband  service  is 22%  of the population.
>    3. 264 out of the total 295 constituencies appear to have  a post
>     office  and  therefore  31 constituencies, are without a  sub - post
>    office.
>
> You can find the report here:
> http://www.ca.go.ke/index.php/ict-access-gap-study
>
> They had also set up an interactive geo-portal but it seems it is not
> reachable for now: http://kenyageoportal.ca.go.ke/ca_public/flash/
>
>
> How are these concerns reflected in practice?
>
> IEBC, like any other department was expected to use these findings in
> their policy planning - and that justifies why Intelecon Research &
> Consultancy Ltd was paid KES42.9M for the study.
>
> A week to the August polls, IEBC stated that 27% of all polling stations
> (11,155 polling stations out of the has 40,883 gazetted ones) are without
> 4G or 3G GSM coverage:
> https://twitter.com/IEBCKenya/status/894179382683676674
>
> One would expect to use these study findings (alongside other sources of
> network intelligence) to inform critical procurement, for example, election
> results transmission services. The lack of network coverage does not
> necessarily mean providers do not have capacity to cover the areas - it
> just does not make 'business ROI' sense to operate them in low activity
> zones. But during elections, for example, they can be requested to power on
> the bands to serve the critical functions. It seems this was not the case.
>
> As the IEBC is reviewing its position after 2017 and going planning for
> the next tasks, an assessment of the network service procurement should be
> on the agenda, and its findings shared publicly.
>
>
> -Moses
>
> On 29 May 2018, at 13:11, Job Muriuki via kictanet <
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>
> @Wangari,
> I have followed the Mawingu story and paid them a visit and the kind of
> funding they get allows them to get service based on the expensive rates.
>
> [image: Mailtrack]
> <https://mailtrack.io/?utm_source=gmail&utm_medium=signature&utm_campaign=signaturevirality5&> Sender
> notified by
> Mailtrack
> <https://mailtrack.io/?utm_source=gmail&utm_medium=signature&utm_campaign=signaturevirality5&>
>  05/29/18, 8:05:51 PM
>
> Regards,
> Job Muriuki,
>
> Skype: heviejob
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, May 29, 2018 at 7:32 PM, WANGARI KABIRU via kictanet <
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>wrote:
>
>> https://www.techweez.com/2018/03/27/ms-appfactory-launch/
>>
>>
>> Reading this, there are numerous options being explored.
>> Which, even for this one must be capital intensive.
>>
>> USF has the opportunity to drive this agenda via Community Networks.
>>
>>
>> Be blessed.
>>
>> Regards/Wangari
>>
>> ---
>> Pray God Bless. 2013Wangari circa - "Being of the Light, We are Restored
>> Through Faith in Mind, Body and Spirit; We Manifest The Kingdom of God on
>> Earth".
>>
>>
>> On Tuesday, 29 May 2018, 08:50:15 GMT+3, Job Muriuki via kictanet <
>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Barrack, If you are a small player in the Internet and data market in
>> Kenya you know how punitive local rates are and the market is an oligopoly
>> where prices have been "fixed"
>> What Collins is suggesting is a better and efficient use of the existing
>> fiber infrastructure specifically NOFBI.
>>
>> We have so much idle fiber cores going into their 10th year but the cost
>> to access them is too expensive for smaller players to take it up as the
>> main players opt to dig up more fiber every year due to the costs of
>> leasing.
>>
>> The Government (both National and counties) are not keen to change the
>> environment so we need to push the narrative of using NOFBI as it was
>> intended and open up the market.
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>> Job Muriuki,
>>
>> Skype: heviejob
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, May 29, 2018 at 6:59 AM, Barrack Otieno via kictanet <
>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Ali,
>>
>> ImHO we are discussing a public interest issue that might need a boost
>> possibly from the Universal Service fund. Most of the ISPs that peer at
>> KIXP are commercial entities that do so for commercial reasons not
>> necessarily from a public interest perspective. During the ICT week, CA
>> actually confirmed that the statistics we receive are normally population
>> centric as opposed to being based on landmass. As infrastructure starts
>> opening up the country such as the SGR, the International Airport in Isiolo
>> , the Dual Carriage way to Mombasa, and rural electrification, people will
>> start moving back to this areas that lack coverage and were hitherto
>> considered unprofitable. I am yet to fully understand the long term
>> business case of this projects funded by the Universal Service Fund and
>> would like colleagues likes Adam to weigh in on the subject but it is my
>> humble opinion that Community owned networks might be the way to go. Maybe
>> Collins can share how they are surviving in Mashinani. I know the Telcos
>> will claim that their network coverage extends to 90 % of Kenyans but we
>> now know that this 90 % is in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu, we need to
>> change the narrative. Ensure the unconnected are connected and that the
>> costs of the connections are low by all means.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> On Tue, 29 May 2018 06:44 Ali Hussein via kictanet, <
>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke > wrote:
>>
>> Collins
>>
>> Just curious. Is there a regulatory bottleneck that would need to be
>> unlocked? Reason I'm asking is why do we need to wait for the govt to
>> mandate anyone? Can't KIXP get on with it? Do we really need 'permission'
>> for this?
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> *Ali Hussein*
>> *Principal*
>> *AHK & Associates*
>>
>>
>> Tel: +254 713 601113
>> Twitter: @AliHKassim
>> Skype: abu-jomo
>> LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/ alihkassim
>> <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim>
>> <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim>
>>
>> 13th Floor , Delta Towers, Oracle Wing,
>> Chiromo Road, Westlands,
>> Nairobi, Kenya.
>>
>> Any information of a personal nature expressed in this email are purely
>> mine and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the
>> organizations that I work with.
>>
>> On Mon, May 28, 2018 at 8:17 PM, Collins Areba via kictanet <
>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke > wrote:
>>
>> @Ali & Others.
>>
>> What does it take to push and actualize this? My suggestion would
>> actually follow a very simple approach:
>>
>> a) GOK, through CA mandates KIXP and other exchanges to provide
>> countrywide service with presence at each of the 47 County headquarters as
>> initial POPs.
>>
>> b) Tier 1’s bid to operate and maintain redundant dark fibers to serve
>> these IXPs, so that those IXP’s have multiple backhauls via multiple
>> vendors.
>>
>> c) IXP's run an open access platform, offering standardized “Port
>> charges” for 1G, 10G, 100G….. at each of these pops.
>>
>> d) Tier 2 and ASP’s then pick this traffic from any of these points.
>>
>> Immediate benefits:
>>
>> a) IP transit in Kilifi @400 bob a meg. :-) Instead of current IP transit
>> at EADC at 400 plus local loop at KES 5000. *Packets cost eleven times
>> more from Nairobi to Kilifi than they cost from Nairobi to Guangzhou. That
>> cartel needs to die for affordable access to be realised.*
>>
>> b) Tier 3’s will have room to actually grow and become Tier 2 and Tier 1.
>>
>> c) Players will be forced to innovate to remain relevant, resulting in
>> better Value for money.
>>
>> d) Fibers will be utilised way more efficiently. Fewer fibers also means
>> less downtime. e.g a single fiber
>>
>> On 28 May 2018, 4:14 PM +0300, I.kasyoki--- via kictanet <
>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke >, wrote:
>>
>> Eagerly following on this as well.
>>
>> This will definitely be a game changer in regards to service penetration
>> to marginalised areas.
>>
>> [image: Syokinet Solutions] <https://htmlsig.com/t/000001C1QEB7>
>>
>> *Ian Kasyoki* /
>> I.Kasyoki at syokinet.co.ke / 0726815478
>>
>> *Syokinet Solutions*
>> 020-440-2983
>> P.O BOX 136-00519 Mlolongo
>> www.syokinet.co.ke
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ---- On Mon, 28 May 2018 11:52:57 +0300 *kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>> <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>* wrote ----
>>
>> I Second Collins on this approach.
>> Considering NOFBI is state funded (unless am wrong) so it's the Kenyan
>> taxes funding it and that KIXP via Tespok be given the mandate to offer
>> ports at fixed rates accessible anywhere the NOFBI fiber terminates.
>>
>> [image: Mailtrack]
>> <https://mailtrack.io/?utm_source=gmail&utm_medium=signature&utm_campaign=signaturevirality5&> Sender
>> notified by
>> Mailtrack
>> <https://mailtrack.io/?utm_source=gmail&utm_medium=signature&utm_campaign=signaturevirality5&>
>>  05/28/18, 11:49:41 AM
>>
>> Regards,
>> Job Muriuki,
>>
>> Skype: heviejob
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, May 28, 2018 at 11:42 AM, Collins Areba via kictanet <
>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke > wrote:
>>
>> Hi all,
>> I have a rather interesting suggestion to the powers, power brokers and
>> brokers that be. This is with regard to flattening the access environment
>> countrywide. If you are at CA: Indulge me for a moment.
>>
>> 1) KIXP has proven over time that it is possible, from a technical
>> standpoint to significantly drive traffic locally and in an organized
>> manner. This works well where there is an XP, in the current scheme of
>> things: Nairobi, and if TKL doesnt pull the plug, Msa.
>>
>> 2) If KIXP were operated like a distributed network, with switches in
>> Kilifi, Mombasa, Garsen, Garissa, Thika, and all major towns in the
>> country, so that providers would visit the nearest exchange point and get a
>> port, loop charges would all but disappear.
>>
>> 3) All thats needed is for GOK to give KIXP a dark fiber pair into all
>> major towns, and in exchange, for KIXP to offer 1G, 10G, 100G, etc at
>> subsidized rates in any of these towns, and for NOFBI hosts to be “strongly
>> asked” not to strong arm entrants by levying crazy cross connect or other
>> barriers to entry.
>>
>> Maoni?
>>
>>
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