thanks Kai for the response,<br>we need many people responding to this issue,<br><br>in my opinion, the government should find a way of using the WB money through the private sector, so that the private sector does not see as if the government is competing and killing the profit margin,<br><br>in this regard, the government could come up with some MOU with the private sector so that some of the money invested is government's and some PS.<br>that way, part of the profits will be ploughed back (it will be mandatory)<br><br>i remember during the OFC workshop, Kai shared how IFC funded a private secotor consortium to carry out some survey at USD 300k and a similar survey carried out by govts was valued at USD 3m<br><br>maybe this can help reduce costs and provide a way for govt and PS to work together and deliver quality market services, develop the content and all..<br><br>its just an opinion, its not absolute,<br><br>lets hear as many voices as possible,<br>it is at these
forums/discussions that great ideas come up,<br><br>regards<br><br><b><i>Kai Wulff <kai.wulff@kdn.co.ke></i></b> wrote:<blockquote class="replbq" style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"> Hello,<br><br>we leave it to the ISPs to create the demand. We were hoping that with our <br>rural initiatives, like connecting schools and showing them how to educate <br>the parents (and make money with this) will increase the demand on a natural <br>way.<br><br>What we have seen wit some Rural BTS, it takes about 12 month until it is <br>break even ...<br><br>The problem is when you create the demand and then some World Bank money <br>starts to compete before you can recover the cost. It is my strong believe <br>that wherever a device can be operated, there WILL be a market. The private <br>sector needs the Government as a user there as well as the private companies <br>and consumers. Only then will the prices drop! We still focus too
much on <br>the INTERNET, what most people need for a start is LOCAL information and <br>communication .. so I would say: 90% local IP traffic and 10% international <br>..<br><br>Kai<br><br><br>----- Original Message ----- <br>From: "Joan Walumbe" <jwalumbe@globalnetcorps.org><br>To: <kai.wulff@kdn.co.ke><br>Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 10:26<br>Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 5 - Statistics on Affordability - <br>CCKInternetStudy Report<br><br><br>> Walu,<br>><br>> I agree with you that affordablity is a factor especially for rural<br>> communities when it comes to access to the internet. But I think that lack<br>> of awareness is an even bigger factor. It's fine for the urban folk (who<br>> already recognise the benefits to the internet etc.) taking a short break <br>> in<br>> shags to have the internet access when back home, but it there is no <br>> demand<br>> for the internet among the residents what is the point?<br>><br>> So does KDN
enter a market and then hope to create demand or is their a<br>> market that demands the service or is it a little of both?<br>><br>> I understand that Kai would not be venturing into the rural areas if it <br>> did<br>> not make any financial sense. Can anyone provide some info/statistics on<br>> demand for internet access in rural areas?<br>><br>> Joan Walumbe<br>><br>> ----- Original Message -----<br>> From: "John Walubengo" <jwalubengo@kcct.ac.ke><br>> To: <kictanet@kictanet.or.ke><br>> Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 9:01 AM<br>> Subject: [kictanet] Day 5 - Statistics on Affordability - CCK <br>> InternetStudy<br>> Report<br>><br>><br>> Day 5- Statistics on Affordability.<br>><br>> I acknowledge an interesting thread filtering in on Trust relationships <br>> b/w<br>> IGOs/ISPs...feel free to continue contributing on that as well as on<br>> today's theme on affordability (multi-tasking<br>>
encouraged by internet technologies ...)<br>><br>> and just to pick up from Kai's projection of KDN fiber hitting Bungoma in<br>> early August 2007. This would be quite a welcome and timely development,<br>> but at what cost to the consumer? To what extend will the (internet)<br>> services be affordable to the rural/average communities?<br>><br>> Affordability is a subjective term gven that what is considered cheap by <br>> the<br>> Bill Gates of this world is probably not so for the average Kenyan on the<br>> street. In trying to get an objective measurement for affordability, the<br>> Report pegged it on the national average incomes. In other words, if the<br>> monthly average income in Kenya is around 100USD and if the average <br>> monthly<br>> cost for internet access is also around 100USD then obviously the average<br>> Kenyan will not bother with accessing the Internet - it just becomes way<br>> beyond their
means or too expensive or not affordable.<br>><br>> The report indicated that access through the more convenient Internet<br>> Dial-up/Desktop services costed over 200% the average incomes (too<br>> expensive), while the same access through mobile phones was costing just <br>> 8%<br>> of the average incomes (quite affordable). What needs to be done in <br>> order<br>> to make Internet Services more afforable to Kenyans?<br>><br>> 1 day deliberation on this one.<br>><br>> walu.<br>><br>><br>><br>><br>><br>> _______________________________________________<br>> kictanet mailing list<br>> kictanet@kictanet.or.ke<br>> http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet<br>><br>> Please unsubscribe or change your options at <br>> http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kai.wulff%40kdn.co.ke<br>> <br><br><br>_______________________________________________<br>kictanet mailing
list<br>kictanet@kictanet.or.ke<br>http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet<br><br>Please unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/rebeccawanjiku%40yahoo.com<br></kictanet@kictanet.or.ke></jwalubengo@kcct.ac.ke></kai.wulff@kdn.co.ke></jwalumbe@globalnetcorps.org></blockquote><br><BR><BR>Rebecca Wanjiku,<br>journalist,<br>p.o box 33515, <br>Nairobi.00600<br>Kenya.<br><br>Tel. 254 720 318 925<br><br>blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/<p>
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