Harry,<br><br>You are very welcome. I think a key point to keep in mind for this issue of regional interconnection is that based on experiences and lessons learnt from other parts of the world - namely, Europe and Southern Asia - it has been proven that regional carriers with cross-IXP connectivity are the most sustainable. This is as opposed to attempts to establish a "neutral" facility in the same way that national IXPs function.<br>
<br>In essence - the regulatory, policy and practical aspects are much easier to deal with and by creating a viable business opportunity, competition is encouraged which, in theory leads to better prices and hopefully better quality.<br>
<br>Regards,<br><br>Brian<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jun 3, 2010 at 12:26 PM, Harry Delano <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:harry@comtelsys.co.ke">harry@comtelsys.co.ke</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">




<div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span>Esther, Brian & Muriuki,</span></font></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span></span></font>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span>Thanks so much for this invaluable feedback. I'm 
scouring all the resources mentioned. �It's so encouraging 
</span></font></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span>that there are already efforts underway to 
</span></font><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span>address </span></font><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span>this�to</span></font><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span>�get the 
member countries interconnected. Hopefully,</span></font></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span>some sense of urgency can be injected into this to get 
the project off the ground so that we can harness </span></font></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span>maximum benefits from the improved interconnectivity 
within the countries, especially on Fibre.</span></font></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span></span></font>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span>Esther, I will email Shoukry, and will report 
back..</span></font></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span></span></font>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span>Regards,</span></font></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span>Harry</span></font></div><br>
<div dir="ltr" align="left" lang="en-us">
<hr>
<font face="Tahoma" size="2"><b>From:</b> Esther Wanjau 
[mailto:<a href="mailto:esther_wanjau@yahoo.com" target="_blank">esther_wanjau@yahoo.com</a>] <br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, June 03, 2010 11:41 
AM<div><div></div><div class="h5"><br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:harry@comtelsys.co.ke" target="_blank">harry@comtelsys.co.ke</a><br><b>Cc:</b> 'KICTAnet ICT Policy 
Discussions'<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [kictanet] The urgent case for a Regional 
Internet Exchange Point (RIXP)<br></div></div></font><br></div><div><div></div><div class="h5">
<div></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
  <tbody>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top">
      <div>Dear Harry,<br><br>COMESA already has a concept paper on the 
      RIXP.� Please contact the Director of Information and Networking in 
      COMESA Secretariat Sherin Shoukry on <a href="mailto:shoukry@comesa.int" target="_blank">shoukry@comesa.int</a> for more 
      information.� Also visit <a href="http://www.comesa.int" target="_blank">www.comesa.int</a> and see the progress made in 
      regard to IT.� There you will find the reports of the IT technical 
      committees already held.<br><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">�</font></span></div>
      <div><span>�</span><br>Hope this 
      helps.<br><br>Esther<br><br>--- On <b>Wed, 6/2/10, Harry Delano 
      <i><<a href="mailto:harry@comtelsys.co.ke" target="_blank">harry@comtelsys.co.ke</a>></i></b> wrote:<br></div>
      <blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px;"><br>From: 
        Harry Delano <<a href="mailto:harry@comtelsys.co.ke" target="_blank">harry@comtelsys.co.ke</a>><br>Subject: Re: [kictanet] 
        The urgent case for a Regional Internet Exchange Point (RIXP)<br>To: 
        <a href="mailto:esther_wanjau@yahoo.com" target="_blank">esther_wanjau@yahoo.com</a><br>Cc: "'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'" 
        <<a href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>><br>Date: Wednesday, June 2, 2010, 
        11:17 PM<br><br>
        <div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"></font>�</div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Thanks alot John, Am checking this 
        out...</font></span></div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"></font></span>�</div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Harry</font></span></div><br>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left" lang="en-us">
        <hr>
        <font face="Tahoma" size="2"><b>From:</b> John Kariuki 
        [mailto:<a href="mailto:ngethe.kariuki2007@yahoo.co.uk" target="_blank">ngethe.kariuki2007@yahoo.co.uk</a>] <br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, June 
        03, 2010 7:07 AM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:harry@comtelsys.co.ke" target="_blank">harry@comtelsys.co.ke</a><br><b>Cc:</b> 
        KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [kictanet] The 
        urgent case for a Regional Internet Exchange Point 
        (RIXP)<br></font><br></div>
        <div></div>
        <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
          <tbody>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top">
              <div>There is a project called "EAC-BIN" under "Connect Africa 
              Initiative". I would suggest you search the two in the web for 
              more details.</div>
              <div>�</div>
              <div>John Kariuki<br><br>--- On <b>Wed, 2/6/10, Harry Delano 
              <i><<a href="mailto:harry@comtelsys.co.ke" target="_blank">harry@comtelsys.co.ke</a>></i></b> wrote:<br></div>
              <blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px;"><br>From: 
                Harry Delano <<a href="mailto:harry@comtelsys.co.ke" target="_blank">harry@comtelsys.co.ke</a>><br>Subject: 
                [kictanet] The urgent case for a Regional Internet Exchange 
                Point (RIXP)<br>To: <a href="mailto:ngethe.kariuki2007@yahoo.co.uk" target="_blank">ngethe.kariuki2007@yahoo.co.uk</a><br>Cc: 
                "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" 
                <<a href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>><br>Date: Wednesday, 2 
                June, 2010, 20:39<br><br>
                <div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">Listers,</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2"></font></span>�</div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2"></font></span>�</div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">I 
                have noticed, that while�all laudable efforts in speeding 
                up our�broadband connectivity to the</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">rest 
                of the world hits top gear, saddeningly regional local 
                interconnectivity�lags </font></span><span><font face="Arial" size="2">behind. Why 
                </font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">is 
                this so...?</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2"></font></span>�</div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">For 
                instance�reaching�a branch office located in Tanzania 
                from their Kenya HQ office,or� vice </font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">versa means traffic�transits out from our 
                cyberspace to some international exchange 
                point</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">somwhere in London, hits the return�trip 
                back�via some other Link to Dar. This 
                especially</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">affects VOIP connectivity and quality, between 
                interconnected offices, and other services</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">that 
                rely on good QOS.</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2"></font></span>�</div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">This, especially while we are working on the 
                economic, Social, and perhaps Political </font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">intergration of the Comesa block seems to fly in the 
                face of the major milestones that have</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">been 
                achieved in the Telecommunication sectors of the member 
                countries, and I strongly</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">suggest the industry addresses this urgently. We 
                need� a Regional Internet Exchange point 
                </font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">set 
                up. Perhaps name it COMESA-IXP or something</font></span><span><font face="Arial" size="2">. But one thing 
                is clear; the more we</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">each 
                send traffic destined locally on a roundtrip to Europe or 
                elsewhere and back, means</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">we 
                incur huge transiting costs in the process, which dollars that 
                we export out should be</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">be 
                used to expand and develop our local & Regional 
                interconnection capacity..</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2"></font></span>�</div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">I 
                think, this is an issue worth being addressed and�I'd be 
                interested to discuss this more</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2">with 
                anyone�interested to drive this forward. 
                Anyone..?</font></span></div>
                <div><span><font face="Arial" size="2"></font></span>�</div>
                <div><span></span><font face="Arial"><font size="2">R<span>egards,</span></font></font></div>
                <div><font face="Arial"><font size="2"><span></span></font></font>�</div>
                <div><font face="Arial"><font size="2"><span>Harry</span></font></font></div></div><br>-----Inline 
                Attachment Follows-----<br><br>
                <div>_______________________________________________<br>kictanet 
                mailing list<br><a href="http://uk.mc275.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a><br><a href="http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet</a><br>
<br>This 
                message was sent to: <a href="http://uk.mc275.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=ngethe.kariuki2007@yahoo.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ngethe.kariuki2007@yahoo.co.uk</a><br>Unsubscribe 
                or change your options at <a href="http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/ngethe.kariuki2007%40yahoo.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/ngethe.kariuki2007%40yahoo.co.uk</a><br>
</div></blockquote></td></tr></tbody></table><br></div><br>-----Inline 
        Attachment Follows-----<br><br>
        <div>_______________________________________________<br>kictanet 
        mailing list<br><a href="http://mc/compose?to=kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a><br><a href="http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet" target="_blank">http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet</a><br>
<br>This 
        message was sent to: <a href="http://mc/compose?to=esther_wanjau@yahoo.com" target="_blank">esther_wanjau@yahoo.com</a><br>Unsubscribe 
        or change your options at <a href="http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/esther_wanjau%40yahoo.com" target="_blank">http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/esther_wanjau%40yahoo.com</a><br>
</div></blockquote></td></tr></tbody></table><br></div></div></div>
<br>_______________________________________________<br>
kictanet mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a><br>
<a href="http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet" target="_blank">http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet</a><br>
<br>
This message was sent to: <a href="mailto:blongwe@gmail.com">blongwe@gmail.com</a><br>
Unsubscribe or change your options at <a href="http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/blongwe%40gmail.com" target="_blank">http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/blongwe%40gmail.com</a><br>
<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Brian Munyao Longwe<br>e-mail: <a href="mailto:blongwe@gmail.com">blongwe@gmail.com</a><br>cell: �+ 254 722 518 744<br>blog : <a href="http://zinjlog.blogspot.com">http://zinjlog.blogspot.com</a><br>
meta-blog: <a href="http://mashilingi.blogspot.com">http://mashilingi.blogspot.com</a><br>