<div dir="ltr"><div><div><div>Ndemo,<br><br></div>The timing of A4AI is welcomed, we hope it effects reaches all one way or the other in Africa. This is my hope and I personally I think it can achieve a lot especially in supporting regulatory processes and ensuring that the universal access fund can be a reality in many communities that require that especially for the growth in our education and health care delivery.<br>
<br></div>Peace<br><br></div>Poncelet<br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 9 October 2013 17:51, McTim <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:dogwallah@gmail.com" target="_blank">dogwallah@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Bwana,<br>
<br>
I have been following A4AI for a couple of months now, am glad to hear<br>
you are on board.<br>
<br>
Listers, FYI, here are the policy positions they are taking:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://a4ai.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/A4AI-Best-Practices-launch1.pdf" target="_blank">http://a4ai.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/A4AI-Best-Practices-launch1.pdf</a><br>
<br>
--<br>
Cheers,<br>
<br>
McTim<br>
"A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A<br>
route indicates how we get there." Jon Postel<br>
<br>
On Wed, Oct 9, 2013 at 1:21 PM, Bitange Ndemo <<a href="mailto:bitange@jambo.co.ke">bitange@jambo.co.ke</a>> wrote:<br>
> Listers,<br>
><br>
> I am in Nigeria for the launch of the Global Alliance for Affordable<br>
> Internet (A4AI) which I was appointed the Honorary Chair. This is a<br>
> diverse and truly global coalition committed to driving down the cost of<br>
> internet access in less developed countries. We believe that, while<br>
> technological solutions are advancing rapidly, policy and regulations<br>
> remain a significant barrier to affordable internet. A4AI seeks to create<br>
> the conditions for open, competitive and innovative broadband markets<br>
> through a combination of advocacy, research and knowledge-sharing. When we<br>
> succeed, we will help to lower access costs to meet the UN Broadband<br>
> Commission target of broadband access priced at less than 5% of monthly<br>
> income, thereby helping billions more to come online and unlocking<br>
> significant socio-economic benefits.<br>
><br>
> Why is A4AI needed?<br>
> “Estimates suggest that as much as two-thirds of the world’s population is<br>
> not connected to the internet, with penetration rates in less developed<br>
> countries averaging around 31%. In Africa, this figure drops to 16% (while<br>
> in in Kenya we are approaching 40% Liberia is at .5%) and in the world’s<br>
> 49 least developed countries, over 90% of people are not online. (Source:<br>
> ITU 2013) and (Broadband Commission 2013)<br>
><br>
> “Most often, this is for affordability reasons. In developed nations, the<br>
> average cost of broadband internet access is around 1-2% of monthly<br>
> household income - less than a daily coffee. In less developed countries,<br>
> this figure skyrockets to over 30%, and in 17 countries a basic internet<br>
> connection can cost well over 100% of average monthly income. Overcoming<br>
> this digital divide is critical so that technology and innovation can be<br>
> harnessed to accelerate progress in areas such as education, food<br>
> security, job creation, public health, and gender equity.”<br>
><br>
> On A4AI’s goals:<br>
><br>
> “Our primary focus is to reach the UN Broadband Commission Broadband<br>
> Target of entry-level broadband services priced at less than 5% of average<br>
> monthly income. In doing so, we hope to enable billions of people to come<br>
> online (with a particular focus on low-income countries) and make<br>
> universal access a reality.<br>
> On Strategy:<br>
><br>
> “Innovative technological solutions to affordability challenges are<br>
> progressing apace. However, the best technologies in the world can’t drive<br>
> change if quasi-monopolies or regressive policies prevent them from being<br>
> implemented. Changes to policy can deliver impressive results, fast. So,<br>
> through a combination of advocacy, research and knowledge-sharing, A4AI<br>
> will drive policy change by seeking to create the conditions for open,<br>
> competitive and innovative broadband markets. We are unique in pursuing<br>
> this approach.”<br>
><br>
> On Specific Activities:<br>
><br>
> “A4AI is focused on creating conditions for open, competitive and<br>
> innovative broadband markets via regulatory and policy change. Activities<br>
> include: original research (including the publication of an annual<br>
> Affordability Report); publication of regulation and policy best<br>
> practices, and illustrating these via case studies; and in-country<br>
> engagements including networking and knowledge-sharing. We will work<br>
> closely with national governments – three to four countries in year one,<br>
> expanding to 10 - 12 in years two and three.”<br>
><br>
> How are policies keeping prices high?<br>
><br>
> There are numerous examples of how policies keep prices high. Here are<br>
> just a handful:<br>
> • Luxury taxes: Tax accounts for more than 20% of the total cost of mobile<br>
> ownership in at least 13 African countries. (Source: GSMA 2011) Tax<br>
> reductions on PCs in Colombia have increased PC penetration by 100% in 2<br>
> years, and Internet penetration increased 466% from 2005-2008, versus 161%<br>
> across the region (source: IDC Colombia 2009).<br>
> • Access to international gateway: In 8 of 20 African countries surveyed<br>
> by ISOC there is little or no competition on the international gateway. In<br>
> the same survey, only one of the 20 countries has fully privatized their<br>
> incumbent telecoms company. In South Africa firms began deploying<br>
> open-access metro fibre in 2009, and also furnished a link from<br>
> Johannesburg to the SEACOM (undersea cable) landing station in order to<br>
> avoid very high charges proposed by Telkom (the state-owned operator).<br>
> This helped to slash international capacity prices by over 60%.<br>
> • Universal Service Funds (USF) for Broadband (example of how policy can<br>
> lower prices): USFs and similar subsidies improve the availability and<br>
> affordability of broadband for unserved or underserved citizens.<br>
> Historically focused on basic telephony services in remote areas, USFs are<br>
> now being adapted to promote the adoption of broadband by subsidizing<br>
> content, devices, services, and digital training, as well as<br>
> infrastructure. USFs can serve as a tool to stimulate demand and increase<br>
> adoption and use.<br>
><br>
> About A4AI’s membership base:<br>
><br>
> “A4AI is a diverse coalition of over 30 private sector, public sector, and<br>
> not-for-profit organizations who have come together to advance the shared<br>
> aim of affordable access to both mobile and fixed-line Internet in<br>
> developing countries. We are the first truly global coalition to tackle<br>
> this issue and our members are from both developed and less developed<br>
> nations. The World Wide Web Foundation, established by web inventor Sir<br>
> Tim Berners-Lee, initiated the Alliance.”<br>
><br>
> 1. What, exactly, will A4AI do?<br>
><br>
> A4AI will undertake a blend of international advocacy and research,<br>
> coupled with on-the-ground work. We’ll be working in three pioneer<br>
> countries by the end of 2013, and will bring together in-country<br>
> stakeholders to identify obstacles, how to tackle them and we’ll then help<br>
> to drive implementation. We will be developing advocacy and policy<br>
> proposals in conjunction with these stakeholders in each country. We will<br>
> also continue to press at international level on these issues and our work<br>
> will be informed by original research – with the first edition of our<br>
> Annual Affordability report being released in December 2013. We’ll also<br>
> publish case studies, position papers and briefings on lessons learned<br>
> throughout the year to share knowledge.<br>
><br>
> 2. What is the relationship between Internet.org and A4AI?<br>
><br>
> While A4AI and Internet.org are two separate organisations, there is a<br>
> common goal (in addition to common partners in Facebook and Ericsson) of<br>
> making internet access available to more people around the world. A4AI<br>
> has a clear focus on policy and regulatory issues surrounding access while<br>
> Internet.org is focused on identifying technical innovations and new<br>
> business models that can help drive down the cost of data. Wherever<br>
> possible, we will we collaborate to maximise impact.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Regards.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Ndemo.<br>
><br>
><br>
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</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Poncelet O. Ileleji MBCS<br>Coordinator<br>The Gambia YMCAs Computer Training Centre & Digital Studio<br>MDI Road Kanifing South<br>P. O. Box 421 Banjul<br>The Gambia, West Africa<br>
Tel: (220) 4370240<br>Fax:(220) 4390793<br>Cell:(220) 9912508<br>Skype: pons_utd<br><i><span style="color:rgb(0,0,153)"><a href="http://www.ymca.gm" target="_blank">www.ymca.gm</a><br><a href="http://www.waigf.org" target="_blank">www.waigf.org</a><br>
<a href="http://www.aficta.org" target="_blank">www.aficta.org</a><br><a href="http://www.itag.gm" target="_blank">www.itag.gm</a><br><a href="http://www.npoc.org" target="_blank">www.npoc.org</a><br><a href="http://www.wsa-mobile.org/node/753" target="_blank">http://www.wsa-mobile.org/node/753</a><br>
</span></i><cite><span style="color:rgb(0,0,153)"><a href="http://www.diplointernetgovernance.org" target="_blank">www.diplointernetgovernance.org</a><br><br></span><b><span style="color:rgb(0,0,153)"><br></span></b><br></cite><br>
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