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<html><head><title></title><style type="text/css"><!-- body{padding:1ex;margin:0;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:small}a[href]{color:-moz-hyperlinktext!important;text-decoration:-moz-anchor-decoration}blockquote{margin:0;border-left:2px solid #144fae;padding-left:1em}blockquote blockquote{border-color:#006312}blockquote blockquote blockquote{border-color:#540000} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;" dir="ltr"><div>Hi Kivuva/Hussein. I need a little more enlightenment:</div>
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<div>1. Is the "Zero-Rating" issue a debate or has it already been concluded that it is a bad thing? There is a hint that supporting it may leave one in not very good standing..</div>
<div>2. According to Kivuva's well-written article "Zero rating infringes on fundamental human rights by denying users access to the Internet". Are other service providers, including those offering "full" Internet Access at a fee, stopped or hindered from offering their services when some companies offer the zero-rating? Can both forms operate at the same time?</div>
<div>3. In Q2 above I have "full" in quotes because in my use of Internet I am yet to come across a truly "neutral Internet" i.e. sometimes I try to access certain websites or services and you are unable as you get a message that you cannot access that site/service from your country, meaning many services providers already practise packet filtering.</div>
<div>4. Hussein gives certain characteristics of a "market" but probably leaves out a very critical one: Choice. The best market is the one where ALL service providers are given the opportunity to offer their services and consumers are left to choose. At the end of the day it is the consumers that decide which companies and services survive and which wilt along the way. Why choose for the consumer beforehand by barring certain services or business models?<br />
5. A couple of years ago the cost and affordability of Internet access was a key ICT public policy issue. We said it was a major impediment to the spread of Internet use. How do we reconcile that with opposition to free (ok "free" as Hussein corrected me) services even if they are only offering a slice of what an open Internet offers.</div>
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<div>On a lighter note these days I am very happy with Facebook especially the Groups, as I get to know what is going on in the village. But I have been accessing them using a paid service perhaps I can save a few shillings if I got to know how to connect for free.</div>
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<div>I know Kivuva and Hussein have had extensive opportunity to study this area of Zero-Rating and also to listen o experts so I apologize in advance if my questions do not sound sophisticated.</div>
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<div>Kind Regards,<br />
Waudo</div>
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<div>On Wed, Dec 2, 2015, at 05:07 PM, Mwendwa Kivuva wrote:</div>
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<p dir="ltr">We are having the most vibrant debate on Net Neutrality on the list in a long while. Thanks for all contributors, and GG for initiating this timely discussion. It's exciting to see many people interested with the zero rating debate. I'm sure Ebele and Akua from Facebook are fascinated by the dynamism of this group. Thank you Ebele and Akua for graciously joining this debate.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'll keep my opinions to myself and only ask questions.</p>
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<p dir="ltr">1. Does Facebook support Net Neutrality?</p>
<p dir="ltr">2. Does Facebook's zero rating contravene net neutrality principle?</p>
<p dir="ltr">3. Will Facebook take "zero rated services" to areas without any connectivity infrastructure? </p>
<p dir="ltr">4. Will Facebook zero rated services reach all the people, even those with feature phones? Does fb have non app based Free basics?. What percentage of your target market has access to smart phones?</p>
<p dir="ltr">5. Which network operators does Facebook work with? Are all ISPs welcomed to the party?</p>
<p dir="ltr">6. Will free basics help reduce the cost of internet access?</p>
<p dir="ltr">7. Does Facebook pay ISPs to offer the "walled garden" to end users?</p>
<p dir="ltr">8. Why is Facebook running campaigns for "free basics" in a way to suggest that it is giving free access to the internet? Is FB and a few vanilla websites the Internet?</p>
<p dir="ltr">9. Facebook is considered affluent. Would it consider providing free internet to everyone?</p>
<p dir="ltr">10. Is free basics bridging the digital divide or creating confusion of those who cannot differentiate between Facebook and the Internet? Is Facebook keen that users from the developing world have access to the whole wealth of knowledge and information that the Internet provides? </p>
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<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Mwendwa Kivuva</p>
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