<html><head></head><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:16px"><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43195"><span>@Barrack,</span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43196"><span><br></span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43198"><span>my 2cents on this.</span></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43341"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43340">*Universal Access (infrastructure); </span></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43341"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43351">we must crack the shared infrastructure thing. All operators know it is silly to dig across the road, only for the competitor come over the following week do re-dig over the same road as they lay cable. Unfortunately this policy issue goes beyond ICT and the Road/Public works and County Gov must be willing to participate/enforce this. For some of them, the more roads being dug the more money the get :-(</span></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43319"><span><br></span></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43321"><span>*Affordable Services.</span></div><div class="qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43200" dir="ltr">Theory says that if the cost of infrastructure goes down (e.g through sharing), then the cost/price to the consumer will drop - at least in a competitive environment. But competition in contemporary digital services is complex, dynamic and continues to evolve. </div><div class="qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43200" dir="ltr"><br></div><div class="qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43200" dir="ltr">For example, are mobile operators competing with other operators or they are competing with Banks and Broadcasters(TV, Radio Stations)? Perhaps the correct answer is that mobile operators simultaneously compete and cooperate with all of the above. We perhaps need new approaches to effectively deal with pricing of communication services since competition alone wont bring down prices.</div><div class="qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43200" dir="ltr"><br></div><div class="qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43200" dir="ltr">*Persons with Disabilities (PWD). </div><div class="qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43200" dir="ltr">Very few TV stations have sign-language speakers. Most government websites have no provision/options for the blind and deaf. I think we need a specific policy statement on this so that effort/funds can be subsequently allocated for those who are challenged one way or the other. In developed economies, you find traffic lights designed to be 'seen'(heard) by the blind. That might be V2030 for us but we need to start seeing evidence of this in government documents.</div><div class="qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43200" dir="ltr"><br></div><div class="qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43200" dir="ltr">*Public eLiteracy:</div><div class="qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43200" dir="ltr">Currently most utilities (Power, Water, LandRates, Parking, etc) have adopted electronic mode of payment. I have to travel 400Km away from Nairobi to upgrade my Dads e-Skills on this so that he can continue to execute these tasks. These new services are convenient, but we must make provision for what the developed countries call continuous learning. Lets make (budgetery) provision for local tertiary institutions to increase our eLiteracy rates. I heard someone say we use Universal Service Funds, but others argue that one should not access funds they never contributed to...either way this needs to be sorted.</div><div class="qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43200" dir="ltr"><br></div><div class="qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43200" dir="ltr">walu. </div><div class="qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43200" dir="ltr"><br></div><div class="qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43200" dir="ltr"><br><br></div><div class="yahoo_quoted" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43204" style="display: block;"> <div style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43203"> <div style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43202"> <div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43201"> <font size="2" face="Arial" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43209"> <hr size="1" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43487"> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">From:</span></b> Barrack Otieno via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke><br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> jwalu@yahoo.com <br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cc:</span></b> Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack@gmail.com><br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, June 28, 2016 7:43 AM<br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> [kictanet] Draft National ICT Policy Discussions Day 4 of 10: How to enhance Universal Service & Access<br> </font> </div> <div class="y_msg_container" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1467098476785_43207"><br>Listers,<br><br>We inadvertently skipped the day 4 discussion since it was to be done<br>over the weekend (Saturday 25 June 2016). As such we will back track<br>so that we can tackle the topics which are very important.<br><br>Today we focus on the following topics<br><br>*Universal Access (Infrastructure)<br><br>*Universal Service (PWD)<br><br>*Affordable Internet broadband Services<br><br>*Affordable User Devices<br><br>*Public e-Literacy<br><br>The Background<br>Universal service principles are based on the fact that all citizens<br>are entitled to basic communication rights. In other words, the<br>government is obliged to ensure that communication signals reach all<br>Kenyans, irrespective of their income levels, remote localities, lack<br>of (e)literacy and/or disabilities (e.g. the blind/deaf/etc).<br><br>There was recent access-gap study commissioned by the regulator which<br>confirmed that a large number of Kenyan localities are underserved<br>http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/blogs/dot9/walubengo/-/2274560/3155384/-/l3vdw8z/-/index.html.<br><br>How can we change the situation?<br><br>Thank you<br><br><br>-- <br>Barrack O. Otieno<br>+254721325277<br>+254733206359<br>Skype: barrack.otieno<br>PGP ID: 0x2611D86A<br><br>_______________________________________________<br>kictanet mailing list<br><a ymailto="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke" href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a><br><a href="https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet" target="_blank">https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet</a><br><br>Unsubscribe or change your options at <a href="https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jwalu%40yahoo.com" target="_blank">https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jwalu%40yahoo.com</a><br><br>The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.<br><br>KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.<br><br><br></div> </div> </div> </div></div></body></html>