May 2007 - KICTANet

Global Fellowships Program to enhance participation in ICANN's meeting in Puerto Rico
by alice 09 May '07

09 May '07

*Fellowship Program to Enhance Global Participation in ICANN **MARINA DEL REY, Calif.*: People from across the world will have more opportunities to attend ICANN's 29th Public Meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico thanks to the trial global fellowships program <http://www.icann.org/fellowships/> launched today. "We want to foster increased participation from developing and least developed nations at our public meetings and this fellowship program will do just that," said Paul Levins, ICANN's Executive Officer and Vice President Corporate Affairs. Priority will be given to current residents of developing and least developed nations who are interested in participating in the ICANN government advisory committee, the country code names supporting organization, and the generic names supporting organization. The fellowship will assist in covering airfare, hotel and a stipend. Recipients will be expected to actively participate in and contribute to ICANN processes. As always, registration for ICANNs meetings is free for anyone wanting to attend. "The program will play a key role in meeting part of ICANN's operational plan which has been through extensive public discussions and consultations to create a program to encourage and find participation by interested parties in developing countries," Levins said. After the San Juan meeting, which takes place 2530 June, ICANN will get feedback on the program from participants and the public, and identify areas where there might be improvements. "As a global organization ICANN is working hard to reach out and work with people from every part of the world, and especially individuals and organizations from developing countries," Levins added. "Making sure we have participation from people who normally couldnt attend means ICANNs work in the administration of the Domain Name and Internet Protocol addressing systems is more accountable and transparent." _______________________________________________ ALAC mailing list ALAC(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/alac_atlarge-lists.icann.org www.alac.icann.org www.icannalac.org

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Re: [kictanet] Day 5 - Statistics on Affordability - CCKInternetStudyReport
by Wainaina Mungai 09 May '07

09 May '07

Kai said; > The problem is when you create the demand and then some World Bank money > starts to compete before you can recover the cost > .The private sector needs the Government as a user there as well as the > private companies and consumers. [Only then will the prices drop!] Pricing I would like to assume that competition from government is as good as competition from other market players. The beauty of competition is in the way it forces the private sector to put a smile on the face of every consumer ;-) so as to guarantee revenue. I am convinced that a significant drop in prices results only from fierce competition and some degree of regulation. TESPOK and others fought for years to introduce competition which resulted in the current lower prices of internet and telephony services. The recent intervention of CCK on the pricing of mobile services is a case that proves that price controls may become necessary to protect consumers. For internet services, we need many small scale providers whose products and pricing would be more market-driven and responsive to fluctuations in consumer needs. For instance, an internet user paying KShs. 6,000 per month for DSL per month is actually incurring 14 cents per minute for a 30-day month. This is a great deal for any 24 hour user who may even make money through such access to the internet. The same user would be said to incur 28 cents per minute if s/he were to use the link for an average 12 hours per day at the same monthly rate. There may be a catch here but there is a high probability that more businesses can survive on such low rates and pass such rates down to rural consumer. --- Wainaina Mungai http://www.madeinkenya.org SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. > > FROM: kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff=kdn.co.ke(a)kictanet.or.ke > [mailto:kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff=kdn.co.ke@kictanet.or.ke] ON BEHALF OF > Rebecca Wanjiku > SENT: Friday, May 04, 2007 10:23 > TO: kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke > SUBJECT: [kictanet] Day 5 - Statistics on Affordability - > CCKInternetStudyReport > > > thanks Kai for the response, > we need many people responding to this issue, > > 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, > > 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. > that way, part of the profits will be ploughed back (it will be > mandatory) > > 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 > > 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.. > > its just an opinion, its not absolute, > > lets hear as many voices as possible, > it is at these forums/discussions that great ideas come up, > > regards > > _KAI WULFF <KAI.WULFF(a)KDN.CO.KE>_ wrote: > > Hello, > > we leave it to the ISPs to create the demand. We were hoping that with > our > rural initiatives, like connecting schools and showing them how to > educate > the parents (and make money with this) will increase the demand on a > natural > way. > > What we have seen wit some Rural BTS, it takes about 12 month until it is > > break even ... > > The problem is when you create the demand and then some World Bank money > starts to compete before you can recover the cost. It is my strong > believe > that wherever a device can be operated, there WILL be a market. The > private > sector needs the Government as a user there as well as the private > companies > and consumers. Only then will the prices drop! We still focus too much on > > the INTERNET, what most people need for a start is LOCAL information and > communication .. so I would say: 90% local IP traffic and 10% > international > .. > > Kai > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Joan Walumbe" > To: > Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 10:26 > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 5 - Statistics on Affordability - > CCKInternetStudy Report > > > > Walu, > > > > I agree with you that affordablity is a factor especially for rural > > communities when it comes to access to the internet. But I think that > lack > > of awareness is an even bigger factor. It's fine for the urban folk > (who > > already recognise the benefits to the internet etc.) taking a short > break > > in > > shags to have the internet access when back home, but it there is no > > demand > > for the internet among the residents what is the point? > > > > So does KDN enter a market and then hope to create demand or is their a > > market that demands the service or is it a little of both? > > > > I understand that Kai would not be venturing into the rural areas if it > > > did > > not make any financial sense. Can anyone provide some info/statistics > on > > demand for internet access in rural areas? > > > > Joan Walumbe > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "John Walubengo" > > To: > > Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 9:01 AM > > Subject: [kictanet] Day 5 - Statistics on Affordability - CCK > > InternetStudy > > Report > > > > > > Day 5- Statistics on Affordability. > > > > I acknowledge an interesting thread filtering in on Trust relationships > > > b/w > > IGOs/ISPs...feel free to continue contributing on that as well as on > > today's theme on affordability (multi-tasking > > encouraged by internet technologies ...) > > > > and just to pick up from Kai's projection of KDN fiber hitting Bungoma > in > > early August 2007. This would be quite a welcome and timely > development, > > but at what cost to the consumer? To what extend will the (internet) > > services be affordable to the rural/average communities? > > > > Affordability is a subjective term gven that what is considered cheap > by > > the > > Bill Gates of this world is probably not so for the average Kenyan on > the > > street. In trying to get an objective measurement for affordability, > the > > Report pegged it on the national average incomes. In other words, if > the > > monthly average income in Kenya is around 100USD and if the average > > monthly > > cost for internet access is also around 100USD then obviously the > average > > Kenyan will not bother with accessing the Internet - it just becomes > way > > beyond their means or too expensive or not affordable. > > > > The report indicated that access through the more convenient Internet > > Dial-up/Desktop services costed over 200% the average incomes (too > > expensive), while the same access through mobile phones was costing > just > > 8% > > of the average incomes (quite affordable). What needs to be done in > > order > > to make Internet Services more afforable to Kenyans? > > > > 1 day deliberation on this one. > > > > walu. > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > Please unsubscribe or change your options at > > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kai.wulff%40kdn.co.ke > > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Please unsubscribe or change your options at > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/rebeccawanjiku%40yahoo.com > > > Rebecca Wanjiku, > journalist, > p.o box 33515, > Nairobi.00600 > Kenya. > > Tel. 254 720 318 925 > > blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ > > > -------------------- > > > Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell? > Check out [LINK: > http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48245/*http:/autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html;_ylc=…] > new cars at Yahoo! Autos. > -------------------- > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > [LINK: compose.php?to=kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke] kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > [LINK: http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet] > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Please unsubscribe or change your options at [LINK: > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/wainaina%40madeinkenya.org] > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/wainaina%40madeinkenya.org

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A world laggard, the U.S. needs a real policy to bring affordable, high-speed Internet service to everyone
by Alex Gakuru 09 May '07

09 May '07

[Local consumers are not alone in this discourse.] [Mercury News] http://www.mercextra.com/blogs/vindu/2007/05/06/a-world-laggard-the-us-need… <snip> When it comes to reasonably priced, high-speed Internet service, the United States is an embarrassment. Despite years of promises from politicians and technology titans, the U.S. continues to lag far behind our global competitors. During the past year, the U.S. slipped from 12th to 15th place in broadband Internet penetration per capita, behind much of Western Europe, Korea, Japan and Canada, according to a new report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Worse, much of U.S. "broadband" service is only a smidgen faster than a dialup modem. Japan leads the world in cutting-edge fiber connections, offering speeds of up to 100 Mbps to 7.9 million home subscribers in 2006. In the U.S., only a paltry 700,000 have fiber connections. ..... Both government and the telecommunications industry are to blame. The technology to deliver truly high-speed Internet access is there, especially for cable subscribers. Customers need to demand better service from providers. ..... What can you do about this shameful state of Internet access? First of all, speak up as a customer. If you're in the Bay Area, complain to Comcast and AT&T/SBC/Pacific Bell and ask them why they offer such slow Internet speeds. Demand better. A coalition of consumer groups has launched SavetheInternet.com, which is principally dedicated to net neutrality (the principle that no Web site should get favored access from an Internet service provider) but also crusades for affordable broadband. You can join their efforts to push for better broadband. Contact the FCC directly and tell them you're tired of seeing the U.S. lag the rest of the world and they need to start pushing the cable and DSL companies to upgrade service. Ask the president why we he has utterly failed to keep his 2004 promise to give every American access to high-speed Internet service. And finally, contact your congressional representatives. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi campaigned last year on bringing affordable broadband to everyone within five years. Hold her to it! <snip>

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Flight KQ 507: Did the Media cross the line?
by Wainaina Mungai 09 May '07

09 May '07

Was the media insensitive and offensive as they competed to air and publish reports of the flight KQ507 crash? Read about it on http://www.madeinkenya.org/forum_files/forum0507-2.php

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Common services policy
by Mr President 08 May '07

08 May '07

Hi ALLWould it be possible to have a common services policy, that would entail laying of services like communications, internet via optical fibre,electricity etc in common ducts.This would anable sharing of costs by users for maintenance, access by all providers, and a reduction is costs of digging up trenches for each service provider ?It would also enable easy access for repairs and upgrades.A certain amount of "joint" planning -which is lacking- would reduce the over all cost of rolling out the infrastructure nationwide.It can be financed, via govt investment bonds, that� should have NO capital gains tax,council and municipal bonds etc.My take is that the funds can not only be� sourced but also applied in the most logical way, and this would provide massive employment for rolling out the sameLater the infrastructure can be given to firm(s) to maitain at a nominal fee as "local" outsourcing for none core business.Lawyers could work out legalities, contractors "LOCAL" not chinese prisoners being fronted as cheap labour, municipal and other local authorities could have the service now and not later, funds could also be sourced via the women funds, youth funds, lasdap, latf and CDF whcih is set to increase to 10%The aformentioned would enable urban and rural industrialisation by 2010 as envision by Hon Raila and not 2030 by reactives� as opposed to pro-actives.The� "Greemen" concept sounds to me like the wheel, yet we seem to want to invent it again "kenyan " style ama ?MAy the souls of those who departed rest in peace and may all of us observe a moment of silence and prayer for them and their loved onesNjenga M.P�those who fear to fail.will never try to succeded,for to fail to plan is to plan to FAIL _______________________________________________ No banners. No pop-ups. No kidding. Make My Way your home on the Web - http://www.myway.com

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Re: [kictanet] Day 6 of 10 - Statistics on Dispersion- CCK Internet Report
by John Walubengo 08 May '07

08 May '07

Lets extend 1day (today) on the above theme... I know the recent posts have commented on the above. In particular, the 'conflicting' approaches with regard to infrastructure development b/w Govt & Private Sector. I think Govt feels that the Private sector initiatives into the rural areas has been lacking hence their intervention. Private sector may feel that Govt is 'duplicating' their efforts or presenting 'unfair' competition in that space. I think the report had a middle ground where the Universal Access Fund (UAF)is deployed. Private sector would be 'funded' to implement infrastructure in non-economic zones using the UAF. In other words the Goverment advances the funds and the Private Sector implements the projects. I don't know if this would present a middle-ground or addresses a different issue? walu. --- John Walubengo <jwalubengo(a)kcct.ac.ke> wrote: > <<<a prayer for the missing KQ passengers, Mt Elgon & > other Land-Clashes victims observed>>> > > and now I Wish to thank all for the surge of > contributions that are continuing to come through. Plse > keep them flowing as we move into today's theme > -Statistics on Dispersion. > > snip >>The Report found that even though ISPs were > present in all the 8 Provinces, they were hardly present > at the districts level * covering only 30% of the > districts in Kenya. In addition, of the three key > stakeholders, Government, Educational and Commercial, the > Commercial sector had the bulk of the existing Internet > Connectivity (80%) while the Education Sector had the > lowest (less than 2%). Finally, of the estimated 2.8 > Million Internet users in the country, 80% are in the > capital city Nairobi, 9% in Mombasa and the rest (11%) > are spread across the country.<<snip > > Quite bleak statistics and my recent trip to my rural > home (Bungoma) confirmed it. Even the supposedly > ubiqitous GPRS access failed to deliver and yet it works > wonders in the urban setting. The fixed line access was > out of question - despite me having a laptop that could > have hooked onto the (suprisingly?) available telephone > line. Problem was that the phone was 'Hard-wired' to the > headset -old models- that cannot allow flexibility to > port onto a laptop. > > The other wireless option (Wifi, Wimax or Butterfly et > al) are yet to hit he region...so the question is what > initiatives can be done to improve on the above bleak > statistics? > > 1-day discussion. > > walu. > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Our KQ 507
by alice 07 May '07

07 May '07

Apologies, members this is not an ICT related issue, but there is ICT in it. One of the things that make me so proud to be Kenyan is our Kenya Airways, so it is indeed very sad that another one of our planes, KQ 507 has "disappeared in Cameroon. Condolences to those who had friends/relatives, people they knew on that flight. alice

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ICANN extends nomination deadline
by Rebecca Wanjiku 07 May '07

07 May '07

in order to provide additional time for candidates to submit Statements of Interest, the 2007 ICANN Nominating Committee has extended the deadline for Statements of Interest until 18 May 2007 23:59 UTC. Candidates should submit completed Statements of Interest to nomcom2007(a)icann.org. The 2007 Nominating Committee began its work in December 2006 at the ICANN Annual Meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and is actively seeking qualified candidates for the following key positions within ICANN: 3 seats on the ICANN Board of Directors 2 members to Generic Names Supporting Organization Council (GNSO) 3 members of the At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) (from Africa, Latin America and Caribbean and Asia/Australia/Pacific regions) 1 Country Code Names Support Organization Council (ccNSO) member The 2007 Nominating Committee has received 33 Statements of Interest, 29 of the candidates are male, while 4 are female. 14 candidates are from Europe, 6 are from Asia/Australia/Pacific, 5 are from Latin America/Caribbean, 5 are from North America, and 3 are from Africa. 25 candidates have declared a willingness to serve on the ICANN Board, 12 have declared a willingness to serve on the GNSO Council, 7 have declared a willingness to serve on the ccNSO Council, and 7 have declared a willingness to serve on the ALAC. Please note that some candidates have asked to be considered for more than one position. Those individuals selected by the Nominating Committee will have a unique opportunity to work with accomplished colleagues from around the globe, address intriguing technical coordination problems and related policy development challenges with diverse functional, cultural, and geographic dimensions, and gain valuable insights and experience from working across these boundaries of knowledge, responsibility and perspective. Information about the 2007 Nominating Committee is available at http://nomcom.icann.org. Information on the formal call for Statements of Interest is available at http://nomcom.icann.org/formal-call-2007.html. This file last modified 30-Apr-2007 © 2007 Internet Corporation For Assigned Names and Numbers ____________________________________________________________________________________ Bored stiff? Loosen up... Download and play hundreds of games for free on Yahoo! Games. http://games.yahoo.com/games/front

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Fwd: AccessKenya IPO Research Report
by Bill Kagai 07 May '07

07 May '07

An IPO worth supporting. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: info(a)mediacorp.co.ke <info(a)mediacorp.co.ke> Date: Apr 16, 2007 1:02 PM Subject: AccessKenya IPO Research Report To: info(a)mediacorp.co.ke Cc: info(a)mediacorp.co.ke Dear Sir/Madam, Please find attached the AccessKenya Report attached. Regards, MediaCorp Research Unit

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internet loyalty...
by Rebecca Wanjiku 07 May '07

07 May '07

where is your loyalty on the net???? Monday 30 April 2007, 12:23:00 All Countries Written by Net 4 Now British Internet users are six times more likely to choose a .uk rather than .com address when looking for information via an Internet search engine. In an online survey of 2,324 Internet users, which was carried out by YouGov, 62% believe a .uk address suggests a company is local or more relevant than a .com, and a third (32%) believe that it is important for international companies to have local domain names in order to attract local customers. When asked about searching for a particular company on the Internet, 72% said they would visit a .uk web address above any other and only 5% of respondents would try the .com option first. Nominet CEO, Lesley Cowley commented: “The findings show that British Internet users are loyal to local web sites and have higher levels of trust for .uk domain names. It’s clear that the trust issue is one of increasing importance to the Internet industry, as well as Internet users.” ____________________________________________________________________________________ Food fight? Enjoy some healthy debate in the Yahoo! Answers Food & Drink Q&A. http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545367

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