September 2007 - KICTANet

Public comments on GNSO Council's WHOIS outputs invited
by Alex Gakuru 17 Sep '07

17 Sep '07

http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-14sep07.htm Public comments are invited via email until 00:00 UTC (17:00 PDT) on 30 October 2007 on the GNSO Council's WHOIS reports and recommendations. Submit comments to: whois-comments-2007(a)icann.org. View comments at http://forum.icann.org/lists/whois-comments-2007/. Background In March, 2007, a WHOIS Task Force convened by the GNSO Council in June, 2005 completed its final report. The Task Force was asked to address important questions related to WHOIS. Key questions included the purpose of WHOIS service, which information should be available to the public, how to improve WHOIS accuracy and how to deal with conflicts between WHOIS requirements and relevant privacy laws. In the final report, a simple majority of members of the WHOIS Task Force endorsed a proposal called the "Operational Point of Contact" (OPOC). Under OPOC, every registrant would identify a new operational contact and the technical and administrative contact details would no longer be displayed. The final WHOIS Task Force Report of 12 March, 2007 is posted at http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois-privacy/whois-services-final-tf-report-1…. Following completion of the Task Force Report and public comment period, on 28 March the GNSO Council issued a resolution creating a WHOIS Working Group to examine three issues and to make recommendations concerning how current policies may be improved to address these issues: 1. to examine the roles, responsibilities and requirements of the OPOC, and what happens if they are not fulfilled; 2. to examine how legitimate interests will access unpublished registration data; and 3. to examine whether publication of registration contact information should be based on the type of registered name holder (legal vs. natural persons) or the registrant's use of a domain name. The Whois Outcomes Working Group Report was finalized on 20 August, 2007. It is posted at http://gnso.icann.org/drafts/icann-whois-wg-report-final-1-9.pdf [PDF, 213K]. On 6 September 2007, the GNSO Council approved a resolution which, among other things, establishes a schedule for consideration of the WHOIS Task Force Report and the WHOIS Working Group Report. This schedule includes solicitation of further public comments and culminates in a public Council discussion and vote on 31 October 2007 during the Los Angeles ICANN. In addition, the resolution calls for ICANN staff to prepare a type of "draft final report" that references the Task Force Report, the Working Group Charter and the Working Group Report and which includes an overall description of the process. The following document, entitled, Staff Overview of Recent GNSO WHOIS Activity [PDF, 77K], has been prepared in response to the Council Resolution. It contains the full text of the GNSO resolution and the schedule for GNSO Council consideration of the reports. Again, further public comments are invited via email until 00:00 UTC (17:00 PDT) on 30 October 2007 on the GNSO Council's WHOIS reports and recommendations referenced above and summarized in the Staff Overview of Recent GNSO WHOIS Activity [PDF, 77K]. Submit comments to: whois-comments-2007(a)icann.org. View comments at http://forum.icann.org/lists/whois-comments-2007/. -- Glen de Saint Géry GNSO Secretariat - ICANN gnso.secretariat[at]gnso.icann.org http://gnso.icann.org ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out. http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545469

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URGENT: Anyone Attending the Internet Governance Forum in Rio?
by Janet Feldman 16 Sep '07

16 Sep '07

Dear Friends, Please see this urgent message, and contact Michael Gurstein directly, at gurstein(a)gmail.com. Thanks and best wishes, Janet (Feldman, kaippg(a)earthlink.net) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: michael gurstein gurstein(a)gmail.com Date: Sep 16, 2007 7:05 AM Subject: [gta] URGENT: Is anyone from this group (or in associated groups) likely to be attending the Internet Governance Forum in Rio? As most of you know the major follow-on activity to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is the Internet Governance Forum which met last year in Athens and is meeting this year in Rio de Janeiro. http://www.intgovforum.org Civil society is a quite active player in this forum and has the opportunity to nominate speakers for various of the sessions which will be held. I've been fairly vocal in arguing that those such as folks involved with the Telecentre movement i.e. with grass roots experience and interests should have a role to play in these discussions and I've now been roped into being on the Civil Society (actually the CS Internet Governance Caucus) nominating committee for CS participation in the forum. A major problem and one that I and others have been complaining about quite strenuously is that there is NO funding for participation by CS in the IGF. What I'm asking is whether any of you folks (or people that you know as Telecentre colleagues or collaborators) either will be attending the Rio conference or could attend the Rio conference even in the absence of any financial support. If there are such persons on this list or that you know of I need to have an indication of your/their interest in participating more or less immediately (the committee is meeting starting late tomorrow for two days) to come up with a list of names to send forward to the IGF Management Committee. If you do send an indication of interest please also include a brief resume and if possible a statement of what areas would be of particular interest/expertise for you to contribute on. The subject matter areas on which sessions will be held are as follows: Critical Internet Resources: Starting point for the discussion is the definition contained in the WGIG report (Para 13 a): "Issues relating to infrastructure and the management of critical Internet resources, including administration of the domain name system and Internet protocol addresses (IP addresses), administration of the root server system, technical standards, peering and interconnection, telecommunications infrastructure, including innovative and convergent technologies, as well as multilingualization." The session will use a baseline approach, taking into account WSIS principles. The purpose of the discussion is to bring out information and opinion. There will be a balanced panel of five to seven experts, including the major players, reflecting a range of views Access: - Special connectivity problems faced by Africa, land-locked, island and least developed countries. - Access challenges in rural areas. - Skills development, training and capacity building in the use of technology. - Low cost access solutions. - Mobile and wireless access. - International infrastructure reliability, connectivity policy and costs. - Local and regional interconnection and cross-border regulation. - Economic impact of access. - Issues related to net neutrality. Diversity: - Building support and stimulating demand for locally developed content. This includes content that is not commercially viable, software support and the role of audio-visual communication. - The role of open standards in promoting diversity. - The involvement of language communities in developing internationalized domain names (IDN) and in developing multi-lingual content, including content in indigenous and minority languages. - Technologies, policies, and capacity building to reduce illiteracy and to provide access and accessible content for marginalized and vulnerable groups of society, including older persons and persons with disabilities. - Public policies concerned with user generated content. Openness: - Freedom of expression and the role of governments to protect that right. - Protection of privacy and its relation to freedom of expression. - The relationship between national regulations on freedom of expression and the border-free Internet. - The relationship between private enterprise, human rights, and compliance with national law. - The balance between citizens' rights, and the rights of IPR holders. - Innovative business models, made possible by the Internet, for dealing with digital content and their application in development. - Open source software, proprietary software and open standards. - The challenges to access to information and knowledge and what can be done to overcome them. - Maximizing access to content. Security: - Security threats to countries, companies, and individuals as users of the Internet and to the Internet itself - The definition of security threats, international security cooperation, including such issues as cybercrime, cyber-terrorism and cyber-warfare. - The relationship between national implementation and international cooperation. - Cooperation across national boundaries, taking into account different legal policies on privacy, combating crime and security. - The role of all stakeholders in the implementation of security measures, including security in relation to behaviour and uses. - Security of internet resources. - Authentication and identification - Authentication and identification and their role in fostering trust online and their relation to the protection of privacy. - Challenges to privacy in a security environment. - Respecting freedom of expression. - Privacy and identity. - Privacy and development. - Security issues related to the protection of children. - Protecting children from abuse and exploitation in the online environment. Emerging issues - Emerging pervasive nature of the Internet in a political, economic, and social context. - Policy implication of rapid spread wireless and mobile Internet. - Policy implications of user generated content. - Implications of competition policy. Best, MG Michael Gurstein, Ph.D. Centre for Community Informatics Research, Training and Development Ste. 2101-989 Nelson St. Vancouver BC CANADA v6z 2s1 http://www.communityinformatics.net tel./fax +1-604-602-0624

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Internet Service Providers Record Rise in Earnings in Kenya
by alice 16 Sep '07

16 Sep '07

From Balancing Act Internet Service Providers Record Rise in Earnings in Kenya Local Internet service providers are earning higher revenues signalling increased use of the web among consumers, industry statistics show. The data indicate that average revenue per user (ARPU), a measure of how each user spends on internet access, has risen to an all time high of $600 in some segments of the market, up from an average of $500 last year. Globally, ARPU is used as a measure of how much money a service provider makes from the average user and enables the ISPs to make revenue projections as well as determine which products are earning most revenues. It also provides an accurate picture as to what services and products are popular with consumers in certain segments of the market. "Most ICT firms, however, have indicated application of cost leadership strategies, resulting in lower ARPUs with the intention of raking in higher subscriber number," said Shida Mutuku, the group head of marketing at Africa Online. The pan-African ISP, which is changing focus from being a pure ISP services company to a supplier of comprehensive IT services, says demand for ICT products is rising across the board. ISPs can maximise on their resources by using ARPU data to their advantage. ARPU can also be used as a measure of how successful a company is in moving users to new services that are regarded as strategically important. Citing steadily increasing revenues from its broadband product, AccessKenya Group hopes to realise its projected revenue target from customers looking for better speed and capacity from their internet connection. Last week, AccessKenya said it was on track to realising an ARPU average of $540 owing to increased number of large customers coming on board and many existing customers upgrading their bandwidth. The ICT company, which recently announced that it had realised its customer target of 1,720 four months ahead of schedule, says its current ARPU is underpinned by the strength of its Broadband Max 2 leased line solution that has become popular with the corporate market. "Broadband Max 2 offers a quadruple downlink coupled with high reliability evidenced by a 99.8 per cent Service Level Agreement," said Jonathan Somen, the managing director of AccessKenya. "We are the only ISP offering this sort of solution in the Kenyan market and have realised significant increase in demand over the past six months," he said. Somen said AccessKenya had set a new target of enrolling a minimum of 1,900 leased line customers by the end of the year, and has been reinvesting some of its profits from increased customer numbers to build up sales and customer service teams. Africa Online refused to reveal its current ARPUs but said it was targeting ARPU of $1,000 per use by the end of the year. The ambitious target is based on increased demand for corporate leased line solutions and increased take up in the residential user market of the wireless broadband product, Infinet. (Source: Business Daily)

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Research fellow position - at Berkeley
by Michael Kipsang Bullut 16 Sep '07

16 Sep '07

Distribute widely... ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: AhA <consultancysupportservices(a)gmail.com> Date: 9 Sep 2007 17:09 Subject: [DigAfrica] Research fellow position - in ip at Berkeley] To: ictcnigeria_group(a)yahoogroups.com, dltw0903(a)yahoogroups.com, NVLNaijaProject(a)yahoogroups.com, Naija_IT_Professionals(a)yahoogroups.com, FGCKadunaOSA(a)yahoogroups.com, Wsisnigeria(a)yahoogroups.com, digitalheritage(a)googlegroups.com, Pro-Unitate(a)googlegroups.com, cyberianigeria(a)googlegroups.com, ALF_DLTW(a)googlegroups.com, ICTAdvocacy(a)googlegroups.com, DLTWFemaleMediaPractitioners(a)yahoogroups.com, DigAfrica(a)yahoogroups.com, cyber-buddies(a)yahoogroups.com Please pass on to those who might be interested __._,_.___ Messages in this topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/message/6309;_ylc=X3oDMTM0ZmdmZGpzB…>( 1) Reply (via web post) <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJwYmxnaDdiBF9TAzk3M…>| Start a new topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJlaXFiN2pnBF9TAzk3M…> Messages<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJla2dmZzZiBF9TA…>| Links<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJmYTc5NWpzBF9TAzk3…>| Polls<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/polls;_ylc=X3oDMTJmNXRwNzNuBF9TAzk3…> Dig Africa site welcomes you to join us at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/Digafrica on IT in Africa Aids-Africa is a forum for communication and information on AIDS related issues in Africa and all are welcome to join us at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/aids-africa Join us on hiv/aids forum on Kenya at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenya-aids Join us at a Kenyan networking forum and NGOS at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenyainternational [image: Yahoo! Groups]<http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJka3U2azJnBF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzI5M…> Change settings via the Web<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/join;_ylc=X3oDMTJmZDZja2k2BF9TAzk3N…>(Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest<[email protected]?subject=Email+Delivery:+Digest>| Switch format to Traditional<[email protected]?subject=Change+Delivery+Format:+Traditional> Visit Your Group <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica;_ylc=X3oDMTJkdjBkM2tsBF9TAzk3NDc2NT…>| Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> | Unsubscribe <DigAfrica-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com?subject=> Recent Activity - 3 New Members<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/members;_ylc=X3oDMTJmbmF1NWw1BF9TAz…> Visit Your Group <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica;_ylc=X3oDMTJlZ3MyZjNpBF9TAzk3MzU5Nz…> Yahoo! Groups Moderator Central<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jhug8hb/M=493064.10729651.11333342.8674578/D=…> Connecting a world of moderators Real Food Group Share recipes<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jobk3sf/M=493064.11036139.11614791.8674578/D=…> and favorite meals w/ Real Food lovers. Beauty Groups on Yahoo! Groups<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jh1h9u5/M=493064.11135489.11710475.8674578/D=…> A great place to connect and share. . __,_._,___ FYI. This may be of interest to members of our list. - Molly. Original Message: ----------------- > Date: September 6, 2007 7:25:06 PM EDT > To: Fellows(a)cyber.law.harvard.edu <Fellows%40cyber.law.harvard.edu> > Subject: [fellows] research fellow position > > > Please share this notice with anyone you think might be interested: > > The Berkeley Center for Law & Technology (BCLT) is seeking to hire > a Research Fellow for a one year term (possibly renewable for a > second year), beginning in January 2008, to undertake research on > intellectual property and other high technology issues under the > supervision of BCLT faculty. Because the funding for this > fellowship is being provided by Microsoft Corp., the Research > Fellow hired will be known as the "Microsoft Research Fellow." > > BCLT is a research center at the University of California Berkeley, > Boalt Hall School of Law. For the past ten years, BCLT has been > rated by US News & World Report as the best intellectual property > program in the country, in part because of the high quality, high > impact research conducted by its faculty and students. BCLT's > research extends beyond the intellectual property core to > encompass electronic commerce, telecommunications regulation, > cyberlaw, privacy and other areas of law that are affected by new > information technologies. > > Primary Responsibilities > > The primary responsibilities of the Fellow will be: > > research and writing of articles or reports of publishable quality > on high technology issues, under the supervision of BCLT faculty > working with BCLT faculty and staff to organize workshops, > conferences, talks, and meetings with lawyers, policymakers, and > industry representatives > collaborating with JD, PhD students and Professors working on > related projects, including a major study of Intellectual Property > and Entrepreneurship > producing a periodic newsletter focused on BCLT research > writing articles, white papers, and opinion pieces directed at > audiences beyond academia > speaking at conferences and meetings, and to the press about the > research > Examples of issues for research are: patent law and > entrepreneurship, patent law reform, international patent issues, > rules for secondary liability of technology developers, anti- > circumvention regulations, legal regulation of spam, spyware, > malware and deceptive software, privacy and security issues, > digital rights management, trusted computing, computer crimes and > broadband policy. > > Qualifications > > An ideal candidate for this position would have the following > characteristics: > > • J.D. degree or relevant Ph.D. in science and technology > policy > > • research experience > > • excellent communication, analytical and writing skills; > > • subject matter knowledge of intellectual property law > and technology policy > > To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, relevant > transcripts, writing sample, and a detailed statement of interest > as soon as possible, but in any event not later than, October 1, > 2007. Two letters of recommendation (which may arrive separately or > with application materials) required. Materials should be directed to: > > Louise Lee, Assistant Director for BCLT > > School of Law (Boalt Hall Rm 351) > > UC Berkeley > > Berkeley, CA 94720-7200 > > Please refer potential reviewers to the UC Berkeley Statement of > Confidentiality found at: http://apo.chance.berkeley.edu/ > evalltr.html. > > Applicants should be prepared to begin work during the spring of > 2008. Appointment is for one year. > > The University of California is an AA/EEO employer. Minority, > female, disabled and GLBT applicants are particularly encouraged to > apply. > > Compensation > > $45,048 to $51,660 depending upon experience. > > For more information about BC LT visit our website at <http:// > www.law.berkeley.edu/institutes/bclt/>http://www.law.berkeley.edu/ > institutes/bclt > > > > Pamela Samuelson > Richard M. Sherman Distinguished Professor of Law & Information > University of California, Berkeley 94720 > (510) 642-6775 www.ischool.berkeley.edu/~pam ---------------------------------------------------------- mail2web.com – Enhanced email for the mobile individual based on Microsoft(r) Exchange - http://link.mail2web.com/Personal/EnhancedEmail -- "To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wildflower...hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour..." ~ William Blakeg. --

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Two other classics from the Kenyans
by Eric Osiakwan 15 Sep '07

15 Sep '07

Online Newspaper Editions Increase Sales Kenyan newspapers have embraced the internet and increased their sales with innovations such as sending headlines by SMS to readers. Nairobi has also become the hub of an ambitious project to digitise all sub-Saharan newspapers. Field director of the Library of Congress Office in Nairobi, Pamela Howard-Reguindin, told the recent World Library and Information Congress in Durban that the managing editors of Kenya's main papers, the Daily Nation and Standard "realise they must adopt new technology or fall into oblivion as has happened with some of their competitors". Despite limited access to the internet by Kenyans, the two dailies and a Swahili newspaper, Taifa Leo, have used online editions to increase sales of both electronic and print versions. The key to this success has been the production of "born digital" items - first on the net and then in print - as well as marketing innovations. Text teasers and headlines are sent to SMS lists and e-mail addresses. Now the Nation Media Group is to launch a "born digital" publication, Business Daily. Deals have been struck with NewsStand and NewspaperDirect to increase sales and RSS feeds. "Both newspaper editors report that sales of online and hardcopy issues are growing," says Howard-Reguindin. "The Daily Nation is working on a new website Nation Digital that will include text messages via mobile phones, online news/chat rooms, RSS, and specialised services such as sports scores, stock prices, and horoscopes." The Standard is getting about 3 million hits a day for their website, "most from outside Kenya, but a steadily increasing number from within the country as internet access penetrates more Kenyan businesses, schools and households". Meanwhile, the US Library of Congress office in Nairobi is racing against time to digitise the newspapers of 29 sub-Saharan newspapers that are crumbling to dust in archives across the continent. The project started with a "computer-based index of the articles published in the major Nairobi newspapers from 1980 onwards covering the cultural affairs of this country, mainly music, dance, theatre, literature and art", overseen by Ruth Thomas, a noted Nairobi librarian. "Subsequently the topics expanded to include reproductive health, law/ governance affairs, and various others. "Hundreds, if not thousands, of newspaper titles from some 29 sub- Saharan countries have already been microfilmed and dozens more are being filmed on an annual basis by the library and its office in New Delhi, India. "In spite of this laudable work, many more newspaper titles and corresponding issues remain in our ever-growing backlog," says Howard- Reguindin. Ten sub-Saharan titles are being sent to the library in Washington, DC for treatment (www.loc.gov/acq/ovop/nairobi/lc_npapers.html for the list). At the library's office in New Delhi several cameras and camera operators are working overtime to film as much as possible of another 115 titles. "One possible role of Kenyan librarians would be to encourage the newspaper managers to offer internet access to full content of the articles free to Kenyan schools and universities." This "could be a role for any national African library association. Many journal publishers located in the US and Europe are now allowing internet users in developing countries to access full content of journal articles without charge". "If this open access could be offered to Kenya newspaper readers, the information in the daily press could strengthen efforts in governance and democratisation, literacy and responsible civic leadership," says Howard-Reguindin. (Source: Cape Argus) The potential of data vending in Kenya The poor penetration of Internet services coupled with low levels of computer literacy in Kenya are holding back the country's emerging data vending industry. The data vendors, who sell and distribute financial and business news, are targeting rural populations as well as Kenyans in the diaspora. Mr Bildad Kagai , the managing director of data vending firm MediaCorp Limited, told the Business Daily that while data vending has the potential to be a major industry in the financial services sector, more needed to be done to ensure computer services reached majority of the people. "Kenyans, especially those outside Nairobi, have been waiting eagerly for the Real Time data, but inability to access the Internet remains a big challenge," says Mr Kagai He said traders did not have to physically go to the bourse to get financial data, but they could do this in the comfort of their offices through the Internet. He said the highest potential for growth in data vending was in rural towns and that lack of Internet services was limiting the uptake of online financial news and data. MediaCorp earlier this month launched its data vending services in Mombasa to increase its presence in the country. Symon Ndirangu, the chief executive officer of Information Convergence Technologies ICT Ltd, says that with the signing of an average of 50 to 100 new users every month, most of the six data vendor currently operating in the market should break even within the next 12 months. "Although it is taking time for many investors to appreciate the value of data, we are upbeat that revenue will pick up very soon." Currently, the cost of a data vending license from the NSE is valued at Sh170,000 (US$2500) while ISPs are charging about Sh50,000 per month for connection. With an estimated Sh180,000 in other costs, data vendors are paying at least Sh400,000 a month or Sh4.8million annually to stay afloat. Ndirangu however projects that with the developments in the ICT sector as well as the Capital Markets, the data vendors should have at least each have 10,000-20,000 customers utilizing their services. At an annual charge of Sh5000 per customers, data vendors could easily rake in Sh50 million in a year. Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"

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Internet Service Providers Record Rise in Earnings in Kenya
by Eric Osiakwan 15 Sep '07

15 Sep '07

Internet Service Providers Record Rise in Earnings in Kenya Local Internet service providers are earning higher revenues signalling increased use of the web among consumers, industry statistics show. The data indicate that average revenue per user (ARPU), a measure of how each user spends on internet access, has risen to an all time high of $600 in some segments of the market, up from an average of $500 last year. Globally, ARPU is used as a measure of how much money a service provider makes from the average user and enables the ISPs to make revenue projections as well as determine which products are earning most revenues. It also provides an accurate picture as to what services and products are popular with consumers in certain segments of the market. "Most ICT firms, however, have indicated application of cost leadership strategies, resulting in lower ARPUs with the intention of raking in higher subscriber number," said Shida Mutuku, the group head of marketing at Africa Online. The pan-African ISP, which is changing focus from being a pure ISP services company to a supplier of comprehensive IT services, says demand for ICT products is rising across the board. ISPs can maximise on their resources by using ARPU data to their advantage. ARPU can also be used as a measure of how successful a company is in moving users to new services that are regarded as strategically important. Citing steadily increasing revenues from its broadband product, AccessKenya Group hopes to realise its projected revenue target from customers looking for better speed and capacity from their internet connection. Last week, AccessKenya said it was on track to realising an ARPU average of $540 owing to increased number of large customers coming on board and many existing customers upgrading their bandwidth. The ICT company, which recently announced that it had realised its customer target of 1,720 four months ahead of schedule, says its current ARPU is underpinned by the strength of its Broadband Max 2 leased line solution that has become popular with the corporate market. "Broadband Max 2 offers a quadruple downlink coupled with high reliability evidenced by a 99.8 per cent Service Level Agreement," said Jonathan Somen, the managing director of AccessKenya. "We are the only ISP offering this sort of solution in the Kenyan market and have realised significant increase in demand over the past six months," he said. Somen said AccessKenya had set a new target of enrolling a minimum of 1,900 leased line customers by the end of the year, and has been reinvesting some of its profits from increased customer numbers to build up sales and customer service teams. Africa Online refused to reveal its current ARPUs but said it was targeting ARPU of $1,000 per use by the end of the year. The ambitious target is based on increased demand for corporate leased line solutions and increased take up in the residential user market of the wireless broadband product, Infinet. (Source: Business Daily) Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"

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Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plan tangled in acrimony inSouth Africa
by Eric Osiakwan 14 Sep '07

14 Sep '07

fyi from the AfrISPA discuss list.... Begin forwarded message: > From: "Anders Comstedt" <anders(a)ssvl.kth.se> > Date: 9 September 2007 21:52:19 GMT+03:00 > To: <Discuss(a)afrispa.org> > Subject: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plan tangled in > acrimony inSouth Africa > Reply-To: Discuss(a)afrispa.org > > Frank, > > You are right that everyone else but RSA needs a cable to RoW much, > much > more than the good folks south, also that the thing has got stuck in > political concerns and power games. The good thing is, however, > that the > general consensus on the needs, commercial impact and development > leverage > of a widely available optical fibre cable has shifted from cold to > warm. > > Technically, there is no need for an East African submarine cable > south > beyond Maputo at all, as there is well protected optical fibre > Maputo - > Pretoria on the power lines. Which, btw, RSA has effectively > prevented open > & fair use of during several years, effectively leaving Maputo on > VSAT for a > much longer time than necessary. So SA could connect that route, > already > today, to any cable from the north that lands close to Maputo. > > Now two small issues: > First, RSA companies are major stakeholders in any submarine cable > proposal > that has emerged the last couple of years, dominant to the extent > that it > has made other parties concerned on who actually will control a > cable system > supposed to be a joint project with some 23 participants. The > Telkom SA part > of EASSy is closer to 50% than 1/23, and may well increase to >50% > if Telkom > buys any of the other participants, which has been contemplated by > some > pundits. > Second, the RSA market is a closed market where only a very limited > number > of politically approved players are carefully allowed to > participate in > sharing the revenues of an artificially high price level market. > Who wants > to rock that boat of the industry insiders? So you have strong > concerns > among established telecom industry interests in RSA to not change > the game > for as long as possible. According to some analysts, keeping this > inflated > price for another year or so is worth much more money in excessive > profits > than the entire investment in EASSy. Why give away money by a too > early > price reduction? > > So what does the rest of the SSA think about this? And also the > international community in general, forking in quite a bit of the > financing > into any of the cable projects suggested? > Well, they probably don't go easily on potentially offending the > single > biggest partner they have in all other trade and political issues > in SSA by > suggesting a solution without clear RSA involvement. The bean > counters then > look at the traffic volumes and say that any project without the > RSA volume > will be a commercial disaster, and what about restoration if we > cannot reach > and have an agreement with SAT-3? > > You end up in a situation where the question is: Who blinks first? > > If there is no initiatives potentially making any EA submarine cable > roll-out happen ex RSA, there will be little change in any broader RSA > stance as long as the revenues and influence of the joint RSA > political and > industrial telecoms interests are lined up the way they are. > > Others have to consider their positions and responsibilities in > relation to > all this. Personally, I cannot help looking at TEAMS in the light > of the > above. > > What about an EASSy project, now financed even more by international > development money, first built to those countries where an open market > exist? Gradually expanding South instead of gradually expanding North? > > Loosing a big Telkom part of the financing is of cause not what those > banking, operator and vendor interests want that have got the > financial > EASSy-packet stitched together with difficulty. > > The interesting thing, however, is that the financing of EASSy > seems to have > been growing softer by the day during 2007. What was a year ago > portrayed as > a pure commercial financing is now looking more and more to be > relying upon > soft elements just short of labelling significant amounts pure grants. > > This shift opens up interesting considerations on the entire > development > financing too: Shall such money be used to shelter commercial > interests from > competition, actively preventing driving user prices down? > Maintaining artificially high profits to protected operators in > restricted > markets is not necessarily in line with what should be eligible for > support. > At some point of time that discussion will re-surface too in a > similar way > as it did at WSIS when the WBG took a clear stance pro openness and > equal > availability of cable capacity for all interested parties. > > I have a hard time understanding how EU institutions can provide > not only > the initial semi-soft "commercial loans" but now more of softer > financing to > any venture so openly wide open to violating several EU principles > regarding > telecoms and general market openness. Sure, as long as it stayed > under the > radar various individuals could claim ignorance, but that is > getting harder > and harder with the EA debate on why an obvious need is not met in > a fair > way. Supporting a questionable package could soon kill a promising > career > inside the EU system rather than promoting it. Time must be running > out on > the non-open conditions? > > The alternatives to EASSy now visible, funded by pure commercial > capital > like SEACOM, makes it even more questionable to give soft funds to any > set-up having questionable market development properties. Rather, it > reinforces the need to justify any support by such funds with even > MORE > arguments on the project openness and development leverage. > > Both EASSy and SEACOM seem to have a hard time in RSA as long as > they are > not clearly controlled by local interests. > > Both seem up for a hard choice in RSA: > Give in, as little as possibly, but the control must be in RSA hands > Pass RSA in an immediate implementation of the rest of the system, or > Delay the whole thing, waiting for RSA to blink in fear of being > left out. > > Other EA stakeholders need to consider what situation they like to > promote > for any cable project in the above respect. Don't just ask the cable > projects to carry the burden of dealing with this political risk > all by > themselves, later blaming them for whatever compromise they make! A > risk now > being the main obstacle between the current deficit and a state-of- > the art, > reasonably priced cable connection for SSA to RoW. > > The worst alternative for RSA operators is probably a combination > of an > early East-West SSA link (EA to Angola or Nigeria?) with two new > terrestrial > and/or submarine links north to the Mediterranean from EA. All the > current > transit traffic from RSA neighbours to SAT-3 will then disappear in > a flash. > Instead, RSA may be faced with not only a very limited interest > from others > to consider an EA submarine cable south, but a desire to making RSA > operators subject to a similar transit pricing practice that Telkom > SA has > up to now offered its neighbours in connecting to SAT-3. > Considering the > profits in the closed RSA market such a scenario may, however, > still be a > good alternative to some players in that local market as it may > delay the > tide by another year or two. > > The frustration over the EA development lag by the delay in cable > implementation is causing a lot of impatient folks to say that "the > only > important thing is that a sub marine cable gets built". That is > understandable but dangerous. Remember SAT-3. > > Dispatched over an industry standard 100Mb/s connection to the home, > commonly available for a couple of Big Macs/month in an open, > competitive > market. > > Anders > > -----Ursprungligt meddelande----- > Från: Discuss-owner(a)afrispa.org [mailto:[email protected]] > För Frank > Habicht > Skickat: den 9 september 2007 09:27 > Till: Discuss(a)afrispa.org > Ämne: Re: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plan tangled in acrimony > inSouth > Africa > > Question(s)... > > Who _needs_ (badly) that Eassy lands in SA ? > I'm not up-to-date with most things, but I guess for many the > connection > to Sudan will connect them to the world (maybe without redundancy, but > maybe that redundancy would be clumsy anyway). > > I think the ones who need Eassy to land in SA the most are SA > operators > (maybe excl. Telkom, maybe not?). > > For everyone else only one thing is important: that this thing gets > built! > If SA wants to stay with the connectivity they have now.... fine with > me. I don't want myself to stay with VSATs. > > So, let the SA companies loose out. Let them take it up with their > government. Or change the same if necessary. Their problem. > > The worst thing that can happen in my little uninformed opinion is > that > this political (*&^%()*&% delays the building of that cable. > > So, can we continue to build it up to Maputo, please? > The ..... opinion of politicians in SA shouldn't prevent ~20 other > countries to get proper connectivity. > > For how long has this project dragged on already? For how long been > delayed by politics? > Wasn't the contract done to start building? > > Frank > impatient, disappointed, upset > > > On 9/8/2007 3:10 PM, Eric Osiakwan wrote: >> The sole active supporter of the NEPAD-backed Broadband >> Infrastructure >> Project that will never be built, the South African Government is >> trying >> to arm-twist EASSy because the project has slipped free of NEPAD >> control. This is the arrogant display of naked political power that >> those who have not signed the NEPAD political protocol feared would >> occur if the larger African brother failed to get its way. >> >> The 10,000km Eassy cable will be 27% owned by Telkom, Neotel and MTN, >> and is designed to provide desperately needed cheap bandwidth to 21 >> African countries. But SA's communications department has taken >> umbrage >> at what it sees as the commercial nature of the enterprise, and >> intends >> to withhold landing rights. >> >> Instead, the government will use taxpayers' money to roll out two >> rival >> cables heading east and west, jointly known as the Nepad Broadband >> Infrastructure Network. Denying landing rights to EASSy will be >> detrimental to the three local companies, which, they say, have >> had the >> foresight to invest in the project to slash bandwidth prices. >> >> It will also be anticompetitive if EASSy members are not allowed >> to sell >> bandwidth to other operators in SA, says Mohsen Khalil, a director >> with >> the International Finance Corporation (IFC). He also says the >> government's hostility shows it has not understood a new >> commitment the >> consortium has made to open access. >> >> The IFC is part of the World Bank, and is investing $32,5m to help >> about >> 15 small operators participate in Eassy. Yet the director-general >> of the >> communications department, Lyndall Shope Mafole, remains vehemently >> opposed to the project. "Eassy is bad news for developing >> countries that >> are not at the level of SA," she says. >> >> "We have many problems with it. The fact that you work for the World >> Bank makes you think you know what's good for Africa even when you >> don't >> live in Africa. I find that quite insulting." >> >> Because Eassy's biggest shareholders are giants like MTN and Telkom, >> their bulk buying power gives them an advantage over smaller >> operators >> also trying to buy and resell capacity to customers in each >> country, she >> says. >> >> "South African companies could use their dominance to compete >> unfairly >> in other countries. We have a responsibility as the government to >> ensure >> there is fair competition. We are not willing to look at something >> that >> is clearly discriminatory. We couldn't rest with a clear >> conscience." If >> the South African Government has this responsibility, why has it not >> exercised it over Telkom's SAT3 prices? The Department of >> Communications >> talks the talk but does not walk the walk. >> >> A bigger issue threatening not only Eassy but also other foreign- >> backed >> cables is a demand that any cable landing in SA is partly owned by >> local >> companies. The minimum percentage of local ownership will be >> determined >> by Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe Casaburri. >> >> The instant reaction is to question whether SA has the right to do >> that. >> It has, under the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, >> Shope-Mafole says. The second reaction is to assume that foreign >> investors will be deterred. The government's belligerent stance in an >> effort to promote local industries may backfire and deprive >> consumers of >> cheaper bandwidth if foreigners opt to bypass SA's coastline. >> >> Nonsense, Shope-Mafole says. "There are millions of people who >> want to >> enter into arrangements and land in SA. We welcome anybody who >> wants to >> invest in submarine cables that land on South African soil, but we >> need >> South African companies to invest." >> >> Although Eassy boasts 27% local ownership, that may not be enough. >> Seacom, another private cable already under construction, must also >> recruit local investors for the plans on its map to match reality. >> Seacom has signed a deal for SA's second network operator, Neotel, to >> operate the local landing station, which does not impress the >> government. >> >> Shope-Mafole said the demand for local ownership in the entire cable >> linking India to Europe via SA was discussed with Seacom's mostly US >> investors over a cup of coffee. "I don't think they thought it was >> unreasonable. I wouldn't say they loved it, but they didn't throw >> their >> cups at us," she says. >> (Source: Business Day) >> >> >> >> Eric M.K Osiakwan >> Executive Secretary >> AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org <http://www.afrispa.org>) >> Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 >> Fax: + 233.21.258811 >> Cell: + 233.244.386792 >> Handle: eosiakwan >> Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North >> Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North >> Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ >> Slang: "Tomorrow Now" >> >> >> >> > > To unsubscribe send a mail to: imailsrv(a)afrispa.org. Type the > following in > the body of your mail (not header): "Unsubscribe discuss" (without > quotes). > This List is operated by ZAnet Internet Services: www.zanet.co.za > on behalf > of www.afrispa.org. For any List Admin queries send mail to > William(a)zanet.co.za > > To unsubscribe send a mail to: imailsrv(a)afrispa.org. Type the > following in > the body of your mail (not header): "Unsubscribe discuss" (without > quotes). > This List is operated by ZAnet Internet Services: www.zanet.co.za > on behalf > of www.afrispa.org. For any List Admin queries send mail to > William(a)zanet.co.za > Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"

11 19

Vote for Pambazuka News
by Alex Gakuru 14 Sep '07

14 Sep '07

Asked to request for your vote support. Thanks > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Firoze Manji <firoze(a)fahamu.org> > Date: Sep 14, 2007 5:31 PM > Subject: [ke-internetusers] Vote for Pambazuka News > To: ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > > > Dear All > > For the third year running, Pambazuka News has been > selected as one of > 25 finalists for the Top 10 Who Are Changing the > World of Internet and > Politics. > > Pambazuka News is produced by a pan-African > community of some 300 > citizens and organisations academics, policy > makers, social > activists, women's organisations, civil society > organisations, > writers, artists, poets, bloggers, and commentators. > > Winning this award would be a tribute to all the > many contributors who > have made Pambazuka News essential reading for all > concerned with the > cause of justice and freedom in Africa. > > With your help, we could win this award. Please vote > for us at: > > http://tinyurl.com/2yo3vy > > Pambazuka News Changing the World of Internet and > Politics > > Firoze > ______________ > Firoze Manji > Director, Fahamu - Networks for Social Justice > (http://www.fahamu.org/) > Editor, Pambazuka News (http://www.pambazuka.org/) > 2nd Floor, 51 CORNMARKET STREET, OXFORD OX1 3HA > Cellphone: +44 (0) 77 86 62 86 86 > Tel: +44-(0)1865-727006 > Fax: +44-(0)1865-727909 > Skype: firozemanji > Pambazuka News: weekly electronic newsletter on > social justice in > Africa: In English: http://www.pambazuka.org/en/ > In French: http://www.pambazuka.org/fr/ > > > _______________________________________________ > ke-internetusers mailing list > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > > > > -- > website: http://www.billowsbpo.co.ke/ > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with Yahoo! FareChase. http://farechase.yahoo.com/

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Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plantangled in acrimony inSouth Africa
by Joseph Manthi 14 Sep '07

14 Sep '07

This is from the venerable news magazine The Economist: Telecoms in Africa Not so EASSy Aug 9th 2007 >From The Economist print edition A plan to run a submarine cable down Africa's east coast runs into difficulty THE East African Submarine Cable System (EASSy), a project to wire up several African countries with high-speed optical fibre, is not living up to its name. The plan, hatched in 2003, was simple enough: lay an 9,900km (6,200-mile) submarine cable along the east coast of the continent, from Sudan to South Africa, touching at several points along the way, and then link it up with the rest of the world. But the scheme has become entangled in disagreements between operators and governments over its business model. The logic of the project is clear: extra connectivity would reduce Africa's dependence on the SAT-3 cable, which runs from Iberia down the west coast of the continent, and on expensive satellite links, the only option in some countries. Cheaper connectivity would promote development and make African countries more attractive destinations for offshoring. Connecting a call-centre with 25 agents is said to cost $17,000 a month in Kenya, compared with $600–900 elsewhere. The disagreement centres on the structure of the EASSy consortium, made up of around 30 African and international telecoms operators. The governments of some countries, including South Africa, want to avoid a repeat of what happened with SAT-3. That cable is run by a consortium that allows only one telecoms operator to sell capacity in each country. The lack of competition means prices are so high that satellite is often cheaper, says Alan Mauldin of TeleGeography, a consultancy. To prevent such an outcome with EASSy, several governments, acting through the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), have threatened to withhold landing rights for the cable unless their proposals for how to run it are accepted, says Edmund Katiti of NEPAD. They want governments to join the consortium and to have a veto over strategy; and they want any African operator to be able to buy wholesale capacity at a regulated (ie, low) price. They are even talking of building an entirely new cable on these terms, under NEPAD's supervision. The operators in the EASSy consortium say this is an attempt to hijack an existing commercial project and micromanage the industry. They do not like the sound of government vetoes or regulated pricing. And EASSy's current rules will mean that consortium members will compete to sell capacity in the same markets, driving down prices, says Michel Rouilleault of Axiom, a consultancy attached to EASSy. Critics respond that these rules, the details of which are unclear but which link the cost of access to the size of the operator's investment, could lead to high prices in countries where the local operator has only a small stake in the project. In South Africa, where several competing operators have stakes, there will be plenty of competition, but this may not be true elsewhere. The delays to EASSy have helped to spur other projects, including SEACOM, which has just appointed a contractor to lay a cable along a similar route, and TEAMS, which will link Kenya with the United Arab Emirates. India's Flag Telecom also plans to lay a cable to Kenya. At the moment there is insufficient demand to support so many cables, says Russell Southwood, an expert on African telecoms. But that may prompt operators to offer low prices to stimulate demand. So whatever happens to EASSy, getting cheaper bandwidth along Africa's east coast could soon be a lot less difficult. On 9/13/07, Manthi, Joseph <Joseph.Manthi(a)fmr.com> wrote: > Alex > Just know that you have my help if you need it. > > Joe > -------------------------- > Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> > To: Manthi, Joseph; jmanthi(a)gmail.com <jmanthi(a)gmail.com> > Cc: kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Sent: Thu Sep 13 14:09:06 2007 > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plantangled in acrimony inSouth Africa > > Hi Joe, > > I'd be glad to mobilise and work with all consumers > but if you on note my message, I requested Dr. Ndemo > to give us that chance. We wait and see what tomorrow > brings. > > > Alex > > --- "Manthi, Joseph" <Joseph.Manthi(a)fmr.com> wrote: > > > Alex > > Please I beg you to prepare that SV to buy TKL. Let > > me know if youi need help in doing this. > > > > Thanks > > Joe > > ------Original Message------ > > From: Alex Gakuru > > Sender: > > > kictanet-bounces+jmanthi=gmail.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > To: jmanthi(a)gmail.com > > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > > Sent: Sep 13, 2007 12:43 PM > > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] > > Undersea cable plantangled in acrimony inSouth > > Africa > > > > wow! "Open Access" is music to many no just my ears. > > > > I wish you failure at selling Telkom this way, > > honestly. That said, could you allow me to organise > > a > > Special Purpose Truck for Kenyan consumers to invest > > in Telkom more money that the Shs. 5 Billion? Fast > > tracking (READ get round) NSE rules? > > > > Thanks. > > > > --- bitange(a)jambo.co.ke wrote: > > > > > Dear Alex, > > > Telkon will not own Teams. The Government of > > Kenya > > > will own 40% stake in > > > the Teams SPV while regional operators and > > investors > > > will own 45%. The > > > remaining 15% shall be owned by Etisalat. The > > > Government shall ensure > > > open access in both Teams and the Terrestrial > > > Networks to enable both > > > large and small enterprises to compete. > > > > > > Do not worry about the sale of TKL since we have > > not > > > sold it yet and we > > > shall not sell it if the deal is not good. > > > > > > > > > Regards > > > > > > > > > Ndemo. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Before quickly "thirding", I urge on the need to > > > have > > > > light shed on TEAMS investment structure, > > > otherwise we > > > > could end up never getting the envisaged cheap > > > > bandwidth. > > > > > > > > Why? After 51% of Telkom Kenya is sold to > > British > > > > Telcom (or another) then whoever will have the > > > cable > > > > ownership transfered to them thus could dictate > > > what > > > > the final price will be. > > > > > > > > Little Telkom sale (Shs 5 Billion) is happening > > > just > > > > when the promising CDMA is getting rolled out. > > > Going > > > > by last year's Safaricom profits, the sale value > > > is > > > > also K > > > > -------------------------- > > Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Check out the hottest 2008 models today at Yahoo! Autos. > http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html > > -- Joseph Manthi CEO MEO Ltd http://www.meoltd.com

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Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cableplantangled in acrimony inSouth Africa
by Eric Osiakwan 14 Sep '07

14 Sep '07

Dear All, I had refrained from commenting just because of type language being used, please, please lets excercise decorum. First of all, i dont think it is right for us to use certain langaguage among ourselves, how much against our present leaders especially when we disagree with them on issues...please lets stick to the issues because these conversations are about shaping our African future and destiny so lets not fall prey to the temptation to personalise and loose the focus. I am going to attempt to set the conversation back on cause. I think the question that has bedeviled us is "does ownership of a cable or anything for that matter has an impact on the price to market and working mechanism?"..... so far the evidence is YES hence we need to tackle the owership structure. The human nature is such that "self centreing" is obvious and hence the best bet is "cross checking" by other natures. So in every element we setup each other as a check for the other because though one would have noble objectives, if the person has absolute power and control, falling to the temptation of abuse is almost certain. So if one investor or constituency has absolute owership, they obviously would like to maximise that investment or resource. Like SAT3, the incumbent league in some countries are not selling but they just prefer to control under all conditions and not let go though their investment is down the drain. I have argued and i do that a collective owership from all constituencies is the best way to handle a critical national or international infrastructure in a public private partnership where the various interested are represented so that the rules convey a balance of development, profits, community etc. I think there are tools to make this a reality so why dont we try them. On the issue of majority owership by Africans, may be the "capitalist niga" would do..... Eric here From: Brian Longwe <brian(a)isisweb.nl> Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:10:19 +0300 Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cableplantangled in acrimony inSouth Africa Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> To: eric(a)afrispa.org hear, hear my mblatha! Mblayo ps. any relationship to Classic's Mwalimu Kingangi? :-D On Sep 14, 2007, at 8:46 AM, Ronald King'ang'i wrote: > I concur lets keep all discussion civilized > > King'ang'i > > -----Original Message----- > From: kictanet-bounces+fes=iconnect.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > [mailto:[email protected]] > On Behalf > Of Alex Gakuru > Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2007 5:55 PM > To: fes(a)iconnect.co.ke > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea > cableplantangled > in acrimony inSouth Africa > > I know that I am usually hard hitting at my opposition > discussants, but I am feel expressions used below are > uncalled for no matter how opposed the writer's view > is. > > --- Joseph Manthi <jmanthi(a)gmail.com> wrote: > >> Sean, >> You of all people, a man living in England, reaping >> wealth from the >> ignorance of Africans, should not be making comments >> like these. You >> do not want Africans to realize what is going on. Do >> not wake a >> sleeping giant. It is high time we started taking >> care of our own. Why >> do you think that what SA is doing is "Rubbish"? >> Doesn't this >> honourable minister have the right to protect SA >> assets from nyangaus >> like you? >> >> I wish every African government is like South Africa >> where we can weed >> off foreign ownership of African assets. >> >> Bravo SA. >> >> Joe >> >> On 9/13/07, Sean Moroney <seanm(a)aitecafrica.com> >> wrote: >>> Yes, the security angle struck me as typical >> Newspeak from a regime that can >>> get away with rubbish like that where there is no >> effective opposition. How >>> like their Apartheid forebears they sound! >>> >>> Sean Moroney >>> Chairman >>> AITEC Africa >>> seanm(a)aitecafrica.com >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: >> > kictanet-bounces+seanm=aitecafrica.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >>> >> > [mailto:[email protected]] >> On >>> Behalf Of Kai Wulff >>> Sent: 12 September 2007 12:54 >>> To: seanm(a)aitecafrica.com >>> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions >>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] >> Undersea cable >>> plantangled in acrimony inSouth Africa >>> >>> I second that! >>> >>> It is comforting to know that SA will provide >> security to Africa by >>> insisting on a majority ownership of the cables! >>> >>> I am sure this attitude will change once Kenya >> receives capacity @ less than >>> >>> USD 100,- per M .. >>> >>> Kai >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> >>> To: <kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke> >>> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" >> <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> >>> Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 14:44 >>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] >> Undersea cable plan >>> tangled in acrimony inSouth Africa >>> >>> >>> I used to have a difficult time explaining to >> fellow Kenyans that it was >>> very difficult dealing with our brothers in SA >> because at every meeting >>> goal posts kept on shifting. Perharps now >> everybody understands that the >>> veto power in the NEPAD protocol was a control >> tool. Below please find >>> additional material. >>> >>> Ndemo. >>> >>> >>> Cables require local ownership BY DAMARIA SENNE & >> CHRISTELLE DU TOIT >>> <mailto:[email protected]> [ Johannesburg, 10 >> September 2007 ] >>> >>> South Africa requires that all undersea cables >> landing here be majority >>> owned by South Africans, says communications >> Minister Ivy >>> Matsepe-Casaburri. >>> >>> Speaking at the Southern African >> Telecommunications Networks and >>> Applications Conference (Satnac) 2007, in >> Mauritius, this morning, >>> Matsepe-Casaburri said government was happy with >> indications that >>> investors plan to land cables in the country. >>> However, she will soon announce new landing >> guidelines that require that >>> "all cables " landing in SA be majority owned by >> South Africans, she said. >>> >>> The guidelines will also be consistent with SA's >> foreign policy and take >>> the security of the country, and the African >> continent, into >>> consideration, she said. >>> "Every cable landing or leaving SA should >> incorporate in it the Nepad [New >>> Partnership for Africa's Development] Broadband >> Infrastructure Network." >>> Security measures are important, given the state >> of our insecure world, >>> she added. >>> >>> Matsepe-Casaburri said that she instructed Dep.of >> Communications >>> Dir-General Lyndall Shope-Mafole to propose the >> landing guidelines to the >>> Interim Inter-Governmental Assembly for >> discussion. She also noted that >>> her department studied the communications >> regulations of other countries >>> when drafting the landing guidelines, ensuring >> they are consistent with >>> international trends. >>> >>> Determination expected >>> BMI-TechKnowledge senior analyst Richard Hurst >> says the implications of >>> the ownership stipulations are that "those who do >> end up rolling out >>> cables will have to do so via partnerships". He >> cites Seacom and Neotel's >>> interaction as an example of this, where "Neotel >> basically would control >>> the landing rights of Seacom in SA". >>> According to Hurst, "government is trying to hedge >> its bets", but the >>> stipulations set out by the minister have >> generally been expected. He says >>> South African companies should benefit from the >> directives, as should the >>> consumer. >>> "It should open up access to those cables and >> bring prices down." He adds >>> that, as the international community moves towards >> always-on broadband, SA >>> will also increasingly need high-speed capacity. >> However he reiterates: >>> "The more bandwidth we have, the better." >>> >>> Investor support >>> Meanwhile, Matsepe-Casaburri said SA was convinced >> it was on the right >>> path to break away from the Eassy (Eastern Africa >> Submarine Cable System) >>> cable project and support the Nepad Broadband >> Infrastructure Network, as >>> well as initiating its own undersea cable systems. >>> >>> She said there was strong support from potential >> investors in the Nepad >>> Broadband (?) Infrastructure Network. "Instead of >> people running away >>> from us, we have a lot of support from investors." >>> SA and other African governments broke away from >> the Eassy project because >>> larger operators taking part in the initiative >> bought such large >>> quantities of capacity that there would never be >> fair access for smaller >>> operators, she noted. >>> >>> EASSY project was not in line with the Nepad >> objective, which was to >>> facilitate fair and open access for all telecoms >> providers to lower the >>> cost of telecoms on the continent, she said. She >> noted that SA's >>> Parliament had ratified the Nepad Broadband >> Infrastructure Network >>> protocol. >>> >>> >>>> fyi from the AfrISPA discuss list.... >>>> >>>> >>>> Begin forwarded message: >>>> >>>>> From: "Anders Comstedt" <anders(a)ssvl.kth.se> >> > === message truncated === > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > ______ > ________ > Check out the hottest 2008 models today at Yahoo! Autos. > http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: fes(a)iconnect.co.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/fes% > 40iconnect.co.ke > > > __________ NOD32 2527 (20070913) Information __________ > > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. > http://www.eset.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: brian(a)isisweb.nl > Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/ > mailman/options/kictanet/brian%40isisweb.nl _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: eric(a)afrispa.org Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/ mailman/options/kictanet/eric%40afrispa.org Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"

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Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plan
by Eric Osiakwan 14 Sep '07

14 Sep '07

Dear Dr. Ndemo, Thanks for the detailing but it would be good if you breakdown what the "Open Access Model' would be in terms of teams and the terrestrial network? Would it be there the infrastructure would be seperate from services so that the entirities that build and operate the infrastructure would be restricted from competing with the service providers and that the price approach would be high volumes against low margins? By the way what happened to the idea of having 20% on the stock market for non-deep pocket folks like myself.....:-) Eric here Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:32:44 +0300 (EAT) From: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plan tangled in acrimony inSouth Africa Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> To: eric(a)afrispa.org Dear Alex, Telkon will not own Teams. The Government of Kenya will own 40% stake in the Teams SPV while regional operators and investors will own 45%. The remaining 15% shall be owned by Etisalat. The Government shall ensure open access in both Teams and the Terrestrial Networks to enable both large and small enterprises to compete. Do not worry about the sale of TKL since we have not sold it yet and we shall not sell it if the deal is not good. Regards Ndemo. > Before quickly "thirding", I urge on the need to have > light shed on TEAMS investment structure, otherwise we > could end up never getting the envisaged cheap > bandwidth. > > Why? After 51% of Telkom Kenya is sold to British > Telcom (or another) then whoever will have the cable > ownership transfered to them thus could dictate what > the final price will be. > > Little Telkom sale (Shs 5 Billion) is happening just > when the promising CDMA is getting rolled out. Going > by last year's Safaricom profits, the sale value is > also Kidogo Sana. > > Alex > > --- Kai Wulff <kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke> wrote: > >> I second that! >> >> It is comforting to know that SA will provide >> security to Africa by >> insisting on a majority ownership of the cables! >> >> I am sure this attitude will change once Kenya >> receives capacity @ less than >> USD 100,- per M .. >> >> Kai >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> >> To: <kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke> >> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" >> <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> >> Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 14:44 >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] >> Undersea cable plan >> tangled in acrimony inSouth Africa >> >> >> I used to have a difficult time explaining to fellow >> Kenyans that it was >> very difficult dealing with our brothers in SA >> because at every meeting >> goal posts kept on shifting. Perharps now everybody >> understands that the >> veto power in the NEPAD protocol was a control tool. >> Below please find >> additional material. >> >> Ndemo. >> >> >> Cables require local ownership BY DAMARIA SENNE & >> CHRISTELLE DU TOIT >> <mailto:[email protected]> [ Johannesburg, 10 >> September 2007 ] >> >> South Africa requires that all undersea cables >> landing here be majority >> owned by South Africans, says communications >> Minister Ivy >> Matsepe-Casaburri. >> >> Speaking at the Southern African Telecommunications >> Networks and >> Applications Conference (Satnac) 2007, in Mauritius, >> this morning, >> Matsepe-Casaburri said government was happy with >> indications that >> investors plan to land cables in the country. >> However, she will soon announce new landing >> guidelines that require that >> "all cables " landing in SA be majority owned by >> South Africans, she said. >> >> The guidelines will also be consistent with SA's >> foreign policy and take >> the security of the country, and the African >> continent, into >> consideration, she said. >> "Every cable landing or leaving SA should >> incorporate in it the Nepad [New >> Partnership for Africa's Development] Broadband >> Infrastructure Network." >> Security measures are important, given the state of >> our insecure world, >> she added. >> >> Matsepe-Casaburri said that she instructed Dep.of >> Communications >> Dir-General Lyndall Shope-Mafole to propose the >> landing guidelines to the >> Interim Inter-Governmental Assembly for discussion. >> She also noted that >> her department studied the communications >> regulations of other countries >> when drafting the landing guidelines, ensuring they >> are consistent with >> international trends. >> >> Determination expected >> BMI-TechKnowledge senior analyst Richard Hurst says >> the implications of >> the ownership stipulations are that "those who do >> end up rolling out >> cables will have to do so via partnerships". He >> cites Seacom and Neotel's >> interaction as an example of this, where "Neotel >> basically would control >> the landing rights of Seacom in SA". >> According to Hurst, "government is trying to hedge >> its bets", but the >> stipulations set out by the minister have generally >> been expected. He says >> South African companies should benefit from the >> directives, as should the >> consumer. >> "It should open up access to those cables and bring >> prices down." He adds >> that, as the international community moves towards >> always-on broadband, SA >> will also increasingly need high-speed capacity. >> However he reiterates: >> "The more bandwidth we have, the better." >> >> Investor support >> Meanwhile, Matsepe-Casaburri said SA was convinced >> it was on the right >> path to break away from the Eassy (Eastern Africa >> Submarine Cable System) >> cable project and support the Nepad Broadband >> Infrastructure Network, as >> well as initiating its own undersea cable systems. >> >> She said there was strong support from potential >> investors in the Nepad >> Broadband (?) Infrastructure Network. "Instead of >> people running away >> from us, we have a lot of support from investors." >> SA and other African governments broke away from the >> Eassy project because >> larger operators taking part in the initiative >> bought such large >> quantities of capacity that there would never be >> fair access for smaller >> operators, she noted. >> >> EASSY project was not in line with the Nepad >> objective, which was to >> facilitate fair and open access for all telecoms >> providers to lower the >> cost of telecoms on the continent, she said. She >> noted that SA's >> Parliament had ratified the Nepad Broadband >> Infrastructure Network >> protocol. >> >> >> > fyi from the AfrISPA discuss list.... >> > >> > >> > Begin forwarded message: >> > >> >> From: "Anders Comstedt" <anders(a)ssvl.kth.se> >> >> Date: 9 September 2007 21:52:19 GMT+03:00 >> >> To: <Discuss(a)afrispa.org> >> >> Subject: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable >> plan tangled in >> >> acrimony inSouth Africa >> >> Reply-To: Discuss(a)afrispa.org >> >> >> >> Frank, >> >> >> >> You are right that everyone else but RSA needs a >> cable to RoW much, >> >> much >> >> more than the good folks south, also that the >> thing has got stuck in >> >> political concerns and power games. The good >> thing is, however, >> >> that the >> >> general consensus on the needs, commercial impact >> and development >> >> leverage >> >> of a widely available optical fibre cable has >> shifted from cold to >> >> warm. >> >> >> >> Technically, there is no need for an East African >> submarine cable >> >> south >> >> beyond Maputo at all, as there is well protected >> optical fibre >> >> Maputo - >> >> Pretoria on the power lines. Which, btw, RSA has >> effectively >> >> prevented open >> >> & fair use of during several years, effectively >> leaving Maputo on >> >> VSAT for a >> >> much longer time than necessary. So SA could >> connect that route, >> >> already >> >> today, to any cable from the north that lands >> close to Maputo. >> >> >> >> Now two small issues: >> >> First, RSA companies are major stakeholders in >> any submarine cable >> >> proposal >> >> that has emerged the last couple of years, >> dominant to the extent >> >> that it >> >> has made other parties concerned on who actually >> will control a >> >> cable system >> >> supposed to be a joint project with some 23 >> participants. The >> > === message truncated === > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ ____________ > Need a vacation? Get great deals > to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel. > http://travel.yahoo.com/ > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange% 40jambo.co.ke > > ---------------------------------------------- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > --------------------------------------------- > "easy access to the world" > > _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: eric(a)afrispa.org Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/ mailman/options/kictanet/eric%40afrispa.org Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"

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TEAMS: Private sector gets more shares for project
by Alex Gakuru 14 Sep '07

14 Sep '07

http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3034&Item… Consumers risk continued participation exclusion unless we get organized. Any interested on investing in TEAMS? We can get together and the government would have to give us priority especially now that local investment space is expanded. Consumers shall have an upper hand in ensuring prices remain affordable while at the same time we shall get return our investment for the next 20-25 years (life of fibre). There are many other advantages we can discuss. Condition: You must Kenyan since others are catered for in the other companies. Talk to me off-list then we can strategize. Alex ____________________________________________________________________________________ Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, photos & more. http://mobile.yahoo.com/go?refer=1GNXIC

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Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plantangled in acrimony inSouth Africa
by Alex Gakuru 13 Sep '07

13 Sep '07

Hi Joe, I'd be glad to mobilise and work with all consumers but if you on note my message, I requested Dr. Ndemo to give us that chance. We wait and see what tomorrow brings. Alex --- "Manthi, Joseph" <Joseph.Manthi(a)fmr.com> wrote: > Alex > Please I beg you to prepare that SV to buy TKL. Let > me know if youi need help in doing this. > > Thanks > Joe > ------Original Message------ > From: Alex Gakuru > Sender: > kictanet-bounces+jmanthi=gmail.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > To: jmanthi(a)gmail.com > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > Sent: Sep 13, 2007 12:43 PM > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] > Undersea cable plantangled in acrimony inSouth > Africa > > wow! "Open Access" is music to many no just my ears. > > I wish you failure at selling Telkom this way, > honestly. That said, could you allow me to organise > a > Special Purpose Truck for Kenyan consumers to invest > in Telkom more money that the Shs. 5 Billion? Fast > tracking (READ get round) NSE rules? > > Thanks. > > --- bitange(a)jambo.co.ke wrote: > > > Dear Alex, > > Telkon will not own Teams. The Government of > Kenya > > will own 40% stake in > > the Teams SPV while regional operators and > investors > > will own 45%. The > > remaining 15% shall be owned by Etisalat. The > > Government shall ensure > > open access in both Teams and the Terrestrial > > Networks to enable both > > large and small enterprises to compete. > > > > Do not worry about the sale of TKL since we have > not > > sold it yet and we > > shall not sell it if the deal is not good. > > > > > > Regards > > > > > > Ndemo. > > > > > > > > > > > Before quickly "thirding", I urge on the need to > > have > > > light shed on TEAMS investment structure, > > otherwise we > > > could end up never getting the envisaged cheap > > > bandwidth. > > > > > > Why? After 51% of Telkom Kenya is sold to > British > > > Telcom (or another) then whoever will have the > > cable > > > ownership transfered to them thus could dictate > > what > > > the final price will be. > > > > > > Little Telkom sale (Shs 5 Billion) is happening > > just > > > when the promising CDMA is getting rolled out. > > Going > > > by last year's Safaricom profits, the sale value > > is > > > also K > > -------------------------- > Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Check out the hottest 2008 models today at Yahoo! Autos. http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html

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Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cableplantangled in acrimony inSouth Africa
by bitange＠jambo.co.ke 13 Sep '07

13 Sep '07

Mr. Manthi, Even South Africans know that your proposals are a mathematical imposibility (see article below from SA). Economics teach us that the only way to bring down cost is not by owning but by creating a competitive environment. All we need from the cables is bandwidth to create wealth. Our current problems in Africa emanate from our past mistakes with respects to our view on economic development. If those you call Nyangaus refuse to buy your flowers, your coffee, your tea and protect their people from travelling to our part of the world, we shall all perish. The world is a small place where we all must share that which is available. If you take a nap as we did in the 19th Century, someone else will take advantage of you. In essence we should blame ourselves for all that happened in the past and that way we shall approach the future with love and wisdom. When you blame someone else, you fill yourself with hate and darkness. Below find the article for your perusal. Bitange Ndemo. 12 September 2007 Cable policy slammed BY PAUL VECCHIATTO , ITWEB CAPE TOWN CORRESPONDENT [ Johannesburg, 12 September 2007 ] - Opposition parties, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), have railed against communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casburri's stance on undersea cable ownership, saying she wants to control telecommunications. They were reacting to the minister's speech, delivered earlier this week at Telkom's Southern African Telecommunications Networks and Applications Conference, held in Mauritius. She said government would require all undersea cables landing here to be majority-owned by South African companies. Matsepe-Casaburri also announced that guidelines would be drawn up and they would be consistent with SA's foreign policy, and take into account the country's security. DA communications spokesperson Dene Smuts said the Mauritius clarification on undersea cables confirms the Department of Communications' (DOC) desire to get a slice of the pie and to control telecommunications. Her insistence that all cables landing here must be majority South African-owned is a mathematical impossibility if each African country makes similar demands. It is also contrary to SA's interests to prevent the landing of the capacity we need, she said. Suzanne Vos, IFP communications spokesperson, said: This kind of power politics has to stop. The country desperately needs bandwidth to meet its own economic development objectives and to ensure the guarantees signed by the minister for the 2010 Soccer World Cup are met. Vos added: It is no wonder that public enterprises minister Alec Erwin has stepped in as the country's alternative communications minister, because the incumbent can't get things done. She also referred Matsepe-Casaburri to the Electronic Communications Act that effectively brings government interference in the telecommunications sector to an end. Smuts said the DOC's championing of the Nepad ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network has already blocked the East African Submarine Cable System cable. The minister said in Mauritius that any cables landing here would have to become part of the Nepad Network. That network will operate under a protocol that gives each signed-up African government a controlling golden share. She has already told her DG [Lyndall Shope-Mafole, DOC director-general], who is the driving force behind the protocol, to take SA's landing guidelines to the interim intra-governmental assembly. Smuts concluded by saying: No one can make head or tail of the minister's thinking, or her DG's initiatives. The only thing that is clear is that both SA telecoms ministries-public enterprises and communications are reinstating state telecoms against the tide of liberalisation and modern economic trends. Vincent Gore, who was communications spokesperson for the Independent Democrats, refused to comment as he was in the process of crossing the floor to the African National Congress. > Kai, > This has nothing to do with SA. It is Kenya's job to protect Kenya and > not SA. If Kenya does not want the SA satellites broadcasting in > Kenya, they can block it. All SA is saying is that if there any cables > landing in SA, it should be majority owned by SAfricans. Any African > country can do the same. > > And yes any cable landing in SA (or Kenya) is the national asset of SA > (or Kenya). Every SA (or Kenyan) should have access to it. And judging > by the pricing of some of these cable, it is unlikely that majority of > SA (or Kenyans) will be able to afford it. > > Shouldn't SA (or Kenyan) governments be concerned about the pricing > and therefore ownership of these cables? > > Yes - these cables are national assets. Let me see - who owns the > cables entering the Federal Republic of Germany? Germany of course. > Why should you then, a German national, deny the South African > Government of deciding who should own these cables. > > Remember that SA has the experience of SAT3. > > Joe > > On 9/13/07, Kai U. Wulff <kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke> wrote: >> Since when is International Connectivity a national asset? >> >> A cable comes, you don't like the price you don't buy .. Why did nobody >> insist on SA ownership of the Satellites that are broadcasting

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Internet Governance Forum (IGF) - Continent to Send 20 Delegates
by alice 13 Sep '07

13 Sep '07

*Hi all Happy to let you all know that KICTANet was selected to present at the IGF taking place in Rio in November. Any Kenyans on this list planning to attend the forum please let us know. We would like to provide members attending an opportunity to share their experiences at the KICTANet Best Practice Forum. best alice ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Internet Forum - Continent to Send 20 Delegates* Daily Champion (Lagos) NEWS 13 September 2007 Posted to the web 13 September 2007 By Remmy Nweke South Africa Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Africa is to send a 20-member delegation to the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Rio de Janero, Brazil in November 2007 to ensure that African voice is heard. At a roundtable session on IGF organised by the Open Society Institute for Southern Africa (OSISA) at the on-going 11th Highway Africa conference in Grahamstown, South Africa, CSOs resolved to ensure that Africa is not relegated at the global meeting. IGF in Rio is being organised by the IGF Secretariat based in Geneva , Switzerland in support of the United Nations Secretary-General's mandate from the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) with regard to convening a new forum for multi-stakeholders policy dialogue. Speaking on behalf of the CSOs, Ms Natasha Primo of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) said that the essence of bringing the crusade to the largest gathering of pen-pushers on the continent was to guarantee that African communicators were not left out. According to her, the session was basically to raise awareness in the participation of Africans at the IGF by having an understanding of the theme focusing on access, openness, security and critical Internet resources and capacity/development agenda. African CSOs, she pointed out would be sending a 20-man delegate to the global meeting to "Get African voices heard centred on capacity and development agenda. We must make ourselves heard in all the themes." She added that the CSOs presently want to continue the crusade online with so as to develop shared position to the Rio meeting with Africa at heart. "We had a preliminary discussion and we want to take that online for further discussions," she asserted, adding that those interested should contact OSISA. The online discussion would kick off on September 15 and that it's an open invitation to organisations and individuals to join hands with CSOs to make certain the aim is achieved.

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[Fwd: [APC Forum] New Book: Diversifying Participation in Network Development]
by alice 13 Sep '07

13 Sep '07

*Diversifying Participation in Network Development* http://www.regulateonline.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=104… The final report from the World Dialogue on Regulation (WDR) 3rd research cycle has been released and can now be downloaded at <www.regulateonline.org>. Edited by Amy Mahan and William H. Melody, this most recent collection of the network’s research and case studies elaborates on inclusive and propoor strategies for extending network development. The book is divided into three sections. The first, entitled *Affordability and Use*, opens with a study on affordability - definitions, analysis and issues. This is followed by two demand side studies, the first focusing on mobile use by the poor; and the second assessing communication expenditures across four developing countries. The final chapter in this section reports on a survey of ICT use by SMEs in eight African countries. Section 2, *Models to Extend Participation in Network Development* considers /microfinance/, /smart subsidies/, /community owned microtelcos/ and the /extension of research networks/. The countries used to highlight these alternative approaches include Bangladesh, Nepal, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Ghana. Section 3, *Regulatory and Information Practices*, begins with two chapters dedicated to the information provision and communication practices of regulators - which are important for cultivating informed participation in regulatory processes. Next regional regulation in support of national regulators and to ensure competitive markets is examined using the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States as a case study. Further perspective on this is provided by a chapter on multinational operators in African mobile markets. The section concludes with a case study on the regulatory environment in Guyana. This report is the third in a series of research cycles that WDR is undertaking to assess different approaches to regulation in a rapidly changing telecom environment. With the advent of privatisation, competition, and converging infrastructure sectors, the role of the regulator is in a transitional phase. The first World Dialogue on Regulation research cycle assessed two emerging regulatory trends and the report, The Next Step in Telecom Reform: ICT Convergence Regulation or Multisector Utility Regulation; and the second cycle, Stimulating Investment in Network Development: Roles for Regulators - are both available for download and hardcopies of the second can be ordered from WDR.

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Data vending hit by poor Internet connections
by Bill Kagai 13 Sep '07

13 Sep '07

http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3001&Item… Written by James Makau - Business Daily 13-September-2007: The poor penetration of Internet services coupled with low levels of computer literacy in Kenya are holding back the country's emerging data vending industry. The data vendors, who sell and distribute financial and business news, are targetting rural populations as well as Kenyans in the diaspora. Mr Bildad Kagai , the managing director of data vending firm MediaCorp Limited, told the Business Daily that while data vending has the potential to be a major industry in the financial services sector, more needed to be done to ensure computer services reached majority of the people. "Kenyans, especially those outside Nairobi, have been waiting eagerly for the Real Time data, but inability to access the Internet remains a big challenge," says Mr Kagai He said traders did not have to physically go to the bourse to get financial data, but they could do this in the comfort of their offices through the Internet. He said the highest potential for growth in data vending was in rural towns and that lack of Internet services was limiting the uptake of online financial news and data. MediaCorp earlier this month launched its data vending services in Mombasa to increase its presence in the country. Data from the Communications Commission of Kenya estimates that as of March, this year, only 3.2 per cent of the country's population had access to Internet up from 200,000 or 0.7 per cent of the population in 2000. Internet Service Providers have blamed the low penetration on high costs of Internet on satellite connectivity which costs up to 10 times more than the fibre optic connectivity. But once any of four planned international fibre optic cables land in Mombasa, Internet connection costs should fall drastically. The Government's Digital Villages Project under the Ministry of Information and Communication is also set to greatly boost access, resulting in more subscribers for data vendors. And with the Nairobi Stock Exchange set to switch onto a wide area network (WAN) in the next one month, the potential of data vending services may well be on its way to be unlocked. Mr Symon Ndirangu, the chief executive officer of Information Convergence Technologies ICT Ltd, says that with the signing of an average of 50 to 100 new users every month, most of the six data vendor currently operating in the market should break even within the next 12 months. "Although it is taking time for many investors to appreciate the value of data, we are upbeat that revenue will pick up very soon." Currently, the cost of a data vending license from the NSE is valued at Sh170,000 (US$2500) while ISPs are charging about Sh50,000 per month for connection. With an estimated Sh180,000 in other costs, data vendors are paying at least Sh400,000 a month or Sh4.8million annually to stay afloat. Mr Ndirangu however projects that with the developments in the ICT sector as well as the Capital Markets, the data vendors should have at least each have 10,000-20,000 customers utilizing their services. At an annual charge of Sh5000 per customers, data vendors could easily rake in Sh50 million in a year. "The need for investment decisions based on sound finanical information and data rather than speculation as is often seen today will spur the growth of data vending services," says Mr. Ndirangu. With the chairman of the NSE Jimnah Mbaru estimating that the watershed Safaricom IPO slated for later this year will bring the number of investors at the bourse to 3 million, the need for real time data on the stock markets will clearly be there. Foreign interest in the Kenyan capital markets which has picked up in last one year following a string of high profile IPOs is an also seen as a major driver to the success of data vending services. "Kenyans in the diaspora and international investors who do not have the luxury of popping into Nation Centre to see the market Viewer will definitely drive this industry." Reckons Mr. Kagai It may not be unfathomable then, that local data vendors could enter the big league of Reuters, Bloomberg and CNBC sometime in the future. -- -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete URL. www.mediacorpafrica.com --

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Slightly unusual request
by Brian Longwe 12 Sep '07

12 Sep '07

Hi all, I have a slightly unusual request..... I need to set a vehicle mileage rate for the local operations of one of the NGOs I'm associated with. I have the official AA rate book (August 2007) but would like to benchmark against what other organisations (and especially Public sector or NGOs) give as compensation for mileage. Could anyone who can help with this info send it directly to me off- list please? Warm regards, Mblayo

2 1

[Grant Competition: Lighting Africa]
by alice 11 Sep '07

11 Sep '07

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Grant Competition: Lighting Africa Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:23:00 +0300 From: kmuthembwa(a)worldbank.org To: undisclosed-recipients:; Dear Colleague, I would like to draw your attention to an announcement (below) of a grant competition entitled ?Innovations in Off-Grid Lighting Products and Services for Africa". You are invited to participate if it is relevant, but if not, kindly display and/ distribute it to as many people as possible. Please note that the deadline is 30th October 2007. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Embedded image moved to file: pic18238.jpg) The World Bank Group and its partners are pleased to announce a Development Marketplace (DM) competition for the design and delivery of low cost, high quality, non-fossil fuel-based lighting products targeting low income consumers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The DM is part of the broader Lighting Africa program managed by the World Bank Group which seeks to reach 250 million customers with modern, affordable lighting by 2030. The grant competition entitled ?Innovations in Off-Grid Lighting Products and Services for Africa" will reward project ideas that address the various off-grid lighting needs of Sub-Saharan Africa, including alternative distribution models, new clean lighting technology, stronger production chains, and improvement of the policy environment. Ten to 20 winners will receive grant funding up to $200,000. The competition is open to a broad range of innovators around the world, including private businesses, nongovernmental organizations, universities, government entities, and individuals. Lead sponsors include the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program, the Global Environment Facility, and the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility. Other supporters include Good Energies Inc., the Governments of Norway and Luxembourg, and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership. The deadline for submitting proposals is 23:00 GMT on October 31, 2007. (See attached file: DM Competition_Brochure_English.pdf) For more information on how to apply, visit the Lighting Africa Web site at: http://www.lightingafrica.org

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IPv4 to IPv6
by Alex Gakuru 11 Sep '07

11 Sep '07

Hi, We understand Swift Global and .KE are on IPv6 and would appreciate any info on whom else upgrades from this list http://www.cck.go.ke/html/child.asp?title=Telecommunications&contcatid=2&ch… Thanks Alex ____________________________________________________________________________________ Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today! http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7

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America's wolves
by Dorcas Muthoni 10 Sep '07

10 Sep '07

Kenyans be proud of our wildlife and strive to protect it! *America's wolves need our help! * America's wolves were nearly eradicated in the 20th century. Now, after a remarkable recovery in parts of the country, wolves are once more threatened. **More>> http://action.defenders.org/site/PageServer?pagename=savewolves_homepage&JS…

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Newspaper columnists are dinosaur bloggers- Maher
by Rebecca Wanjiku 10 Sep '07

10 Sep '07

By Rebecca Wanjiku and Mantsha Nkayi The blurred lines that differentiate blogging and journalism were exposed yesterday, at a discussion on whether bloggers are columnists or columnists are bloggers. The discussion was spiced up by the presence of Freddy Khumalo, a columnist who thinks bloggers are not necessarily journalists/columnists and Vincent Maher, who is of the opinion that newspaper columnists are dinosaur bloggers. One of the lingering questions was; who do bloggers speak to and who is their audience? Khumalo took the opportunity to trash some bloggers as mere diarists who do not follow any code of conduct. He argued that some blogs are dedicated to pets and may not make much sense; however, he admitted that some blogs contain important and informative material. When am writing a column, I have to take time to consider the impact of what am writing about and whether it has been said before and under what context. With the blog, it is easy, and there are no such considerations because there is no code of conduct, said Khumalo. But Maher a former head of the New Media Lab at Rhodes University argued that bloggers have filled in a space that was not previously addressed by the mainstream media. He was supported by journalism trainer, Roland Stanbridge who added that 50 per cent of the women in the Middle East are blogging and addressing issues considered as taboo and not addressed in mainstream media. Blogs are giving people voices, whether it is eroding morality in society is not the issue, it is a place for the people to air what they feel. Maybe the people want a change to such standards of morality, said Maher. While supporting the argument that newspaper columnists are dinosaur bloggers, Maher invited participants to evaluate the development of communication from newsletters to newspapers and to letters to the editor-through snail mail. He argued that blogs give an opportunity for feedback and connection with the communities, which is vital for any media organisation, and he also mentions that blogs are personal web pages. But the main question that was not satisfactorily answered in the discussion was: given the challenges of technology and information penetration in Africa, can one claim to be blogging for the public while they have no access to internet or computers? Is blogging elitist? Ends Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games.

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[Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] Employment Opportunities ICANN]
by alice 10 Sep '07

10 Sep '07

-------- Original Message -------- FYI - http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm Employment Opportunities Administrative Support Supervisor/Manager <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#adminmgr> At-Large Coordination Officer <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#atlargeadmin> (Original Title: At-Large Administrative Support Officer) Communications Manager - Policy Development <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#commmgr> Consulting services to assist with the development of a translation policy <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#translate> General Manager, Policy Development <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#gmpd> GNSO Policy Officer <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#gnsooff> Manager, Regional Relations - Asia <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#manregrelasia> Manager, Regional Relations - Europe <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#manregrel> Registrar Liaison Manager <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#regliaison> At-Large Regional Affairs Officer <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#RAsec> (Original Title:Secretary for Regional Affairs, At-Large Community) _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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Southern Africa media in peer review
by Rebecca Wanjiku 10 Sep '07

10 Sep '07

Malawi, Zambia and Mauritius win inaugural gender and HIV/AIDs awards By Rebecca Wanjiku Malawi, Zambia and Mauritius yesterday won the inaugural gender and HIV/AIDs awards, in recognition of their exemplary work place policies. The awards were judged through peer review and targeted 218 newsrooms in the southern Africa region. Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) won the HIV/AIDs category; Times of Zambia was runners up. In the gender policy category, Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) scooped top honours while the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation took the runners up position. Organised by Gender Links and several regional organisations, the awards sought to initiate a process where the media houses in the region will develop and implement policies and commit resources to implement them. We all know that the media has not produced gender and HIV/AIDs policies. But how do you change an institution without putting your neck on the line? The awards seek to recognise media houses in the region willing to sacrifice and implement such policies, said Colleen Lowe Morna, head of Gender Links. While citing scanty statistics of HIV/AIDs reportage in the media, Morna added that the awards are critical in showing other media houses in the region how to implement their policies and improve the quality and quantity of stories. The awards were organised in conjunction with the Sol Plaatje leadership Institute which is dedicated to training media managers in Africa . We would have liked more entries and we hope to receive more last year. It was inspiring to see that most applicants also presented the actual policies and implementation plans, which validated their claims, said Francis Mdlongwa, head of the institute. The awards are targeting 80 per cent of Southern Africa newsrooms by 2008 and it is hoped that reporting of gender and HIV/AIDs issues will also improve. It is also projected that more media houses will implement policies to support national, regional and international legal instruments. Speaking on behalf of the judging panel Mdlongwa said the winners, had committed resources to ensure that policies were understood and complemented through a series of policies. In Mauritius , it was noted that MBC had appointed a gender coordinator who made monthly reports to the head of MBC. The award ceremony was spiced up by music from Nia band, which embodied the true spirit of Africa with representatives from Kenya , Zambia and South Africa . Participants were treated to songs in Swahili, Xhosa and English. As the ceremony drew to a close, Morna encouraged participants to dance to the famous song Vulindlela which is Xhosa for open the way. The song was sung by the late South African musician Brenda Fassie. The song was symbolic for the winners, expected to open or lead the way for other regional media houses. Ends Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games.

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Africa complained, the west has responded
by Rebecca Wanjiku 09 Sep '07

09 Sep '07

Negative images- Africa complained, the west has responded By Rebecca Wanjiku The longest and loudest complaint by African leaders is that western media portrays Africa as desperate and hopeless, the west has now responded. The complaints have been directed to the global media houses such as CNN, BBC, AP, AFP and Reuters accused of only covering civil wars, hunger, corruption and deprivation in Africa- these are form the bulk of African content on the internet. Well, the response does not come from the big media, but from a group of Dutch journalists who felt the situation should change and started a website- www.africanews.com. Africanews.com is a website dedicated to Africans to tell their stories to the world without any inhibitions. The website is targeting politics, social as well as the economic challenges and successes in the continent. The stories, photographs and video are uploaded to the site and have reached audiences in Europe, America, Australia, Asia and Africa. This is calculated to improve on variety and content of stories available of the internet. According to Elles van Gelder, the South African representative, the website has received critical acclaim and is hoping to recruit journalists and bloggers from every African country. Why should western media fly in journalists while there are local journalists willing to tell the stories? We tap the talent, train them, and they become better writers, photographers and can take good videos, said van Gelder. The organisation has started a pilot project for reporting using state of the art mobile phones that can shoot video and upload to the website. This project will be tested during the general elections in Kenya, scheduled for December this year. To establish the reliability of mobile phones in reporting Van Gelder said a group of Dutch students will embark on an Africa-wide trip, testing the mobile phones and the challenges faced. This, van Gelder added, will help improve the quality of African content available on the internet, and the stories that come from the continent. Ends Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games.

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