March 2008 - KICTANet

Re: [kictanet] TEAMs to switch into Private Hands
by Florence Etta 19 Mar '08

19 Mar '08

Sorry to be picking up on this one now. If I am repeating what someone has already said do forgive me and ignore this post but here goes. Good question Paul. And if this important information is not available how about commissioning a study on "bandwidth utilization by sector" or model something close to it from actual current use so as to project future trends? This could be something the ICT Board might want to pursue? Cheers, FE ----- Original Message ---- From: Paul Kukubo <pkukubo(a)ict.go.ke> To: feanywhere(a)yahoo.co.uk Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Monday, 17 March, 2008 10:46:09 AM Subject: Re: [kictanet] TEAMs to switch into Private Hands Kai Is there any public analysis or research on actual bandwidth utilization by sector? i.e.. Agriculture vs say Banking? And web browsing vs. Infrastructure facilitation. Who is using what bandwidth and for what? As we promote outsourcing and ICT industries, the conversation will shift from bandwidth availability to its exploitation by the common mwananchi The ICT board is spending time in many forums explaining this exciting opportunity to ICT business and entrepreuners as it unfolds. We must spread the message that business and entreprenuers must be ready when the cable lands. Regards Paul Kukubo ICT Board Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone provided by Celtel Kenya -----Original Message----- From: "Kai Wulff" <kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke> Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:09:27 To:[email protected] Cc:KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: Re: [kictanet] TEAMs to switch into Private Hands Walu, like all other initiatives we have supported, KDN is seeing it as an enabler for the market and our approach is not profit driven (of course we want to recover the investment). There will be more than enough capacity on this cable as on Seacom, so fully redundant connectivity for the market will be the rule! Kai ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Walubengo" <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> To: <kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 09:07 Subject: [kictanet] TEAMs to switch into Private Hands > The current issue of The EastAfrican claims that the > government submarine fiber project is to be transferred to > the initial co-financiers : Safaricom, KDN, Jamii, amongst > others. > > Will the eventual majority shareholders - essentially the > private sector - operate the cable on Open Access > principles? Specifically, the following questions arise. > > > 1. Will the cable be open for direct connectivity (at the > source in MSA) to other future telco players? > > 2. Will the price of connecting to the international fiber > be driven by profit-motives or will it be based on the > 'cost-of-operating-the-fiber' basis. > > 3. What modalities exist for future investors who may wish > to own part of the fiber maybe 2 or 5years after the cable > is operational- or will this thing be a closed-club to the > original financiers once the cable becomes operational? > (remember the consortium approach of EASSy?) > > 4. What are the steps involved in transparently > transferring this public resource into private sector? > > just wondering... > > walu. > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. > http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kai.wulff%40kdn.co.ke > > -- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > > -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: pkukubo(a)ict.go.ke Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/pkukubo%40ict.go.ke _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: feanywhere(a)yahoo.co.uk Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/feanywhere%40yahoo.co.… ___________________________________________________________ Rise to the challenge for Sport Relief with Yahoo! For Good http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/forgood/

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SME-Symposium set for this weekend
by Jose' 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

Greetings all, just a quick reminder to those who are planning to come to the entrepreneurship symposium set for this Saturday 22,March 2008. Venue: Kenya assemblies of God-Bahati Estate Time:from 0800hrs to 1700hrs. Charges:150ksh-(Drinks included) Kentel,I am counting on you!! I see representatives from Ugabytes, Telecentre.org,Google(Brian and Joe),ICT Board,Ministry of Youth and Ministry of Communication,CFSK the list is endless........ Come see how youth are being exposed to loan granters and business consultants. regards, Jose' 0728878744 --------------------------------- Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

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Teams vs Flag (KDN?)
by Rebecca Wanjiku 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

Sometimes back, KDN was fronting for FLAG. Does it mean that KDN is no longer interested in FLAG? Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ ----- Original Message ---- From: John Walubengo <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> To: rebeccawanjiku(a)yahoo.com Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 5:20:45 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Local Content vs Submarine Cable. --- robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: >>>As I keep saying the solution is to concentrate on creating local content and keeping local traffic local, let the rest of the world beat a path to us and not the reverse. >>cut>> Yawe, I hear you. Infact 2years ago I was involved in some research that settled almost on your point of view http://www.diplomacy.edu/poolbin.asp?IDPool=127 But with the slight variation that we need BOTH the local content and the submarine cable. Its sort of a chicken and egg problem. Rather than expect one to precede the other, why not initiate both? walu. --- robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > Hi, > > Welcome to the beginning of the end, the cable is going > private and it will remain private exactly as happened in > West Africa. > > Can those of you who where changing your business plans > to reflect lower internet access instead increase the > cost of that component. > > As I keep saying the solution is to concentrate on > creating local content and keeping local traffic local, > let the rest of the world beat a path to us and not the > reverse. > > The article in the Nation last week about outsourcing > confirmed my fears our outsourcing model is a reverse > pyramid as opposed to the rest of the world. Our > outsourcing companies have 30% local provision and 70% > off shore yet the countries we are competing against have > the reverse. > > Time reveals all. > > Robert Yawe > KAY System Technologies Ltd > Phoenix House, 6th Floor > P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 > Kenya > > Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696 > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: "bitange(a)jambo.co.ke" <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> > To: robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Sent: Monday, 17 March, 2008 11:00:02 AM > Subject: [kictanet] TEAMs to switch into Private Hands > > Dear Walubengo, > > > Q: Will the eventual majority shareholders - essentially > the private > sector - operate the cable on Open Access principles? > Specifically, the > following questions arise. > > A: Competition alone will drive the cost low and if that > fails, Government > can intervene using the capacity it holds and if that > fails, the regulator > will have to intervene. > > Q: 1. Will the cable be open for direct connectivity (at > thesource in MSA) > to other future telco players? > > A: Yes indeed. See Q3 responses below. > > Q: 2. Will the price of connecting to the international > fiber be driven by > profit-motives or will it be based on the > 'cost-of-operating-the-fiber' > basis. > > A: Price of connecting to the International fibre remaims > cost of > operating the fibre but retail price will have an element > of profit. What > we shall guard agaist is exploitative prices. > > Q: 3. What modalities exist for future investors who may > wish to own part > of the fiber maybe 2 or 5years after the cable is > operational- or will > this thing be a closed-club to the original financiers > once the cable > becomes operational?(remember the consortium approach of > EASSy?) > > A: The Government of Kenya would continue to dilute its > shares in order to > ensure healthy competion exist. The model therefore is > not a closed shop. > > Q: 4. What are the steps involved in transparently > transferring this > public resource into private sector? > > A: You cannot force anyone to buy into Teams. There are > clear deadlines > by the financial arranger for making commitments. The > Standard Chatered > Bank were procured to make financial arrangements for the > cable. Although > sometimes Media misses the point here and there, it has > done a wonderful > job keeping us on our toes. > > Ndemo. > > > ---------------------------------------------- > 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: robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/robertyawe%40yahoo.co.… > > > > > > > > > ___________________________________________________________ > > Rise to the challenge for Sport Relief with Yahoo! For > Good > > http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/forgood/> _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: jwalu(a)yahoo.com > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jwalu%40yahoo.com > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: rebeccawanjiku(a)yahoo.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/rebeccawanjiku%40yahoo… ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

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The Googlization of Everything ... by Siva Vidyanathan]
by alice wanjira 17 Mar '08

17 Mar '08

How one company is disrupting culture, commerce and commerce ... and why we should worry! This blog, the result of a collaboration between myself and the Institute for the Future of the Book, is dedicated to exploring the process of writing a critical interpretation of the actions and intentions behind the cultural behemoth that is Google, Inc. The book will answer three key questions: What does the world look like through the lens of Google?; How is Google's ubiquity affecting the production and dissemination of knowledge?; and how has the corporation altered the rules and practices that govern other companies, institutions, and states? [more] * * * Hi. Welcome to my book. Hi. Welcome to my new book. Well, it's not a book yet. In fact, it will not be a real book for a long time. As you can tell from the title of this blog, the book will be about Google and all they ways that Google is shaking up the world. Google is a transformative and revolutionary company. I hesitate to use terms like that. We live in an era of hyperbole. So I try my best to discount claims of historical transformation or communicative revolutions. But in the case of Google, I am confident it is both. Now, I am approaching this book as both a fan and a critic. I am in awe of all that Google has done and all it hopes to do. I am also wary of its ambition and power. As I use this site to compose the manuscript (an archaic word that I love too much to discard) for the book The Googlization of Everything, I hope to do so with your help. This is the latest in a series of "open book" experiments hosted and guided by The Institute for the Future of the Book. The Institute has been supportive of my work for years -- long before I became affiliated with it as a fellow and certainly long before we thought up this project together. As with the other projects by Ken Wark and Mitch Stephens, this one will depend on reader criticism and feedback to work right. So this is an appeal for help. If you know something about Google, hip me to it. If you have an observation about how it works or how it affects our lives, write to me about it. On occasion, I will post an open question on this blog. Please help me answer it. I have never tried to write a book this way. Few have. Writing has been a lonely, selfish pursuit for me so far. I tend to wall myself off from the world (and my loved ones) for days at a time in fits and spurts when I get into a writing groove. I don't shave. I order pizza. I grumble. I ignore emails from my mother. I tend to comb through and revise every sentence five or six times (although I am not sure that actually shows up in the quality of my prose). Only when I am sure that I have not embarrassed myself (or when the editor calls to threaten me with a canceled contract – whichever comes first) do I show anyone what I have written. Now, this is not an uncommon process. Closed composition is the default among writers. We go to great lengths to develop trusted networks of readers and other writers with whom we can workshop – or as I prefer to call it because it's what the jazz musicians do, woodshed our work. Well, I am going to do my best to woodshed in public. As I compose bits and pieces of work, I will post them here. They might be very brief bits. They might never make it into the manuscript. But they will be up here for you to rip up or smooth over. That's the thing. For a number of years now I have made my bones in the intellectual world trumpeting the virtues of openness and the values of connectivity. I was an early proponent of applying "open source" models to scholarship, journalism, and lots of other things. And, more to the point: One of my key concerns with Google is that it is a black box. Something that means so much to us reveals so little of itself. So I would be a hypocrite if I wrote this book any other way. This book will not be a black box. Of course, it could get ugly in here. I could make tremendous mistakes. I could shoot something out there that shuts all doors at Google. I could undermine my ultimate market (but I seriously doubt that I could). I could just write myself into a corner. In my next post I will share a rough chapter outline. And I will give some sense of the basic questions and major issues that I hope to tackle in this work. Ok. As Sgt. Phil used to say, "Let's roll. And let's be careful out there." Send me links, questions and ideas: siva [at] googlizationofeverything [dot] com http://www.googlizationofeverything.com/2007/09/hi_welcome_to_my_book.php * * * Like the Mind of God (6 posts) All the World's Information (5 posts) What If Big Ads Don't Work (4 posts) Don't Be Evil (3 posts) Is Google a Library? (15 posts) Challenging Big Media (11 posts) The Dossier (3 posts) Global Google (1 post) Google Earth (no posts) A Public Utility? (7 posts) About this Book (7 post Siva Vaidhyanathan (how do you pronounce that?) Siva Vaidhyanathan I am a cultural historian and media scholar at the University of Virginia. I have written two previous books: Copyrights and Copywrongs: The Rise of Intellectual Property and How it Threatens Creativity (New York University Press, 2001) and The Anarchist in the Library: How the Clash between Freedom and Control is Hacking the Real World and Crashing the System (Basic Books, 2004). Most recently I edited (with Carolyn de la Pena) the collection, Rewiring the Nation: The Place of Technology in American Studies (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007). I've written for many periodicals, including American Scholar, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The New York Times Magazine, MSNBC.COM, Salon.com, openDemocracy.net, Columbia Journalism Review, and The Nation. I also blog at SIVACRACY.NET. After five years as a professional journalist, I earned a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. I've taught at Wesleyan University, the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Columbia University, New York University, and is this fall began as an associate professor of Media Studies and Law at the University of Virginia. I'm also a fellow at the New York Institute for the Humanities and the Institute for the Future of the Book.

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[Fwd: Balancing Act: African Broadcast and Film Markets Report is out now]
by alice 17 Mar '08

17 Mar '08

Dear all Interesting report but for a whopping GBP500/US$1,000....making it out of reach for most. Affordable local content? And it is indeed encouraging that organizations like IDRC taking up the challenge to narrow the knowledge/information gap with initiatives like the BPO Research study. best alice African Broadcast and Film Markets Report's content <http://lists.balancingact-africa.com/t/927/235533/131/0/> Other reports <http://lists.balancingact-africa.com/t/927/235533/2/0/> Consultancy <http://lists.balancingact-africa.com/t/927/235533/58/0/> In a world of converging media, telcos and ISPs are increasingly having to pay attention to what their counterparts in the broadcast and film industry are doing. Africas first genuine triple play offers will be launched shortly and mobile operators and broadcasters are trialling mobile TV. Therefore the world of programme rights and production costs may be a mystery that you will need to know more about. Increasingly, SMS and the Internet are being used as media. To reverse Marshall McLuhans well known phrase: the message is now the medium. There were 4.5 million downloads from Africa of material from the second series of Big Brother. Increasingly, SMS and the Internet are becoming media and will compete for advertising with the broadcast industry: there are shifting patterns for advertising in different media. For anyone interested in how the broadcast and film industry has and will develop and its converge with the telecoms industry, there has been a frustrating lack of data up until now. Balancing Acts African Broadcast and Film Markets, published in association with Intermedia, is over 340 pages long and has 132 charts, 41 tables of statistical data and 12 graphic maps. It is probably the most detailed data source on both industry and audience information for the sector in Africa. The report includes: *Part 1 *provides an analysis of the developing industry (based on a survey of 40 countries) and has the following sections: African industry overview Slow but steady liberalisation: This looks at the state of liberalisation, for radio and TV; the international players in the market; the scale of broadcast advertising; and the battle for Pay-TV subscribers. The beginning of the end for Mr President TV looks at the difficult commercial position of public broadcasters and ways they might get out the trap they are in. Other areas covered include: The costs of local and international programming; Digitilisation and High Definition Slow progress but it is on its way; Africas film industry Low output but big changes afoot; Africa goes triple-play the early pioneers roll-out; The potential market size for Pay Television; Reaching African diaspora audiences competing for eyeballs away from home; and Mobile TV a technology for Africa? *Part 2* looks at Africas rapidly shifting landscape through audience research from 17 key markets: Algeria, Angola, Burundi, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Each survey involves a large sample size, and is conducted through face-to-face interview, usually in the home of the respondent. The result is an unusually rich, single source for data on how Africans are interacting with traditional and emerging broadcasters and platforms, new technologies and modes of mass and inter-personal communication. It is sufficiently standardised to allow cross-comparison between countries and trend analysis across the timeframe data has been collected. For the first time, there is now data on SMS and Internet use that enables a sizing of the current market and the basic socio-demographic data to allow a serious examination of the potential future markets. For a full list of the contents: http://www.balancingact-africa.com/broadcast_markets.html <http://lists.balancingact-africa.com/t/927/235533/131/0/> The report is priced as follows: Full price (Africa) GBP500/US$1,000; Full price (Rest of the World) GBP750/US$1,500; Reduced price for universities and NGOs GBP375/US$700. Click below to order: http://www.balancingact-africa.com/profiles/order/order_form.php <http://lists.balancingact-africa.com/t/927/235533/226/0/> You may also want to order one of the following: African Telecoms and Internet Markets Part 1: West Africa African Voice and Data Bandwidth Forecasts (2006-2011) CLICK HERE TO ORDER <http://lists.balancingact-africa.com/t/927/235533/2/0/> M-Money - Finances, Banking and Payments through mobile phones African VoIP Markets * Contact one of our analysts <mailto:[email protected]> Graphic maps showing significant patterns at a glance The report contains essential socio-demographic data with clear metrics for defining levels of affordability. The graphic map above shows the percentage of people able to afford certain kinds of high-value consumer goods in each of the 17 countries covered. The report also includes comparisons of levels of people defined as middle class against levels of television and PC ownership. Tables with up-to-date key industry data The tables and boxes provide data on: satellite, IP-TV and cable subscribers; advertising spend in selected African countries as a percentage of GDP; Top 15 African countries by ad spend and radio and TV ownership; Government broadcasting sources of financing; advertising spend by TV channel in Kenya and Tanzania; outdoor mobile cinema attendance in Kenya, box office and audience attendance for 100 South African films; the DVD and Video market in South Africa by value; diaspora populations and subscriber levels to diaspora services; and countries offering 3G services. Charts illustrating listening viewing habits for leading TV and radio broadcasters The report includes audience data for all 17 countries on: daily audiences for leading TV and radio broadcasters; viewing and listening levels at different times of the day; trust in information provided by leading broadcaster, both radio and television; interest in different types of programming (news, sports, fashion, etc); newspaper readership; media equipment ownership (radio, TV, satellite, PC and mobile); and media equipment used yesterday. All data is cross-comparable across countries and the report contains a pan-African summary and individual sub-regional summaries for East, North, South and West Africa. Use of convergence media (SMS, Mobile TV, IP-TV and Internet) For the first time, the report provides detailed use figures for converged media, both in terms of equipment ownership and use yesterday. Although Internet figures remain low in some countries, a critical mass of users clearly exists in other countries. It tracks the percentage of respondents who use SMS as a source of information and the figures are consistently higher than might be expected. Key statistics overview Each of the 17 audience country profiles has a detailed summary panel providing: socio-demographics; media ownership and daily use; top radio and TV channel by listening or viewing daily and daily Internet use; regulatory bodies; and the approximate number of domestic TV and radio channels.

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Re: [kictanet] TEAMs to switch into Private Hands
by robert yawe 17 Mar '08

17 Mar '08

Hi, Welcome to the beginning of the end, the cable is going private and it will remain private exactly as happened in West Africa. Can those of you who where changing your business plans to reflect lower internet access instead increase the cost of that component. As I keep saying the solution is to concentrate on creating local content and keeping local traffic local, let the rest of the world beat a path to us and not the reverse. The article in the Nation last week about outsourcing confirmed my fears our outsourcing model is a reverse pyramid as opposed to the rest of the world. Our outsourcing companies have 30% local provision and 70% off shore yet the countries we are competing against have the reverse. Time reveals all. Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696 ----- Original Message ---- From: "bitange(a)jambo.co.ke" <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> To: robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Monday, 17 March, 2008 11:00:02 AM Subject: [kictanet] TEAMs to switch into Private Hands Dear Walubengo, Q: Will the eventual majority shareholders - essentially the private sector - operate the cable on Open Access principles? Specifically, the following questions arise. A: Competition alone will drive the cost low and if that fails, Government can intervene using the capacity it holds and if that fails, the regulator will have to intervene. Q: 1. Will the cable be open for direct connectivity (at thesource in MSA) to other future telco players? A: Yes indeed. See Q3 responses below. Q: 2. Will the price of connecting to the international fiber be driven by profit-motives or will it be based on the 'cost-of-operating-the-fiber' basis. A: Price of connecting to the International fibre remaims cost of operating the fibre but retail price will have an element of profit. What we shall guard agaist is exploitative prices. Q: 3. What modalities exist for future investors who may wish to own part of the fiber maybe 2 or 5years after the cable is operational- or will this thing be a closed-club to the original financiers once the cable becomes operational?(remember the consortium approach of EASSy?) A: The Government of Kenya would continue to dilute its shares in order to ensure healthy competion exist. The model therefore is not a closed shop. Q: 4. What are the steps involved in transparently transferring this public resource into private sector? A: You cannot force anyone to buy into Teams. There are clear deadlines by the financial arranger for making commitments. The Standard Chatered Bank were procured to make financial arrangements for the cable. Although sometimes Media misses the point here and there, it has done a wonderful job keeping us on our toes. Ndemo. ---------------------------------------------- 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: robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/robertyawe%40yahoo.co.… ___________________________________________________________ Rise to the challenge for Sport Relief with Yahoo! For Good http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/forgood/

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Re: [kictanet] kictanet Digest, Vol 10, Issue 12
by godera＠skyweb.co.ke 17 Mar '08

17 Mar '08

Ndegwa and All, I believe some of you may have heard that IDRC here in Nairobi is embarking on a market study that is not limited to Kenyan operations. Edith if you are reading this, can you shed any light on this at this moment or is it premature to talk about it? Gilda Quoting kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke: > Send kictanet mailing list submissions to > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > You can reach the person managing the list at > kictanet-owner(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: South African Intelligence Networking on Kenyan BPOSector > (MediaSpeak Africa) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2008 15:50:47 +0300 > From: "MediaSpeak Africa" <mesafric(a)gmail.com> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] South African Intelligence Networking on > Kenyan BPOSector > To: "Eric Osiakwan" <eric(a)afrispa.org> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Message-ID: > <9007a8bd0803090550k48b2010en75a9f33245c41c50(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Good people, > > Sure we are now talking big like we are supposed to. First, I wish to > support the suggestion that we should involve local players in such > initiatives. At least at the level of partnership so that we can have skills > transfer. > > But we also have to be serious so that what we do not tell the market out > there that we have lions in the parks only for them to come and see domestic > cats. We need to back strategy with infrastructure - which simply means that > we have to invest in the sector if we really want to be in the big league. > Ama? > > Ndegwa > > > On 07/03/2008, Eric Osiakwan <eric(a)afrispa.org> wrote: > > > > Peres, > > > > Better still there are good enough kenyan research enterprises who can do > > this so can we consider giving them a chance. This is with nothing against > > Frost and Sullivan but if u can get the expertise here then give it a > > chance, is the principle. > > > > Eric here > > > > > > On 6 Mar 2008, at 20:22, Peres Were wrote: > > > > > > > > Peres Were > > Dr Ndemo, > > > > Kenya can do this. It is just a matter of obtaining the necessary budget > > to > > engage companies such as Frost and Sullivan, to conduct a Competitor > > Analysis for us. > > > > We at the Kenya BPO & Contact Centre Society are currently working with > > development partners in order to engage reputable international > > organisations that are specialists in research, to carry out such > > intelligence and research that can assist in the growth and development > > of > > the BPO Sector in Kenya. > > > > Regards > > > > Peres Were > > Kenya BPO & Contact Centre Society > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: kictanet-bounces+pwere=cascadegl.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > [mailto:kictanet-bounces <kictanet-bounces>+pwere= > > cascadegl.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf > > Of bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > > Sent: 06 March 2008 19:25 > > To: pwere(a)cascadegl.com > > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > > Subject: [kictanet] South African Intelligence Networking on Kenyan > > BPOSector > > > > Dear All, > > The article below was picked from Business Wire in SA. My wish is that we > > could one day start such intelligence networking on countries we perceive > > as competitors. > > > > Regards > > > > Ndemo. > > > > > > > > Kenya Calling - The Rise of the Kenyan Call Centre Market > > 372 words > > 5 March 2008 > > 02:38 AM > > Business Wire > > English > > (c) 2008 Business Wire. All Rights Reserved. > > > > > > CAPE TOWN, South Africa - (BUSINESS WIRE) - The ICT group at Frost & > > Sullivan ( http://www.ict.frost.com/ ) is pleased to announce that it will > > be hosting its first quarter analyst briefing on the Kenyan call centre > > market on 13 March 2008 at 2pm GMT / 4pm CAT. > > Kenya is a late-comer to offering call centre services in Africa, however > > the market is set to experience significant growth in the next seven > > years. > > "Kenya is well positioned to become a noteworthy call centre market," > > notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Spiwe Chireka. "The country has > > implemented unique initiatives that, together with the cost attractiveness > > of the market, are likely to see Kenya becoming a formidable participant > > in the global call centre outsourcing arena." > > Highlights of this briefing will include an analysis of the current status > > of the market and the factors expected to fuel growth. The briefing will > > also offer a discussion on the opportunities available to equipment > > vendors and investors. > > The briefing will benefit current and potential market participants, BPO > > industry organisations and call centre equipment and technology suppliers. > > Operators in other markets will also be able to benchmark their market's > > performance and practices against those of the Kenyan market. > > Those interested in participating in this interactive teleconference > > should send an email to Patrick Cairns - Corporate Communications at > > patrick.cairns(a)frost.com with the following information: full name, > > company name, title, telephone number, e-mail address, city, state and > > country. The registration details will be emailed to you upon receipt of > > the above information. > > Frost & Sullivan, the Global Growth Consulting Company, partners with > > clients to accelerate their growth. The company's Growth Partnership > > Services, Growth Consulting and Career Best Practices empower clients to > > create a growth focused culture that generates, evaluates and implements > > effective growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan employs over 45 years of > > experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses > > and the investment community from more than 30 offices on six continents. > > For more information about Frost & Sullivan's Growth Partnerships, visit > > http://www.frost.com . > > Frost & Sullivan Corporate Communications - Africa: Patrick Cairns, +27 83 > > 258 4219 patrick.cairns(a)frost.com > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------- > > 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: pwere(a)cascadegl.com > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/pwere%40cascadegl.com > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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" > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > This message was sent to: mesafric(a)gmail.com > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mesafric%40gmail.com > > > > > > > -- > Stephen Ndegwa Mwangi > Executive Director > MediaSpeak Africa > P. O. Box 18154-00100 > Nairobi GPO > Tel.: +254-20-2098 548 > Cell: +254-724-376 883 > Kenya. >

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TEAMs to switch into Private Hands
by bitange＠jambo.co.ke 17 Mar '08

17 Mar '08

Dear Walubengo, Q: Will the eventual majority shareholders - essentially the private sector - operate the cable on Open Access principles? Specifically, the following questions arise. A: Competition alone will drive the cost low and if that fails, Government can intervene using the capacity it holds and if that fails, the regulator will have to intervene. Q: 1. Will the cable be open for direct connectivity (at thesource in MSA) to other future telco players? A: Yes indeed. See Q3 responses below. Q: 2. Will the price of connecting to the international fiber be driven by profit-motives or will it be based on the 'cost-of-operating-the-fiber' basis. A: Price of connecting to the International fibre remaims cost of operating the fibre but retail price will have an element of profit. What we shall guard agaist is exploitative prices. Q: 3. What modalities exist for future investors who may wish to own part of the fiber maybe 2 or 5years after the cable is operational- or will this thing be a closed-club to the original financiers once the cable becomes operational?(remember the consortium approach of EASSy?) A: The Government of Kenya would continue to dilute its shares in order to ensure healthy competion exist. The model therefore is not a closed shop. Q: 4. What are the steps involved in transparently transferring this public resource into private sector? A: You cannot force anyone to buy into Teams. There are clear deadlines by the financial arranger for making commitments. The Standard Chatered Bank were procured to make financial arrangements for the cable. Although sometimes Media misses the point here and there, it has done a wonderful job keeping us on our toes. Ndemo. ---------------------------------------------- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. --------------------------------------------- "easy access to the world"

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Why Microsoft Swahili Version Failed
by alice 15 Mar '08

15 Mar '08

Kenya: Why Microsoft Swahili Version Failed Business Daily (Nairobi) http://www.bdafrica.com/ <http://www.bdafrica.com/> OPINION 11 March 2008 Posted to the web 11 March 2008 Beatrice Gachenge When Microsoft announced in 2003 that it had launched a Kiswahili version of their Microsoft Office applications, linguists saw it as a big triumph for the language - and a chance to make its speakers have a feel of the emerging technology and in their own language. However, five years later, the roar has turned into a whimper. Microsoft is not forthcoming with answers, but a debate is shaping up on what may have gone wrong. "It failed miserably on the roll out process because Microsoft never pushed the product," says Mr Patrick Opiyo, managing director of Rivotex Kenya, a consulting dealer for Microsoft Technologies, who was then Microsoft's localisation manager. Mr Isaiah Okoth, who was at the time the general manager of Microsoft East Africa, said the new Kiswahili office application, if marketed well, would have allowed many Kiswahili speakers to experience personal computing in their home language. It had taken close to two years to develop the programme at a cost of Sh8 million, drawing linguistic experts from East and Central Africa. The programme was headed by Prof Kulikoyela Kahigi of the University of Dar- es- Salaam. Kiswahili experts translated over 700,000 words in Windows and Office software while close to 70,000 words were translated in the help manuals. The final product was targeted at about 150 million speakers of the language in the world. But three years down the line, analysts now deem the product a major letdown. "Technology should find itself into the language. Microsoft invented words that did not exist to fit the technology, and the problem with this is that people don't understand the Kiswahili used in the Microsoft Office applications, " explains Mr Alex Gakuru, director of ICT Consumer Association. Mr Gakuru told the Business Daily that technology is all about the people and not the gizmos or software; a concept Microsoft failed to consider. Another major issue was the methodology used to develop the application. Peter Mugambi, Dean of Humanities at Kenyatta University, says the project was more of a 'private affair' than an institutional one. In his view, the project did not integrate the wider community and also failed to educate people on the usage of the product either through seminars and workshops. Although the process of changing to Kiswahili version is simple , the software has not been utilised in Kiswahili departments in major universities including Kenyatta University and the University of Nairobi. By simply downloading a Language Interface Pack ( LIP), from the Internet, free of charge, users of genuine versions of Microsoft Office 2003, can localize their interface by installing the LIP. It then turns Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint from English into Kiswahili. The beauty of the product is that one can switch back to the language of choice with ease. "With the Kiswahili LIP, computer users are able to instal a Kiswahili desktop version as a 'skin' on top of existing installations of Windows and standard Microsoft Office applications," said the consulting dealer for Microsoft Technologies. Currently, the Kiswahili LIP is also available to Windows XP. Analysts say the biggest issue that made the hefty exercise a major fiasco was the lack of promotion for the product. University of Nairobi linguist and prolific author, Prof Kithaka wa Mberia, doubts whether he would have known about the project had he not been part of it; casting more doubt if the programme was marketed well. There was also a conflict of policy between open source and proprietorship. Mr Gakuru says the approach Microsoft took was academic instead of looking at the programme as a community based issue, a move that would have resulted to community ownership of the product. "If the company considered making it a community project where the East Africans who were the recipients of the product, then fund it, the ownership aspect would automatically lead to identifying with the product," said the IT analyst. "What is the essence of a good product that people don't know about? At the end of the day, who will use it?" The idea could have been a turning point not only for the East African region but other parts of the world because several years back, it was unthinkable that computer software products and solutions could be made in local languages, of which some risk extinction due to dominance of English and other European languages. There are 100 million Kiswahili-speakers in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and parts of the Horn of Africa, Great Lakes, Malawi, Mozambique and the Indian Ocean islands. Dr Clare Momanyi, a Kiswahili lecturer at Kenyatta University, who was also part of the task force that created the Kiswahili version, blames deep rooted problems and negative attitude of Kenyans towards the language, which they consider inferior to the English language. "Language is developed through communication as well as through the education system. The syllabus does not favour Kiswahili. Little has been done since it was made an examinable subject in 1995 to help Kenyans tie economic gains to Kiswahili," said Dr Momanyi. English, she added was the preferred language to enhance economic activities while Kiswahili on the other hand was viewed as a language for the masses, or the poor. "Kenyans need to wake up and smell the coffee. Kiswahili is gaining international acceptance, with more than 70 universities teaching it in the United States alone. If we do not change our attitude, we shall not go far," says Dr Momanyi. But still, one of the programmes that would have connected people failed to gain foothold in its own turf. She explained that the Kenyans historic background also played a major part in degenerating the liking of the language among Kenyans. While it is the national language, Dr. Momanyi said that there lacked any functions, institutions or policies attached to the growth of Kiswahili. The localization programme is a project under the Microsoft's Local language Program (LLP), which was formally launched by the company in 2004. Copyright C 2008 Business Daily. All rights reserved. **************************** Disclaimer ****************************** Copyright: In accordance with Title 17, United States Code Section 107, this material is distributed without profit for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material posted to this list for purposes that go beyond "fair use," you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. Content: The sender does not vouch for the veracity nor the accuracy of the contents of this message, which are the sole responsibility of the copyright owner. Also, the sender does not necessarily agree or disagree with any opinions that are expressed in this message. ********************************************************************** __._,_.___ Messages in this topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/message/6806;_ylc=X3oDMTM0ODc3NGJ1B…> (1) Reply (via web post) <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJwc2RkZWczBF9TAzk3M…> | Start a new topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJlM29uZzZvBF9TAzk3M…> Messages <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJlZWhsY2FtBF9TA…> | Links <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJmZjBvc3ZoBF9TAzk3…> | Polls <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/polls;_ylc=X3oDMTJmdXFuMG4zBF9TAzk3…> Dig Africa site welcomes you to join us at

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eDiscussion Report:-Impact of Post-election Violence on ICT organisations
by John Walubengo 14 Mar '08

14 Mar '08

The dawn of the Year 2008 caught many Kenyan organisations unprepared for the unprecedented post-election violence. As the chaos escalated beyond their original domains, KICTAnet felt duty bound to get involved in a small way in the search for peace and mitigating interventions. This Online Discussion was therefore commissioned with the dual purpose of kickstarting positive dialogue about the crisis while sharing experiences and intervention methods being employed by members. The discussion had three key themes:- establishing the challenges posed by the Post-election violence, exploring various mitigating interventions and Quantifying the Impact of the Post-election violence. >>>>snip>>>> The story continues in the attached report. walu. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ

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