July 2010 - KICTANet

BBC > Finland makes broadband a 'legal right']
by alice 01 Jul '10

01 Jul '10

Finland makes broadband a 'legal right' http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10461048.stm Page last updated at 23:59 GMT, Wednesday, 30 June 2010 00:59 UK Finland has become the first country in the world to make broadband a legal right for every citizen. >From 1 July every Finn will have the right to access to a 1Mbps (megabit per second) broadband connection. Finland has vowed to connect everyone to a 100Mbps connection by 2015. In the UK the government has promised a minimum connection of at least 2Mbps to all homes by 2012 but has stopped short of enshrining this as a right in law. The Finnish deal means that from 1 July all telecommunicatons companies will be obliged to provide all residents with broadband lines that can run at a minimum 1Mbps speed. Broadband commitment Speaking to the BBC, Finland's communication minister Suvi Linden explained the thinking behind the legislation: "We considered the role of the internet in Finns everyday life. Internet services are no longer just for entertainment. Finland has worked hard to develop an information society and a couple of years ago we realised not everyone had access," she said. It is believed up to 96% of the population are already online. In the UK internet penetration stands at 73%. The British government has agreed to provide everyone with a minimum 2Mbps broadband connection by 2012 but it is a commitment rather than a legally binding ruling. "The UK has a universal service obligation which means virtually all communities will have broadband," said a spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Making broadband a legal right could have implications for countries that plan tough action on illegal file-sharing. Both the UK and France have said they may cut off or limit the internet connections of people who persistently download music or films for free. The Finnish government has adopted a more gentle approach. "We will have a policy where operators will send letters to illegal file-sharers but we are not planning on cutting off access," said Ms Linden. A poll conducted for the BBC World Service earlier this year found that almost four in five people around the world believed that access to the internet is a fundamental right. ======================================= APC Forum is a meeting place for the APC community - people and institutions who are or have been involved in collaboration with APC, and share the APC vision - a world in which all people have easy, equal and affordable access to the creative potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve their lives and create more democratic and egalitarian societies. _______________________________________________ apc.forum mailing list apc.forum(a)lists.apc.org http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/apc.forum

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FW: Mozambique ICT policy should move towards increased digital inclusion, says Panos London
by Edith Adera 01 Jul '10

01 Jul '10

This may be of interest ________________________________ From: Panos London [mailto:Panos.London@panos.org.uk] Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2010 4:16 PM Subject: Mozambique ICT policy should move towards increased digital inclusion, says Panos London Dear Sir/Madam, A new review of Mozambique's policies for digital inclusion reveals that while some progress has been made, it has a long way to go before achieving widespread and effective use of ICTs. The policy brief, based on a research report prepared by the Eduardo Mondlane University Informatics Centre (CIUEM), was commissioned by international development charity Panos London and funded by the Open Society Institute for Southern Africa (OSISA). It is the first in a series of Panos London briefs to boost debate on the future of ICT policy in the Southern Africa region as part of the Thetha ICT Forum Project. It was recently launched at a workshop jointly organised by Panos London and CIUEM in Maputo, to which media practitioners, policy makers and civil society organisations were invited. The attached Panos London brief is a vital resource for anyone interested in the issues around ICT development in Mozambique. It summarises the successes and weaknesses of policy and implementation to date, reviews the challenges, opportunities and priorities for digital inclusion in Mozambique today and makes recommendations to update the policy to best serve the needs of Mozambicans. Big strides have been taken since the introduction of the ICT policy in 2000. For example, infrastructure developments have ensured that citizens have better access to mobile networks and the internet, and community multimedia centres have been established. However, work needs to focus on making these policies fit for purpose and reaching the very people ICTs need to serve. The infrastructure is in place and the focus should shift towards increasing the capability to use ICT, availability of services, the financial resources to pay for use and increased citizen participation in policy formulation. Panos London believes that communication is at the heart of development. Mozambique's experience offers pointers for other African governments and organisations concerned to maximise the value of ICTs within development. I hope that you find this Panos London brief provides an essential insight into the progress of ICT development in Mozambique, and we would welcome your feedback. If you require any further information then please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. Best wishes, Murali Shanmugavelan Programme Manager, Information Society Panos London murali.shanmugavelan(a)panos.org.uk tel. +44 (0)20 7239 7608 info(a)panos.org.uk<mailto:info@panos.org.uk> PANOS LONDON | ILLUMINATING VOICES Promoting dialogue, debate and change Communication: At the heart of change<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxFn2Loim9Q> - Panos London's new animated film explains why access to information and communication plays an essential role in sustainable development Register online to receive email updates and to access special web features www.panos.org.uk/register<http://www.panos.org.uk/register> This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain personal views which are not the views of Panos London unless specifically stated. If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system and do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in reliance on it and notify the sender immediately. While we make every effort to keep our network free from viruses, you need to verify that this email and any attachments are virus-free, as we can take no responsibility for any computer virus which may be transferred by way of them. Panos London is registered in England as a charity (charity number: 297366) and a company limited by guarantee (company number: 1937340) under the name Panos London with its registered office at 9 White Lion Street, London, N1 9PD, UK. Tel + 44 (20) 7278 1111 Fax: +44 (20) 7278 0345. Email: info(a)panos.org.uk<mailto:info@panos.org.uk> Web: www.panos.org.uk<http://www.panos.org.uk>

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Fwd: [Registrar-announce] NOTICE OF THE SEVENTH KENIC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
by paul museeh 01 Jul '10

01 Jul '10

FYI ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Begin forwarded message: *From: *"KENIC" <admin(a)kenic.or.ke> *Date: *June 24, 2010 3:26:30 PM GMT+03:00 *To: *registrar-announce(a)kenic.or.ke *Subject: **[Registrar-announce] NOTICE OF THE SEVENTH KENIC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING* *Reply-To: *admin(a)kenic.or.ke The KENIC board is pleased to invite you to the seventh KENIC Open Public Forum to be held on Friday 2nd of July 2010 at the Sarova Panafric Hotel from 0800hrs. The forum will be a focal point for bottom-up multi-stakeholder discussions of the KENIC policies and developments. Thereafter, the same venue will host KENIC's seventh Annual General Meeting (AGM) to which you are invited to witness. Details of the AGM shall be availed on the KENIC website http://www.kenic.or.ke We look forward to your participation at the events. Kindly confirm your attendance by sending an email to : agm(a)kenic.or.ke. Kind Regards, Joe Kiragu, For: Chairman, KeNIC ........................................ Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC) http://www.kenic.or.ke +254-20-4450057/8 +254 733 790073 " dot KE for every name in Kenya" -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by KeNIC MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. Kenya Network Information Center (KENIC) -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by * KeNIC MailScanner* <http://www.kenic.or.ke/>, and is believed to be clean. Kenya Network Information Centre (KeNIC).

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