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Fwd: Register for GPPS 2009 Bermuda Before February 28 and Save 40%
by waudo siganga 19 Feb '09

19 Feb '09

Dear KICTANet Colleagues - FYI On Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:10:15 -0500, "Anders Halvorsen" <ahalvorsen@witsa. org> said: February 18, 2009 TO: Members of the World Information Technology and Services Alliance FR: Dr. James Poisant, Secretary General RE: Register for GPPS 2009 Bermuda Before February 28 and Save 40% ______________________________________________________________ Dear Colleagues, On behalf of the Global Public Policy Summit 2009 Bermuda team, I am pleased to provide you with a postcard as a reminder notice of our November 1-3, 2009 Summit. I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the early bird registration. Register before February 28^th in order to receive your discount: [1]http://www.gpps2009.com/Registration.aspx. We would also greatly appreciate if you could forward the postcard to your membership. In that regard, I have included a brief overview of the event below the following postcard, which you may use in part or in full while communicating with your members. If you wish to view the postcard in PDF, go to: [2]http://www.witsa.org/gpps2009/GPPS_postcard.pdf If you wish to view the postcard in JPG, go to: [3]http://www.witsa.org/gpps2009/GPPS_postcard.jpg Sincerely, Jim GPPS postcard.jpg Information for your member companies: GPPS Bermuda 2009 As you schedule your activities for 2009, plan on attending the November 1-3, Global Public Policy Summit (GPPS 2009); ref. [4]http://www.gpps2009.bm/. This will be a unique and important event. Please see a special delegate invitation letter at [5]http://www.witsa.org/gpps2009/Delegate_Letter.pdf. The event program will feature several thought provoking sessions, including: - Business Technology: An Enabler in your Economy? - Can Enlightened ICT Policy Enable Your Economy and an Economic Recovery? - Do Policies that Promote Technology Infrastructures that Are Resilient and Secure, and that Protect the Privacy of Personal Data Conflict with Policies that Encourage Economic Expansion? - Will Proposed Internet Governance Policies on the Stability, Security and Private Sector Leadership of the Internet Dampen Economic Recovery and Expansion? - Do Environmental Policies Hamper Growth and Can Enlightened ICT Policies and Involvement Bridge the Gap? - Is There Evidence that Institutions Can Play a Positive Role In Promoting ICT and Expanding Economies or Are They Simply Relics of the Past? - Are There Potential Business Technology Developments on the Horizon That Will Enhance Business Growth? In addition, there will be a Pre-Summit Workshop entitled Incubators as a Catalyst to Developing a Strong ICT Sector on October 31. Deadlines for early bird registrations are: before February 28 (USD 550) that is nearly a 40% discount! - and before April 30 (USD 700). From April 30, the regular price (USD 900) applies. Business Technology: An Enabler in your Economy. The Global Public Policy Summit (GPPS) is a flagship event of the World Information Technology and Services Alliance ([6]WITSA) - a consortium of over 67 information technology (IT) industry associations from economies around the world. This international summit focuses on global policies affecting the ICT industry and is attended by over 500 senior executives, government officials and policy makers. One of the principal reasons for participating is that ICT companies gain an excellent opportunity to target their products and services at policy makers and business leaders. Taking place once every two years and commencing in 1999, the summit is hosted in a different country each time, with the leading ICT association of that country organizing the event. In November 2009, GPPS will be coming to Bermuda with the Bermuda Chamber of Commerces Business Technology Division as the organizer in partnership with the Ministry of Energy, Telecommunications and E-Commerce. Be sure to check out the Summit events page at [7]https://www.gpps2009.bm/Events.aspx for a schedule of the spouse program, as well as additional information about golf, shopping, boating and other activities. References 1. http://www.gpps2009.com/Registration.aspx 2. http://www.witsa.org/gpps2009/GPPS_postcard.pdf 3. http://www.witsa.org/gpps2009/GPPS_postcard.jpg 4. http://www.gpps2009.bm/ 5. http://www.witsa.org/gpps2009/Delegate_Letter.pdf 6. http://www.witsa.org/ 7. https://www.gpps2009.bm/Events.aspx Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we have been been waiting for. - Kenyan-American Barack Obama

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Re: [kictanet] Orange/Telkom slash internet costs by 40pc - how do rural folk stand to benefit?
by Victor Gathara 17 Feb '09

17 Feb '09

One concern I have is how all this is playing out in the rural/marginalised areas. Does Telkom have in their service provision a requirement to ensure Quality of Service in places other than Nairobi and Mombasa? Price wars are good news for us in town and I guess the arrival of the sub-marine fibre will make it even more interesting. But how do the rural population stand to benefit? On a related issue, I am doing a preliminary research on behalf of DFID on the potential impact of the arrival of the sub-marine fibre on development and would welcome some ideas from the group. It seems to me that many are eagerly awaiting the cable (even calling it a revolution) but there doesn't seem to be much to suggest that the country really stands to gain immensely save for having a larger presence on Facebook:-) Victor (DFID) -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+v-gathara=dfid.gov.uk(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke Sent: 17 February 2009 12:00 To: Victor Gathara Subject: kictanet Digest, Vol 21, Issue 33 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: Orange/Telkom slash internet costs by 40pc (Judy Okite) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:40:02 +0300 From: Judy Okite <judyokite(a)gmail.com> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Orange/Telkom slash internet costs by 40pc To: jwalu(a)yahoo.com Cc: KICTAnet KICTAnet <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Message-ID: <45098e8f0902160240o35021145g84c5395cb48fa86e(a)mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 As we celebrate this,WE as consumers need to tread very carefully, lets not forget that cheap can be very expensive....with Telkom's...per minute billing...their speed...is 126Kbps....how much will it cost you to download 100MB? Lets watch the games unfold :-), and be wise. Kind Regards, On 2/13/09, John Walubengo <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > I am indeed watching the Orange space with their new internet tariff > offerings. Whereas Safcom&Zain are charging per downloaded MB > (data-centric charges), Orange_TKL throws in a totally new dimension > i.e. non-data based tariff which time-based. That is per minute > billing irrespective of your data volumes. > > I think things are going to start heating up even before the fiber > lands...reminds me of the original mobile tariff battles that were > between the 'per minute' visa viz 'per second' billing models. > > I can only say - let the games begin and may the best team win. > > walu. > > > --- On Fri, 2/13/09, Alex Gakuru <gakuru(a)gmail.com> wrote: > >> From: Alex Gakuru <gakuru(a)gmail.com> >> Subject: [ke-internetusers] Orange/Telkom slash internet costs by >> 40pc >> To: "ke-users" <ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net> >> Date: Friday, February 13, 2009, 10:50 AM A thank you to >> Orange/Telkom for solving three problems, while making money:- >> >> 1) lowering communications costs for consumers( ICT Consumer >> Association of Kenya opposes all tariffs increases, welcomes all >> reductions) >> >> 2) addressing longstanding "office-hours-only" >> internet problem >> (attached Kenya Internet Exchange Point "graph 3" >> proves it). >> >> 3) Universal Access-all of Kenya's internet is/has been 80 per cent >> only used in "affluent" Nairobi (CCK Internet Market Study) >> >> Alex >> ------excerpt-- >> [Daily Nation] >> Orange slashes its internet access fees EVANS NYABIAGE February 12 >> 2009 >> >> It will now be cheaper to use the internet after Telkom Kenya slashed >> its access fees through the Orange network by 40 per cent. >> >> The new rates mean that one can browse for Sh1 per minute. >> >> "With equipment cost of Sh3,500 for the plug-and-play modem and >> browsing charges for Sh1 per minute during off peak hours (7pm-7am), >> universally affordable internet access for Kenyans in rural and urban >> areas is now a reality," said Telkom Kenya head of marketing and >> strategy Jean-Michel Chanut. >> >> The revamped internet service is a pay-as-you-go one that comes with >> a modem, a data-enabled RUIM card (Removable User Identity Module), >> Sh50 bonus airtime on activation and a step-by-step set-up guide. >> >> Subscribers will be able to top-up upon purchase of Telkom prepaid >> and VoIP top up cards. >> >> A government move in the 2008/2009 budget to scrap import tax on >> telecom equipment such as mobile phones and those required for >> putting up base stations, has resulted in cut-throat competition in >> the industry. >> >> <http://www.nation.co.ke/business/news/-/1006/529474/-/j2b57fz/-/> >> _______________________________________________ >> ke-internetusers mailing list >> ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net >> http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: judyokite(a)gmail.com Unsubscribe or change > your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/judyokite%40gmail > .com > -- "Each of us is great insofar as we perceive and act on the infinite possibilities which lie undiscovered and unrecognized about us." James Harvey Robinson ------------------------------ _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet End of kictanet Digest, Vol 21, Issue 33 **************************************** ________________________________________________________________________ This e-mail has been scanned for all viruses by Star. The service is powered by MessageLabs. For more information on a proactive anti-virus service working around the clock, around the globe, visit: http://www.star.net.uk ________________________________________________________________________ DFID, the Department for International Development: leading the British Government's fight against world poverty. Find out more about the major global poverty challenges and get the facts on what DFID is doing to fight them: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/aboutdfid/howwefightpoverty.asp. Subscribe to our e-bulletin: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/feedback ______________________________________________________________________ This e-mail has been scanned for all viruses by Peapod. The service is powered by MessageLabs. For more information on a proactive anti-virus service working around the clock, around the globe, visit: http://www.peapod.co.uk/cleanmail

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Re: [kictanet] Orange/Telkom slash internet costs by 40pc
by John Walubengo 16 Feb '09

16 Feb '09

I am indeed watching the Orange space with their new internet tariff offerings. Whereas Safcom&Zain are charging per downloaded MB (data-centric charges), Orange_TKL throws in a totally new dimension i.e. non-data based tariff which time-based. That is per minute billing irrespective of your data volumes. I think things are going to start heating up even before the fiber lands...reminds me of the original mobile tariff battles that were between the 'per minute' visa viz 'per second' billing models. I can only say - let the games begin and may the best team win. walu. --- On Fri, 2/13/09, Alex Gakuru <gakuru(a)gmail.com> wrote: > From: Alex Gakuru <gakuru(a)gmail.com> > Subject: [ke-internetusers] Orange/Telkom slash internet costs by 40pc > To: "ke-users" <ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net> > Date: Friday, February 13, 2009, 10:50 AM > A thank you to Orange/Telkom for solving three problems, > while making money:- > > 1) lowering communications costs for consumers( ICT > Consumer > Association of Kenya opposes all tariffs increases, > welcomes all > reductions) > > 2) addressing longstanding "office-hours-only" > internet problem > (attached Kenya Internet Exchange Point "graph 3" > proves it). > > 3) Universal Access-all of Kenya's internet is/has been > 80 per cent > only used in "affluent" Nairobi (CCK Internet > Market Study) > > Alex > ------excerpt-- > [Daily Nation] > Orange slashes its internet access fees > EVANS NYABIAGE > February 12 2009 > > It will now be cheaper to use the internet after Telkom > Kenya slashed > its access fees through the Orange network by 40 per cent. > > The new rates mean that one can browse for Sh1 per minute. > > "With equipment cost of Sh3,500 for the plug-and-play > modem and > browsing charges for Sh1 per minute during off peak hours > (7pm-7am), > universally affordable internet access for Kenyans in rural > and urban > areas is now a reality," said Telkom Kenya head of > marketing and > strategy Jean-Michel Chanut. > > The revamped internet service is a pay-as-you-go one that > comes with a > modem, a data-enabled RUIM card (Removable User Identity > Module), Sh50 > bonus airtime on activation and a step-by-step set-up > guide. > > Subscribers will be able to top-up upon purchase of Telkom > prepaid and > VoIP top up cards. > > A government move in the 2008/2009 budget to scrap import > tax on > telecom equipment such as mobile phones and those required > for putting > up base stations, has resulted in cut-throat competition in > the > industry. > > <http://www.nation.co.ke/business/news/-/1006/529474/-/j2b57fz/-/> > _______________________________________________ > ke-internetusers mailing list > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers

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Microsoft Collaborates With Industry to Disrupt Conficker Worm
by alice 13 Feb '09

13 Feb '09

http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-12feb09-en.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Microsoft Collaborates With Industry to Disrupt Conficker Worm 12 February 2009 Today, Microsoft announced a partnership with technology industry leaders and academia to implement a coordinated, global response to the Conficker (aka Downadup) worm. Together with security researchers, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), and operators within the Domain Name System, Microsoft coordinated a response designed to disable domains targeted by Conficker. Microsoft also announced a $250,000 reward for information that results in the arrest and conviction of those responsible for illegally launching the Conficker malicious code on the Internet. "As part of Microsoft's ongoing security efforts, we constantly look for ways to use a diverse set of tools and develop methodologies to protect our customers," said George Stathakopoulos, general manager of the Trustworthy Computing Group at Microsoft. "By combining our expertise with that of the broader community we can expand the boundaries of defense to better protect people worldwide." As cyberthreats have rapidly evolved, a greater level of industry coordination and new tactics for communication and threat mitigation are required. To optimize the multiple initiatives being employed across the security industry and within academia, Microsoft helped unify these broad efforts to implement a community-based defense to disrupt the spread of Conficker. Along with Microsoft, organizations involved in this collaborative effort include ICANN, NeuStar, VeriSign, CNNIC, Afilias, Public Internet Registry, Global Domains International Inc., M1D Global, AOL, Symantec, F-Secure, ISC, researchers from Georgia Tech, the Shadowserver Foundation, Arbor Networks and Support Intelligence. "The best way to defeat potential botnets like Conficker/Downadup is by the security and Domain Name System communities working together," said Greg Rattray, chief Internet security advisor at ICANN. "ICANN represents a community that's all about coordinating those kinds of efforts to keep the Internet globally secure and stable." "Microsoft's approach combines technology innovation and effective cross-sector partnerships to help protect people from cybercriminals," Stathakopoulos said. "We hope these efforts help to contain the threat posed by Conficker, as well as hold those who illegally launch malware accountable." More information about how to protect yourself from Conficker can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/conficker. Customers interested in learning more about staying safe online can visit http://www.microsoft.com/protect. Microsoft's reward offer stems from the company's recognition that the Conficker worm is a criminal attack. Microsoft wants to help the authorities catch the criminals responsible for it. Residents of any country are eligible for the reward, according to the laws of that country, because Internet viruses affect the Internet community worldwide. Individuals with information about the Conficker worm should contact their international law enforcement agencies. *About ICANN: * ICANN is responsible for the global coordination of the Internet's system of unique identifiers like domain names (like .org, .museum and country codes like .uk) and the addresses used in a variety of Internet protocols that help computers reach each other over the Internet. Careful management of these resources is vital to the Internet's operation, so ICANN's global stakeholders meet regularly to develop policies that ensure the Internet's ongoing security and stability. ICANN is an internationally organized, public benefit non-profit company. For more information please visit: www.icann.org <http://www.icann.org/>. *Media Contacts: * ICANN: press(a)icann.org <mailto:[email protected]> International: Andrew Robertson Edelman (London) Phone: +44 7921 588 770 Email: andrew.robertson(a)edelman.com <mailto:[email protected]> _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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New Health-Related Blogging Campaign Starts February 14th: Please Join Us!
by Janet Feldman 13 Feb '09

13 Feb '09

Dear All, I'm posting this info here (below) because we have a number of Kenyan and African project partners in Global Voices and Rising Voices, including the youth development nonprofit REPACTED (www.repacted.org) and our chat moderators, Serina Kalande and Daudi Were. We have found some highly valuable Kenyan blogs about HIV/AIDS, and would love to find more such blogs and bloggers in Kenya and Africa. Please be in touch with any information or interest in this project! Thanks and best blogging wishes, Janet Dear Friends, This Valentine's Day (February 14), Global Voices--a leading participatory media news room for voices from the developing world--will be launching a campaign called "Teach Someone You Love to Blog or Micro-Blog." Please participate in this exciting project by following the simple steps on this post: http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/02/11/on-valentines-teach-someone-you-lo… Global Voices and its outreach arm, Rising Voices, are at the forefront of citizen-journalism activities related to issues such as health, development, and ICTs. This "teach-in" marks the start of a series of health-related activities specifically focusing on HIV/AIDS. A "Blogging Positively Guide," now in the works, will provide valuable advice on how to blog to address HIV/AIDS issues. We are looking for help to create the Guide and/or to give feedback, so those interested in or already blogging about the pandemic are encouraged to participate. People living with or affected by HIV/AIDS are especially encouraged to become involved. A global interactive map--with entries about HIV/AIDS-related blogs and bloggers who write on that theme--is being created, and we hope you will send information to add to our growing list! A "Blogging Positively" chat, intended as an ongoing discussion about blogging to address HIV/AIDS, is scheduled for February 27, 2009 at the following times: 9 a.m. New York, 2 p.m. London, 5 p.m. Nairobi. This chat will build on the insights shared during the highly successful World AIDS Day chat, held on December 3, 2008. The chat will be held at www.worknets.org/chat. There may be several chatrooms available for different languages. Login using your name and elect the room you want to join by clicking "enter." Once in the room, select a font color on the left side of the screen, then join the chat. For more information, visit the Rising Voices website and join the Blogging Positively forum. To contact someone involved in the Blogging Positively project, email Janet Feldman (Blogging Positively Guide Coordinator), Juhie Bhatia (Global Voices Public Health Editor), Solana Larsen (Global Voices Managing Editor). To contact the chat moderators, write to Serina Kalande (serina.kalande(a)gmail.com) and/or Daudi Were (daudi.were(a)gmail.com)

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Recruitment for ICANN Leadership Positions: 2009 Nominating Committee]
by alice 13 Feb '09

13 Feb '09

http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-12feb09-en.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Recruitment for ICANN Leadership Positions: 2009 Nominating Committee 12 February 2009 The 2009 Nominating Committee began its work in November 2008 following the ICANN Annual Meeting in Cairo, Egypt, and is actively seeking qualified candidates for the following key positions within ICANN: * Three members of the ICANN Board of Directors * Three members of the At Large Advisory Committee (for the African, Asia/Australia/Pacific, and Latin American regions) * Two members of the Council of the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) * One member of the Council of the Country-Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) * Those selected by the Nom Com will take their seats at the end of the 2009 ICANN Annual Meeting, 30 October 2009 in Seoul, Korea. * The Nom Com will be conducting a workshop and other outreach activities during the At Large Summit and the ICANN meeting in Mexico City (28 February - 6 March 2009), see http://mex.icann.org/ for more information. The people selected by the Nominating Committee will have a unique opportunity to work with accomplished colleagues from around the globe, address intriguing technical coordination problems and related policy development challenges with diverse functional, cultural, and geographic dimensions, and gain valuable insights and experience from working across these boundaries of knowledge, responsibility and perspective. Information on applying is available at http://nomcom.icann.org/. Prospective candidates are invited to submit their Statements of Interest to the Nominating Committee by 15 April 2009 23:59 UTC. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Sign up for ICANN's Monthly Magazine <http://www.icann.org/magazine/>* _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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Re: [kictanet] [PubSoft] Obama, free software and open standards
by Gakuru Alex 13 Feb '09

13 Feb '09

What of GoK? Alex > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: S. Kritikos > Date: Fri, Feb 13, 2009 at 12:08 AM > Subject: [PubSoft] Obama, free software and open standards > To: PubSoft Mailing List <pubsoft(a)elists.isoc.org> > > > > Folks, a couple of short articles: > > Calls for open source government > http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7841486.stm > > Short article on Linux Mag - Jan 21: "Co-founder and former CEO of > SunMicrosystems, Scott McNealy revealed to the BBC this week that > he had been tapped by the Obama administration to write a paper > on the benefits to the government of using open source." > > Additional links on the new admin: > > President Obama: Good for Open Source? > http://www.linux-mag.com/cache/7232/1.html > > sk > > _______________________________________________ > PubSoft(a)elists.isoc.org > http://elists.isoc.org/mailman/listinfo/pubsoft >

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Fwd: Press Release ::: WSYA ::: Final Call for Registration
by Gakiria 12 Feb '09

12 Feb '09

Dear All, Kindly circulate to your networks. Regards Andrew Gakiria KeLC ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Angelika Spraider <spraider(a)icnm.net> Date: Wed, Feb 11, 2009 at 4:14 PM Subject: Press Release ::: WSYA ::: Final Call for Registration To: undisclosed-recipients Dear Friends of the WSA Youth Award, The World Summit Youth Award's deadline for entries, February 28th, 2009, is approaching. Web and mobile pioneers addressing the UN Millennium Development Goals are invited to participate in the global competition. So far there 450 projects have been submitted - let's make it at least a 500! Therefore, I would like to ask you to distribute information within your network and to your local media as soon as possible. Thank you very much for your help in this matter. Best regards, Angelika & the WSYA Team -- Angelika Spraider World Summit Award ICNM - International Center for New Media Moosstrasse 43a 5020 Salzburg Austria Tel: +43 662 63 04 08-32 Fax: +43 662 63 04 08-22 www.icnm.net * www.wsis-award.org * www.youthaward.org ----------------------------------------------------------- ZVR-Zahl 361 985 748 Please consider the environment before printing this email! -- Gakiria Andrew Coordinator Kenya eLearning Centre Nairobi, KENYA

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Re: [kictanet] Hacked password list offers security insights
by James Kagwe 11 Feb '09

11 Feb '09

When you consider the way these passwords are usually stored (sometimes on simple MSAcces databases or other databases without encrypting the password field) by the website designers on some of these websites. I agree it is very wise not to put serious passwords on such websites as they do not serve their purpose anyway. I personally use very weak passwords on such websites too. Let them hack an e-banking website then rewrite the story. The statistics will make more sense then. ________________________________ From: kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Odhiambo Washington Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 8:19 AM To: James Kagwe Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] Hacked password list offers security insights On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 1:27 AM, Evans Kahuthu <ekahuthu(a)comtechltd.co.ke> wrote: Recently a niche programming-oriented website called phpbb.com had its user database hacked into and the passwords for 20,000 members stolen. The hacker who broke in then posted the account info and passwords online for the world to see. And while this is really bad news for those 20,000 unlucky souls, it offers an instructive lesson on password security <http://www.darkreading.com/blog/archives/2009/02/phpbb_password.html> for the rest of us. InformationWeek analyzed the hacked password list and found a number of interesting trends in the data, primarily revolving around the fact that most people do exactly what they've been told not to do since passwords were first invented. Author/analyst Robert Graham has tons of analysis on offer. I'm ordering my favorite/most enlightening data points from the piece here, starting with the most interesting. On thing to remember: These passwords are from a group of people interested in computer programming, so if anyone should know better, it's these guys. > The most popular password (3.03% of the 20,000) was "123456." It's also generally considered the most common password used today <http://www.whatsmypass.com/?p=415> . > 4 percent used some variant of the word "password." Seriously, people, there's no excuse for this one. "password" was the 2nd most popular password used, also in keeping with historical trends. > 16 percent of passwords were a person's first name. No word on if it was their first name, but someone's. Joshua is the most commonly used first-name password, a likely reference to the movie WarGames. > Patterns abound. In addition to "123456," other pattens like "12345, "qwerty," and "abc123" were common, comprising 14 percent of the passwords used. > 35 percent of passwords were six characters long. 0.34 percent were only one character long. > For reasons no one can explain, "dragon," "master," and "killer" all crack the top 20 passwords. (On the top 500 password list linked above, "dragon" is #7.) > One thing Graham doesn't discuss is that phpbb.com is really just a message board, and many users may simply have not cared about the security of their passwords here (unlike, say, with a bank account). In other words, they may very well have intentionally chosen something simplistic here to avoid re-using a password they save for an important login, just in case this site got hacked. Which, it turns out, it did. I could go on, but Graham's post has way more detail than I can digest here and it's easy-reading too. Worth a close look for any citizen of the web. Personally, I believe noone really cares about the strength (or lack of) the passwords they use on community sites. To start with, there is a stage in the registration process into such sites (or Bulletin Boards if you may call them) which warns you NOT TO USE any of your sensitive passwords that you use elsewhere. Given that noone really stores any sensitive material on such sites it's not uncommon to simply use 123456 (because the registration system insists on your password having at least six characters) or something like "letmein". I don't believe it was "really bad news for the 20,000 unlucky souls" at all. Rather, the lesson to be learn here, IMHO, is by those souls deploying systems that are accessible to the hostile Internet to take seriously security considerations for those systems. -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "The only time a woman really succeeds in changing a man is when he is a baby." - Natalie Wood

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Church service Late Dr Juma
by Andrew Limo 11 Feb '09

11 Feb '09

Dear all, There will be a funeral service 10am tommorow Thurs 12th at St Paul Chapel, Nairobi, for our late brother Dr Juma Okech (ICT Secretary, Directorate of e-Government). Thank you all for your prayers and support. Andrew

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BungeSMS com added you as a connection on Plaxo
by BungeSMS com 10 Feb '09

10 Feb '09

Hi Policy, BungeSMS com wants to add you as a connection on Plaxo. To accept this connection request, go to: http://www.plaxo.com/invite?i=59901184&k=1839213572&l=en&src=email&et=1&est… Thanks! The Plaxo team More than 20 million people use Plaxo to keep in touch with the people they care about. Don't want to receive emails from Plaxo any more? Go to: http://www.plaxo.com/stop?src=email&et=1&est=nolevels&etv=nnic1b2&el=en&ema…

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Obama and Cybersecurity
by alice 10 Feb '09

10 Feb '09

FYI http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/09/AR200902090… best alice

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Capital Mobile Radio Drive Winners
by Patrick Mburu 10 Feb '09

10 Feb '09

Congratulations to the Capital Mobile Morning Drive winners so Far! There's a lot of prizes to be won! Listen in on Capital FM Radio: 98.4 or listen on the web: www.capitalfm.co.ke in between 7am and 9am and participate in a chance to win: - 2 nights for 2 Flying package Holiday in the Mara Intrepid (Courtesy: Heritage Hotel's and Safari Link) - 2 nights for 2 at the Leopard Beach Resort (Courtesy: Leopard Beach Resort & Uzuri Spa and Fitness Forest!) - Free breakfasts and lunches at exclusive restaurants in Nairobi And Much Much More....! www.capitalmobile.co.ke/mobile Want a chance to win.. listen in the morning for a get your prize 98.4 Capital FM

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[Fwd: [IGP Announce] Internet Governance Project Headlines]
by lillian＠cipesa.org 10 Feb '09

10 Feb '09

Apologies for cross posting! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 09, 2009 A Field Guide to the ICANN Reforms EU posts online consultation results on "Internet of Things" Cyber-security for people? Or nations? Shareholder groups push ISPs for transparency on DPI use Search Internet Governance Project Headlines ________________________________________________________ * A Field Guide to the ICANN Reforms - http://feedblitz.com/r.asp?l=38133930&f=175425&u=11399282 Important changes are taking place in ICANNâs representational structures. They are the most sweeping changes in ICANN since the so-called âevolution and reformâ process of 2001-2. The new changes will directly affect opportunities for people to participate in ICANN â hopefully in a more positive way. Indeed, there are some (potentially) good things about the planned reforms, such as a more balanced representation of commercial and noncommercial users and more flexible working group structures. But there are also serious problems and dangers in this effort. That is why the Internet Governance Project is initiating a series of blogs explaining and analyzing the structural changes underway in ICANN. If you think reading about this topic is about as appealing as getting a tetanus shot, we sympathize, and promise to make it as lively and interesting as possible. At the very least, we guarantee that reading this unfolding report will be more pleasurable than reading the 23 different ICANN staff reports, 5-6 Board resolutions, months of Council minutes and multiple email lists you would have to monitor to piece it all together for yourself. Email to a friend Article Search - http://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?Search=175425;9995717;Main Page;A Field Guide to the ICANN Reforms;1047081 * EU posts online consultation results on "Internet of Things" - http://feedblitz.com/r.asp?l=38108085&f=175425&u=11399282 Europe is very interested in the Internet of the future, having ceded to the United States so much of the standards and governance of the Internet of the past. A September 29, 2008 European Union staff working paper, âEarly Challenges to the Internet of Things,â shot some policy concerns across the bow. How should the IoT be regulated? EU seemed especially concerned about the apparent linkage between the Object Naming System (ONS) used by EPC Global (contracting with VeriSign) and the U.S.-controlled DNS root. Comment upon and responses to this staff paper are now posted online. If you are interested in the evolution of thinking about IoT a look through these comments might be rewarding. Email to a friend Article Search - http://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?Search=175425;9995717;Main Page;EU posts online consultation results on "Internet of Things";1047081 * Cyber-security for people? Or nations? - http://feedblitz.com/r.asp?l=38066197&f=175425&u=11399282 The Internet is organized around âautonomous systemsâ -- independently managed networks most of which are privately owned or, if public, managed at the agency or department level. The current institutional structure for public governance, on the other hand, is organized around nation-states. That disjunction encourages some actors to construct Internet security as a national security issue. Political claims that invoke ânational securityâ can inflate budgets and provide for more effective political mobilization within bureaucracies and the political class. A recent report from a "Commission on Cyberspace Security for the 44th Presidency" assembled by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington DC-based think tank with longstanding roots in Cold War dialogue, exemplifies this problem. Written late in 2008, it urged the incoming President to proclaim that âcyberspace is a vital asset for the nation andâ¦the United States will protect it using all instruments of national power.â This is a fundamentally misguided approach; this post explains why. Email to a friend Article Search - http://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?Search=175425;9995717;Main Page;Cyber-security for people? Or nations?;1047081 * Shareholder groups push ISPs for transparency on DPI use - http://feedblitz.com/r.asp?l=38031216&f=175425&u=11399282 A coalition of investors have filed shareholder resolutions with 10 major U.S. Internet service providers, urging their corporate boards to report on the impact of the companiesâ use of deep packet inspection for Internet network management on the freedom of expression and privacy of their customers. The effort was organized by the Open Media and Information Companies initiative (OpenMIC). A spokesperson for one of the investor groups, Farnum Brown of Trillium Asset Management, said: "These companies have responded to the challenges of managing the Internet in a patchwork, ad hoc fashion. In so doing they've failed to notice the profound social policy issues they've unwittingly engaged. Americans are concerned about how their use of the Internet is monitored. They're concerned about whether their privacy and freedom of expression are respected by the companies that manage the Internet. We as shareholders believe it is in these companies' best business interests to respond to those concerns." Email to a friend Article Search - http://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?Search=175425;9995717;Main Page;Shareholder groups push ISPs for transparency on DPI use;1047081 ________________________________________________________ Unsubscribe from all current and future newsletters powered by FeedBlitz - http://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?EmailRemove=_MTEzOTkyODJ8fGxpbGxpYW5AY2lwZ…

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Re: [kictanet] SPAM-LOW: Re: Hacked password list offers security insights
by Evans Kahuthu 10 Feb '09

10 Feb '09

Washington, I completely agree with you on users not caring about their passwords on community websites. Unfortunately, when it comes to social networking web sites, people tell all -- who they are, what they like to do and what's happening at that exact moment. Consequently, with this weak passwords, hackers "hijack" their profiles and go after internet contacts. This is one of the newest scams to hit the internet. Hackers somehow take over users pages and pose as them online. Case in point, "Facebook user Bryan Rutberg of Seattle, Wash., had his profile hacked into by someone who changed his status to: "Bryan Rutberg NEEDS HELP URGENTLY!" Many friends immediately responded to the status change wanting to know what had happened to him. One friend, Beny Rubenstein, got a direct message from Rutberg saying he had been robbed at gunpoint while in England and was in desperate need of cash in order to get home. Being a good (but dumb) person, he wired his thought-to-be troubled friend $1,143 in two installments, only to find out Rutberg was sitting home safely in Seattle. Rubenstein told CNN that he misses the money he lost, but feels worse about being tricked by someone impersonating his friend on the Web site." Evans Kahuthu ---------------------------------------- From: Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo(a)gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 8:26 AM To: ekahuthu(a)comtechltd.co.ke Subject: SPAM-LOW: Re: [kictanet] Hacked password list offers security insights On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 1:27 AM, Evans Kahuthu <ekahuthu(a)comtechltd.co.ke> wrote: Recently a niche programming-oriented website called phpbb.com had its user database hacked into and the passwords for 20,000 members stolen. The hacker who broke in then posted the account info and passwords online for the world to see. And while this is really bad news for those 20,000 unlucky souls, it offers an instructive lesson on password security for the rest of us. InformationWeek analyzed the hacked password list and found a number of interesting trends in the data, primarily revolving around the fact that most people do exactly what they've been told not to do since passwords were first invented. Author/analyst Robert Graham has tons of analysis on offer. I'm ordering my favorite/most enlightening data points from the piece here, starting with the most interesting. On thing to remember: These passwords are from a group of people interested in computer programming, so if anyone should know better, it's these guys. > The most popular password (3.03% of the 20,000) was "123456." It's also generally considered the most common password used today . > 4 percent used some variant of the word "password." Seriously, people, there's no excuse for this one. "password" was the 2nd most popular password used, also in keeping with historical trends. > 16 percent of passwords were a person's first name. No word on if it was their first name, but someone's. Joshua is the most commonly used first-name password, a likely reference to the movie WarGames. > Patterns abound. In addition to "123456," other pattens like "12345, "qwerty," and "abc123" were common, comprising 14 percent of the passwords used. > 35 percent of passwords were six characters long. 0.34 percent were only one character long. > For reasons no one can explain, "dragon," "master," and "killer" all crack the top 20 passwords. (On the top 500 password list linked above, "dragon" is #7.) > One thing Graham doesn't discuss is that phpbb.com is really just a message board, and many users may simply have not cared about the security of their passwords here (unlike, say, with a bank account). In other words, they may very well have intentionally chosen something simplistic here to avoid re-using a password they save for an important login, just in case this site got hacked. Which, it turns out, it did. I could go on, but Graham's post has way more detail than I can digest here and it's easy-reading too. Worth a close look for any citizen of the web. Personally, I believe noone really cares about the strength (or lack of) the passwords they use on community sites. To start with, there is a stage in the registration process into such sites (or Bulletin Boards if you may call them) which warns you NOT TO USE any of your sensitive passwords that you use elsewhere. Given that noone really stores any sensitive material on such sites it's not uncommon to simply use 123456 (because the registration system insists on your password having at least six characters) or something like "letmein". I don't believe it was "really bad news for the 20,000 unlucky souls" at all. Rather, the lesson to be learn here, IMHO, is by those souls deploying systems that are accessible to the hostile Internet to take seriously security considerations for those systems. -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "The only time a woman really succeeds in changing a man is when he is a baby." - Natalie Wood

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Hacked password list offers security insights
by Evans Kahuthu 10 Feb '09

10 Feb '09

Recently a niche programming-oriented website called phpbb.com had its user database hacked into and the passwords for 20,000 members stolen. The hacker who broke in then posted the account info and passwords online for the world to see. And while this is really bad news for those 20,000 unlucky souls, it offers an instructive lesson on password security for the rest of us. InformationWeek analyzed the hacked password list and found a number of interesting trends in the data, primarily revolving around the fact that most people do exactly what they've been told not to do since passwords were first invented. Author/analyst Robert Graham has tons of analysis on offer. I'm ordering my favorite/most enlightening data points from the piece here, starting with the most interesting. On thing to remember: These passwords are from a group of people interested in computer programming, so if anyone should know better, it's these guys. > The most popular password (3.03% of the 20,000) was "123456." It's also generally considered the most common password used today . > 4 percent used some variant of the word "password." Seriously, people, there's no excuse for this one. "password" was the 2nd most popular password used, also in keeping with historical trends. > 16 percent of passwords were a person's first name. No word on if it was their first name, but someone's. Joshua is the most commonly used first-name password, a likely reference to the movie WarGames. > Patterns abound. In addition to "123456," other pattens like "12345, "qwerty," and "abc123" were common, comprising 14 percent of the passwords used. > 35 percent of passwords were six characters long. 0.34 percent were only one character long. > For reasons no one can explain, "dragon," "master," and "killer" all crack the top 20 passwords. (On the top 500 password list linked above, "dragon" is #7.) > One thing Graham doesn't discuss is that phpbb.com is really just a message board, and many users may simply have not cared about the security of their passwords here (unlike, say, with a bank account). In other words, they may very well have intentionally chosen something simplistic here to avoid re-using a password they save for an important login, just in case this site got hacked. Which, it turns out, it did. I could go on, but Graham's post has way more detail than I can digest here and it's easy-reading too. Worth a close look for any citizen of the web. Evans Kahuthu

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[Fwd: [APC Forum] APC job vacancy: Assistant to the executive director and grant administrator]
by alice 09 Feb '09

09 Feb '09

Please help us circulate. Thank you! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- APC job vacancy: Assistant to the executive director and grant administrator The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) is a global network of civil society organisations whose mission is to empower and support organisations, social movements and individuals in and through the use of information and communication technologies to build strategic communities and initiatives for the purpose of making meaningful contributions to equitable human development, social justice, participatory political processes and environmental sustainability. www.apc.org The APC is looking for an Assistant to the Executive Director/Grants Administrator. Application deadline: 20 February 2009 Start date: Immediately DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Grant administration * Research and track funding opportunities * Coordination submission of proposals and following up subsequent to submission * Prepare and maintain appropriate materials that need to accompany proposals * Coordinate receipt, signing and filing of donor/client agreements * Manage the APC donor reporting calendar and notify relevant staff members of upcoming deadlines and ensure that completed reports are filed in the appropriate online spaces * Liaise with donors in submitting reports, providing updates, etc. * Ensure that donor contact information is kept up to date and is reflected on APC’s online project management space and on APC.org * Provide overall support to the management team in ensuring effective relationships with APC’s donor partners. Assistance to the Executive Director * Assistance with correspondence, scheduling, and travel arrangements, and expense reimbursements * Compile and draft reports, procedures, and other internal documents * Take minutes of board and staff meetings as needed * Provide administrative support to the board of directors’ activities * Assist in the maintenance of internal calendars in collaboration with the Network Development team * Assist with event follow-up (minutes, reports, and other documentation) Coordination of consultants’ contracts * Liaise with staff members and consultants in order to acquire all relevant contract information and finalise consultants’ contracts and distribute to relevant staff and consultants for approval * Distribute approved contracts to consultants and relevant staff members * Receive signed consultant and staff contracts by email, fax, and mail, and file them online and in paper files in the APC office * Notify relevant staff members when consultants have signed their contracts * Ensure that all relevant documents and information are present in the subcontracts database of APC’s online project management space Management of the Executive Director’s office in Johannesburg (if based there) * Answer the telephone, check voice mail, and send and receive faxes, mail, packages and email. * Maintain complete and accurate paper and online filing systems * Order office supplies and arrange payments via the online finance system * Work with APC’s Events and Logistics Coordinator in the planning and coordination of events held in South Africa * Provide other executive and administrative assistance as needed REQUIREMENTS * Higher degree in the social sciences, development studies or a related field (or at least three years professional experience) * Excellent interpersonal and communication skills * Excellent written English * Ability to organise, prioritise and complete tasks in a timely manner without supervision * Experience in information management * Able to work independently and as part of a team * Excellent wordprocessing and internet skills (e.g. online research) * Able to communicate comfortably in written French and/or Spanish ADVANTAGES * Ability to work from executive director’s office in Johannesburg, South Africa * Familiarity with working in networks * Experience working remotely * Experience in working in an international context with ICT-based civil society networks like APC * · Ability to communicate in more than two languages ORGANISATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS The successful applicant will report to the Executive Director and work closely with the Events and Logistics Coordinator, the Network Development Manager, the Finance Manager, the Finance Assistant, and other members of the management team. LOCATION AND WORK CONDITIONS The successful applicant will work in the APC office in Johannesburg, South Africa. However very strong candidates who wish to be considered for the post and work remotely from another country may still apply. Some international travel might be required. APC provides an equipment allowance but requires staff to provide their own laptops. REMUNERATION This is a full time, fixed-term (renewable) contract. Remuneration is based on the APC’s salary scale for the position. Short-listed candidates will receive specific information on the salary range. HOW TO APPLY Send a covering letter and detailed CV (in English), which include the following information: * A description of your interest in working with APC in this position * Your experience related to the job requirements listed above * Experience of working in networks and managing partnerships * People and project management skills * A rating of the languages you speak and write * A description of your computer skills * Work experience in an international context * Online work experience * Other information you think might be of importance to our assessment of your application * Three (3) references: names, relationship and their contact details. Send your application via email, as an attachment, to jobs at apc.org with “Executive Assistant and Grant Administrator” in the subject line. Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Any applications which are incomplete, do not follow the instructions here, received with viruses, or in any language other than English will be automatically disqualified. (END/2009) ======================================= 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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Blogging; Special Report on Business Daily, Opinion?
by Gakuru Alex 09 Feb '09

09 Feb '09

Dear all, I would be very interested in your views of Business Daily's Special Report on blogging: - 1. Blog post revolution hits corporate Kenya <http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12756&Ite…> 2. Blogs command attention of corporate world <http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12755&Ite…> 3. Blogs emerge as avenues for making money< http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12754&Ite…> 4. Companies use online platform to monitor views from the public <http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12753&Ite…> 5. Fibre optic cable to pave way for corporate blogging <http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12752&Ite…> 6. What is likely to compete with the mainstream media? <http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12751&Ite…> Please,,, be generous with your opinion.... regards, Alex

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Senegalese consumers called to boycott mobile phones to protest 2% tax increase on wide range of services
by alice 07 Feb '09

07 Feb '09

(From Balancing Act) Senegalese consumers called to boycott mobile phones to protest 2% tax increase on wide range of services African politicians see the telecoms and Internet sector as the "golden goose" in terms of being able to tax its operators. In various countries a whole raft of different taxes have turned mobile operators into Government’s most effective tax collector. But this week saw the two main Senegalese consumer organisations organise a boycott of services to protest against a 2% tax called RUTEL that falls directly on consumers. Along with all the other taxes they pay (including TVA/VAT), Senegalese consumers are now being asked to stump up an additional 2% across a wide range of telecommunications and Internet services. The tax is called Redevance d’utilisation des telecommunications (RUTEL) and it came into force on 1 February 2009. Law 2008-46 of 3 September 2008 put the tax on the statute book but its introduction has caused widespread anger. So for example, a prepaid mobile kit costs about FCFA2,120 and with TVA/VAT FCFA2,500. With the RUTEL tax on the base price it now costs FCFA2,160, giving a final price to the consumer of FCFA2,550, an increase of FCFA50. The wide range of services the tax has been slapped on includes fixed and mobile services, IP-TV services, dial-up and ADSL subscriptions, recharge cards, international roaming, leased lines and interconnection charges between operators. The latter will have the effect of charging the tax twice over to consumers, providing a real case of "double-dipping", that bears down directly on consumers. The Ministry of Commerce has pointed out that a range of essentials like food and fuel have actually come down in price but its figures have been contested in the discussions taking place on Senegalese blogs. It seems that the announced reductions in price often turn into price rises later. As with TVA/VAT, the operators have been given the responsibility of collecting the tax and as a concession to the operators they are now freed of any taxes or customs duties on the import of mobile and fixed phones. In reaction to this tax raise, Senegal’s two main consumer associations, l'Association des consommateurs du Sénégal (ASCOSEN) and l'Union nationale des consommateurs du Sénégal (UNCS) have called for a boycott of the use of mobile phones today, Friday 6 February 2009. "The Senegalese state has decided, in a unilateral manner, that is peremptory and without justification to raise by more than 2% the cost of telecommunications," the President of ASCOSEN, Momar Ndao told a press conference on Thursday. He estimated that the Government will be taking FCFA33 million a day from consumers’ pockets. The joint plan of action for a boycott has been organised by sending SMS messages to consumers telling them the boycott will take place and calling on them to stop all bill payment, opening new subscriptions, buying credit from 8am to 3pm and stop using their mobile from 1pm to 3pm. One of Senegal’s ICT sector associations, Le Rassemblement des entreprises du secteur des technologies de l'information et des télécommunications (RESTIC) issued a statement saying that it considered the boycott to be "counter-productive and unacceptable." The statement argued that:"Mobile service is not just a commodity for the majority of consumers but a necessity for most of them. This boycott will be a useless trouble to users and leave operators having to make up lost revenue." According to RESTIC, the operators and employers were not involved in the decision to introduce the new tax and operators were already paying up to 3% on turnover as a contribution to the universal service fund Fond National de Développement de Service Universel (FNDSU). Therefore it invited the Government to rethink all taxes placed on operators. There have been two consumer boycotts of mobile phones in Nigeria, the first in 2003 caused a significant dent in operators’ revenues but the second several years later had much less of an impact. There was talk of a similar boycott in South Africa but it never seemed to get off the ground. The complicated way the boycott has been structured in Senegal (with different hours to boycott different services) may also mean that the impact is not as great as its promoters might hope. A similar all inclusive tax was introduced in Ghana in mid-2008. African Governments in the main do not have a strong record of tax collection and have turned mobile operators into their chief tax collectors. The largest proportion of Government revenues comes both from TVA/VAT collected directly from consumers and also the wide range of other taxes they pay the Government. African politicians of all stripes see the telecoms and Internet sectors as a "golden goose" that produces easy money. The contradiction at the heart of this taxation policy is that there is clear evidence that the more you charge consumers for communications services, the less they will use them and the more it cuts out the marginal user who really struggles to pay for these services. President Wade has been one of Africa’s most vocal politicians in calling for the closing of the digital divide. A tax policy of this kind simply widens the divide. For as one Senegalese blogger, Souleymane Jules Diop, wrote yesterday:"It’s not the phone that’s to blame. It’s (President) Abdoulaye Wade whose to blame." Perhaps this boycott will make African politicians think again before they reach out to stroke "the golden goose" for more money.

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Supplement to Launch National BPO Expo Week
by Joseph Ochola 07 Feb '09

07 Feb '09

Dear Collegue, The Kenya BPO & Contact Centre Society will on 31st March 2009, run a supplement on the Launch of the National BPO Expo Week, in the Daily Nation. We would like to take this opportunity to invite you book your adverts in the supplement. This will be an excellent medium to market your products and services. Deadline for advert submission is 17 March, 2009.Expo website:www.bpoweek.co.ke Kindly contact the undersigned for further details. Kind Regards, Joseph Ochola Executive Officer Kenya BPO & Contact Centre Society. Studio House, along Argwings Kodhek road, 2nd floor E-mail: secretariat(a)kenyabposociety.or.ke Website: www.kenyabposociety.or.ke Tel. No. /020-2391301/ 0722-663176/ 0733-917518 _

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Voices of Africa for Sustainable Development is accepting resume for new board members....
by Crystal Watley 07 Feb '09

07 Feb '09

Salama! So what does it take to be a VOA board member? We need to find someone who knows and loves technology and believes that it can be used to build a better Kenya, and if we meet our organization goals, a better Africa. It is important that this board member not be shy to controversy or afraid to speak their mind. It is critical that our new board member is a believer in grassroots democracy. This is a voluntary position and does not have a pay check attached. The reward is knowing that you are contributing to a freer, more open and informed Kenya. Board members are required to make contributions to the organization as they are able and to help fund raise. Board meetings are held online once a month. We require at least a ten hour per week commitment. If you feel you are "the one" to help lead and guide our organization, please send your resume to: crystal(a)voicesofafrica.org. Asante sana. Many blessings, Crystal -- Crystal "Naliaka" Watley Voices of Africa crystal(a)voicesofafrica.org http://www.voicesofafrica.org/ "You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi

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India is planning to produce a laptop computer for the knockdown price of about $20
by P Gitau Githongo 06 Feb '09

06 Feb '09

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ecf1eae2-f092-11dd-972c-0000779fd2ac.html?ftcamp=P opu_story4/NL/CEFeb2009/Cluster_1_pop_4/0/ <http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ecf1eae2-f092-11dd-972c-0000779fd2ac.html?ftcamp= Popu_story4/NL/CEFeb2009/Cluster_1_pop_4/0/&nclick_check=1> &nclick_check=1

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Fwd: ICANN blows $4.6 million in the stock market
by waudo siganga 05 Feb '09

05 Feb '09

Sorry for any cross-postings: Talk of Internet Governance - ICANN has blown US$4.6 million, the equivalent of the amount of 23 million domain registrations, through speculation in the stock markets! .... [1]www.circleid.com/posts/20090203_icann_blows_46_million_stock_m arket/ References 1. file://localhost/tmp/linkstmp/www.circleid.com/posts/20090203_icann_blows_4… We are the change we've been waiting for. - Kenyan-American Barack Hussein Obama

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Kenya Data Networks to introduce advanced news gathering applications for local TV and Radio stations
by alice 05 Feb '09

05 Feb '09

(from Balancing Act) Kenya Data Networks to introduce advanced news gathering applications for local TV and Radio stations Kenya Data Networks is bringing a whole new way of news gathering and dissemination for Local TV and Radio stations that will significantly reduce their operating expenses by up to 30 percent as happened in Latin America, Far East Asia and Europe and raise their quality of service levels for their viewers. Kenya Data Networks aims to achieve this through partnership with Scopus Video Networks which supplies digital technology to the broadcasting industry in the world. The digital technology forms the basis for a new transmission infrastructure that will enable TV and Radio stations - currently using costly satellite equipment for broadcasts – to leverage the lower costs and reliability of content delivery over an IP network. “Ours is a partnership aimed at providing solutions through improved means of reaching out to your consumers in a way that will increase revenues, improve customer retention and minimize your costs’’, said Kenya Data Networks Managing Director, Kai Wulff’ while addressing a gathering of media executives on the new technology. KDN will deploy the technology using the fiber optic cable – a faster, high capacity and less expensive means of communication – to run live broadcasts, allow journalists and even people who have a story to send to do it from their homes and save media houses the trouble of using the costly Outside Broadcasting (OB) vans every other time there is a major event to be reported. The project will also see KDN provide media stations with connectivity to their remote transmitters which will enable them deliver more content on the same bandwidth hence more revenues.

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Death of a dream: Africa’s pay TV challenger GTV runs out of financial road
by alice 05 Feb '09

05 Feb '09

(From Balancing Act) Death of a dream: Africa’s pay TV challenger GTV runs out of financial road Last Friday Gateway Broadcast Services (GTV’s operating company) announced today that its Board of Directors has unanimously approved a plan to liquidate the Company. Its statement blamed “excessive demands on the business” caused by the global financial crisis that “interrupted (its) ability to secure funding on an acceptable timescale and have left us no choice but to cease operations”. Russell Southwood looks at where it all went wrong. To understand how GTV came to be launched, it’s necessary to go right back to the beginning and start with Gateway Communications. Ex-banker Julian McIntyre and his friend Ghanaian-Briton telecoms manager Peter Gbedemah launched the company over ten years ago and worked out of a modest set of offices near Warren Street in London. They were part of a very small group of people outside the continent who could see its potential and sought to provide international wholesale services to ISPs and carriers. Africa wasn’t one of its markets, it was its market. Among other things, McIntyre bought a banker’s instinct for deal and the company thrived on a combination of organic growth and acquisition. Some acquisitions like the company that became its South African subsidiary were a shining success, whilst others like Datatel in Sierra Leone less so. There were ups and downs but the company continued to grow. The turning point came in 2005 when mobile operator Celtel (now Zain) decided to sell a number of its non-core businesses prior to carrying out the IPO that led to its trade sale to MTC. In order to make the deal attractive, Celtel gave a long-term commitment to Gateway Communications as the buyer that it would use it as its wholesale carrier. In a single leap the company had gone from being an interesting challenger to being a significant player: it could now lay claim to around 20-25% of the market for international voice traffic and this would grow to 30% over three years. With the acquisition of Link Africa, the company had an assured stream of business and a positive cash flow. It had become “bankable” on a much larger scale. Faced with this happy circumstance, the question then arose: what can we do next? A number of possibilities were investigated and a decision was taken to enter the Pay-TV market in Africa that was announced publicly in February 2007. Pay-TV in Sub-Saharan Africa was dominated by two large players: Naspers-owned DStv/Multichoice in Anglophone territories and Vivendi’s Canal Plus in Francophone territories. Both had invested significantly in rights and were charging relatively high monthly rates for access to their services. The strategy was two-pronged: firstly, to provide users with lower subscription rates (US$20-35 per month) and secondly, to acquire compelling content to drive that process. Rupert Murdoch has described sports rights as the “battering ram” of successful Pay-TV and Africa is no exception. So in May 2007 GTV announced that it had bought the UK Premiership rights for 40 Sub-Saharan African countries. These countries did not include Nigeria and South Africa that were considered sufficiently large to be sold separately. Although it would not discuss the cost, Nigeria’s Hi-TV spent US$28 million on getting them for Nigeria and GTV’s rights cost US$30 million. Although the Premier League does give some “holiday” on full payment, this kind of gearing meant that GTV had to maximise its income as quickly as possible in order to show new investors some kind pattern of progress towards a cash-positive operation. So it was a sprint from the start as the company launched in 10 countries (East Africa followed by Southern Africa) and sought to establish itself as a continental brand. This sprint for growth was backed by the Swedish group Kinnevik (more of which later) with a US$40 million investment and Citigroup, Noonday Global Management and Avenue Investment Management. McIntyre was supremely confident that GTV would kick down DStv/Multichoice’s front door, get more subscribers than it outside Nigeria and South Africa and move on to compete with Canal Plus in Francophone territories. The Premiership rights almost by themselves would be sufficiently persuasive to get subscribers to switch from the incumbent and that a deeper bouquet could be built as things progressed. In the event, DStv/Multichoice after its initial shock and anger fought back with a range of tactics including a low-cost bouquet. But if competition was good for Pay-TV subscribers, it was less good for GTV’s sprint for growth: the short, sharp campaign which was to have ended in a victory declaration turned into something more like trench warfare. The longer GTV was in a territory, the better it established itself and its impact on the market was that it took more of the new market growth than its competitor: for example in Uganda, it had 20,000 subscribers. However, the number of markets where it was making demonstrable progress was still relatively small in number. Nevertheless it continued to fundraise and look for ways of increasing its market share. Late in 2008 it announced that it would enter Francophone markets to compete with Canal Plus. But by this time, the financial costs of running an operation that had not yet gone into profit were beginning to bear down on the company. Its fundraising efforts were taking place in a financial climate that just got steadily worse. In order to stay upright, it made a decision to sell the “cash cow” Gateway Communications to Vodacom for US$700 million. However, this was clearly a sign of desperation as things began to unravel. On the 7th of January 2009, Kinnevik announced that it had sold its stake $23.6 million, a return 1.8 times the amount invested in May 2007. How do you sell a stake in a loss-making company and make that rate of return? (Kinnevik is owner of the MTG Group which runs Pay TV operations in 24 European countries. On 7 January 2009 it launched Viasat 1, a new Free-To-Air channel in Ghana. It was also rumoured to have expressed interest in becoming a shareholder in new South African Pay TV player, OnDigital Well reading between some of the fairly clear lines of the different players, the investment that GTV had obtained from different companies was underwritten by its ownership of the profitable Gateway Communications. Once that was sold, investors probably had agreements that allowed them to claim back their investment. A loss-making bank like Citigroup would doubtless also want to exit in order to retrieve whatever funding it could at this stage. Therefore the plan to sell to Canal Plus can be read as a last desperate throw of the dice before facing the inevitable. Why did GTV fail? Not all of the blame can be laid at the door of the current financial crisis for there are other reasons: * The “battering ram” of football rights alone was not enough to get DStv/Multichoice customers to peel off quickly enough. GTV started with 12 channels and DStv/Multichoice had 70 video channels and 40 audio channels. Customers might want the Premiership matches but other family members still missed content on its competitor’s bouquets. Indeed, there was some resentment from customers in countries where GTV had not launched about their inability to get their favourite games. * The sprint for growth strategy was not helped by the lead times needed to deliver set-top boxes. In the early stages, there was a shortage of boxes and it took three months for them to get from the manufacturer to the market. Supply problems of this kind were ironed out but there was a period when there was more demand than supply could meet. * But these reasons pale into insignificance alongside the biggest reason of all. Wherever you are globally, Pay-TV is a deep pocket business. It should not be forgotten that making a success of BSKyB almost unseated Rupert Murdoch. The extremely expensive core rights that will make a success of the business have to be repurchased every three years and thus far they have only ever gone up in value. So now that GTV is no more what will happen to the UK Premiership rights? DStv has secured the licence to show the Barclays Premier League Live Package A and will be showing these matches on SuperSport from this weekend. SuperSport already held both Live Package A & B rights for South Africa and Live Package B rights for the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa and with this deal has now secured all Premier League live rights for the remainder of the 2008/2009 season and for the whole of next season. The Nigerian rights are still held by Hi-TV. So where does this leave competition in the Pay-TV market? In the short-term, competition is not in good shape. There are regional players like TV Cabo in the Lusophone markets and Hi-TV in Nigeria. The latter claims 195,000 “activations” with some smaller number actually as paying subscribers. Others like Orange and Wananchi are reliant upon sub-licensing deals from existing rights holders which will mean that the existing large players will have considerable influence. The shame is that GTV’s presence in the market energised individual markets and attracted investor interest in the broadcast sector. It is to be hoped that the pioneers get the arrows and later settlers will get some of the land. But sadly in the short-term, GTV’s passing can only undermine the slowly building credibility of Africa’s broadcast market. CALL FOR PAPERS – 2nd AFRICAN BROADCAST, FILM AND CONVERGENCE CONFERENCE (23-25 NOVEMBER 2009), ABUJA This is an early call for papers to be presented at the 2nd African Broadcast, Film and Convergence Conference taking place 23-25 November 2009. If you wish to present a paper at this conference, please send a short outline of your proposed topic to Russell Southwood, Balancing Act who is responsible for putting the programme together: info(a)balancingact-africa.com

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