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Broadcasting Treaty: Council of Europe Picks Up Where WIPO Left Off
by Alex Gakuru 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

******************************************************************************************************** December 10, 2007. Broadcasting Treaty: Council of Europe Picks Up Where WIPO Left Off By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch The Council of Europe is deliberating on whether to negotiate a convention to protect broadcasters' signals against piracy and thereby take up the issue from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) where negotiations on a proposed broadcasting treaty came to a standstill earlier this year. The Councils decision to proceed depends on approval by its Committee of Ministers. The Council of Europe, based in Strasbourg, France, predated and includes the European Union. Link to the article: http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/index.php?p=864 ____________________________________________________________________________________ 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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Fw: KICTANET COMPETENCE STATUS SURVERY RPT
by Rebecca Wanjiku 13 Dec '07

13 Dec '07

Here is the report prepared by the lead consultant during KICTANet's institutional assessment. kindly read it and forward your response. best regards, becky ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

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Re: [kictanet] NSIS website hacked?
by James Kagwe 11 Dec '07

11 Dec '07

A dig reveals this; ; <<>> DiG 9.3.2 <<>> nsis.go.ke any ;; global options: printcmd ;; Got answer: ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 76 ;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 5, AUTHORITY: 2, ADDITIONAL: 5 ;; QUESTION SECTION: ;nsis.go.ke. IN ANY ;; ANSWER SECTION: nsis.go.ke. 38172 IN MX 10 mta.wananchi.com. nsis.go.ke. 38172 IN MX 20 mail.wananchi.com. nsis.go.ke. 29891 IN A 62.8.88.6 nsis.go.ke. 17830 IN NS dns2.wananchi.com. nsis.go.ke. 17830 IN NS dns1.wananchi.com. ;; AUTHORITY SECTION: nsis.go.ke. 17830 IN NS dns2.wananchi.com. nsis.go.ke. 17830 IN NS dns1.wananchi.com. ;; ADDITIONAL SECTION: mta.wananchi.com. 63997 IN A 62.8.88.64 mta.wananchi.com. 63997 IN A 62.8.88.63 mail.wananchi.com. 63574 IN A 62.8.88.102 dns1.wananchi.com. 64894 IN A 62.8.64.5 dns2.wananchi.com. 65700 IN A 196.200.36.3 ;; Query time: 15 msec ;; SERVER: 196.200.16.2#53(196.200.16.2) ;; WHEN: Tue Dec 11 17:22:50 2007 ;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 243 A ping reveals this; C:\Dig>ping www.nsis.go.ke Pinging www.nsis.go.ke [62.8.88.6] with 32 bytes of data: Reply from 62.8.88.6: bytes=32 time=50ms TTL=54 Reply from 62.8.88.6: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=54 Reply from 62.8.88.6: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=54 Reply from 62.8.88.6: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=54 Ping statistics for 62.8.88.6: Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss), Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds: Minimum = 29ms, Maximum = 50ms, Average = 36ms Wananchi are the victims -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Odhiambo Washington Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2007 4:18 PM To: James Kagwe Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] NSIS website hacked? On Dec 11, 2007 3:19 PM, John Walubengo <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > For those who may not know NSIS stands for National > Security Intelligence Service, the Kenyan equivalent of the > American CIA, Russian KGB, Israeli Mossad and the British > M15 get the drift? > > Now these chaps website seems to have been hacked and > defaced. Check out... > > http://www.nsis.go.ke/ > > and please tell me am wrong. You are right, it's been "cracked". However it's hosted by third party, if you look at DNS records, and this can always happen when a server admin installs on a server stuff they don't quite understand, or even plays with a sensitive configuration without thinking much about it. Hey, Walu, it's just the website, the content of which is for public consumption (and public defacing whenever possible to prove a point). -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Oh My God! They killed init! You Bastards!" --from a /. post _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: jkagwe(a)kippra.or.ke Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jkagwe%40kippra.or. ke

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Technology SMEs
by Dorcas Muthoni 11 Dec '07

11 Dec '07

You may have heard of the action taken by the Copyright board on software piracy in cyber cafe businesses. This article on Business Daily: http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4522&Item… captures it. We all acknowledge the role of cyber cafe businesses in driving Internet penetration. When small and medium enterprises business owners take decisions to start the Internet shops, they are basically supporting what we all want to see; an e-Kenya. Picking from a recent post on the list regarding the challenges being faced by local computer assembly firms, there is truly an issue with regard to the sustainability of Technology SMEs. These local firms have enabled many Kenyans have affordable computers/clones and Internet access respectively. On average, a cyber cafe with 30 computers requires up to about KES. 1.8million to have genuine copies commodity software frequently used by their customers. Open Source is an approach that can make these commodity software affordable and available to such SME businesses in a way that satisfies customers effectively. We all need to support local technology SMEs because they are really a driver for the this industry. OPENWORLD (www.openworld.co.ke) will conduct an Open Source workshop at the Grand Regency Hotel on, Friday, 14th December 2007 starting 9.00am. The purpose of the workshop is to inform Cyber Café Owners and Operators on how they can benefit from Open Source Software in order to sustain their businesses. It will be interesting to hear from others how we can support technology SMEs since they are a key driver in the growth of the industry. -- Muthoni My Blog: http://rugongo.blogspot.com/ -------------------------------------------- Mahatma Gandhi once said:- First they ignore you, Then they laugh at you, Then they fight you, AND THEN YOU WIN!!!

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Re: [kictanet] Faith in local web hosting
by robert yawe 11 Dec '07

11 Dec '07

Hi Brian, As you rightfully indicate in your post you are coming in late on this discussion, this is the problem with a mailing list unlike a blog or forum the history of a discussion is not maintained. Thus just to get us on the same page your arguments are actually in support of my position, which is that we need to develop local content and hosting capacity as well are reliable country wide connectivity before the arrival of the fiber optic marine cable. The road analogy was to explain my point that the cable is a highway which needs to arrive when we have already created linkages to the rest of the country and not what we seem to be doing which is waiting for the marine cable as the panaceas to all our slow internet issues. You do bring an interested issue in your point on the objective of the roads as a means to cart off our resources, could the fiber optic cable be a modern approach to the same? Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: brian <brian(a)caret.net> To: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke>; info(a)mediacorp.co.ke Sent: Tuesday, 11 December, 2007 1:44:53 AM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Faith in local web hosting I am coming late to this debate .... more follows: On Wed, 5 Dec 2007 06:03:46 +0000 (GMT), robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > > Your analogy of a Road from Mwea to Kericho is an interesting one, if you > have noticed all roads have led to Nairobi for many years it is only after > those satellite locations have grown sufficient traffic through Nairobi > that we have developed direct linkages. A case in point is the road > connecting from Machakos to Thika, Kitengela to Rongai, and the now being > constructed Njambini Road. > > Why didn't we develop this roads at independence? I differ strongly on this. Most roads in Africa were built to support the largely extractive industrial practices of colonial masters and the post-independence regimes which turned a blind eye to the economic pillage of our countries. Most of these roads are what we continue to re-carpet, repair and depend on for our basic transport. Same applies to telecommunications and other major infrastructure. Any new infrastructure in an African country, be it a road, an airline route or an optic fibre cable needs to be thought out from a fresh standpoint and a mindset that leans towards building internal capacity or providing the platform/environment/atmosphere for local/internal capacity to be built. I have elaborated on this in an AfrISPA position paper - "One Voice - A VOIP Position Paper" while Mucheru has highlighted the market structure and regulatory regimes to support African country's emergent and blossoming ICT sectors in another AfrISPA position paper entitled "The Rules of Engagement" Copies of these papers can be availed freely upon request. Mblayo ___________________________________________________________ Support the World Aids Awareness campaign this month with Yahoo! For Good http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/forgood/

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Re: [kictanet] Faith in local web hosting
by robert yawe 11 Dec '07

11 Dec '07

Dear Mr. Mucheru, I hear you but we are missing out on a vital point, never go to the negotiating table from a position of weakness. What is the likelihood of getting a mortgage from the bank if you have no savings, no job and no business? As I have said before, the fiber is going to land whether I like it or not, but that does not stop me from airing my views. You raise the issue of India have you looked at how much local content they have and their utilisation of local connectivity? If you follow the issue of India closely you will note that they first developed local capacity. India used the so called slow satellite connections to reach the outside world and because of the capacity they had developed the locally Microsoft, Motorola and other large American companies saw the need to increase the speed of connectivity to India. Safaricom should be a case in point for us, how many minutes of International calls do you think is the contribution to their 17 Billion profit. Imagine if they had setup shop & concentrated their efforts on International calling where would they be today? Your analogy of a Road from Mwea to Kericho is an interesting one, if you have noticed all roads have led to Nairobi for many years it is only after those satellite locations have grown sufficient traffic through Nairobi that we have developed direct linkages. A case in point is the road connecting from Machakos to Thika, Kitengela to Rongai, and the now being constructed Njambini Road. Why didn't we develop this roads at independence? What most of you are suggesting is that we put up a Kes. 500,000/- toilet with jacuzzi for a one roomed iron sheet house in Kibera so that the occupant can enjoy themselves for 20 minutes every day. Instead of us continuing to discus the pros and cons of landing the fiber in 2009, lets concentrate our efforts, skills and resources in preparing for its arrival. I do not pretend to have all the answers but together I believe we can better prepare this country for the marine cable than the West African countries did. PS. KAY System designs and implements appropriate local and wide area networks and we are currently working on an online payment system that will make e-commerce a reality to the majority of Kenyans. Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: Joseph Mucheru <jmucheru(a)google.com> To: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke>; info(a)mediacorp.co.ke Sent: Friday, 30 November, 2007 5:15:20 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Faith in local web hosting Robert, I trust this email finds you well. Some important facts I, we are not alone, and neither is Kenya. We need to as a country remain competitive and further more we need to do so efficiently and quickly. Right now our competition in the digital is from all corners of the globe. As we speak bandwidth costs in Kenya are on average US$6,000 per MB while the same bandwidth costs US$ 400 in India, they are able to transact faster and further more hae the ability to have many other services on the same cable compared to our satellite only capacity. We need a highway to the rest of the world for two reason, one is a significant part of our economy is connected to the outside world, be it tourism, importation of medicines, education etc... We cannot ignore that part of the equation. This does not mean we ignore the local needs, the PS took time to outline the current projects gong on to provide national fiber connectivity and he further outlined the time lines for it's deployment. I simple way to look at this is even from a local perspective. We have the various towns in the country each with differing comparative advantages. For example, you get tea from Kericho, rice from mwea etc. It would be very unwise to say that Kericho does not need a road to Mwea because it has not completed building it's own local streets, or Mwea does not need a road or communication to other towns or regions. Kenya has it's own comparative advantages and so do other countries. We need to ensure we have as good if not better linkages the rest of the world not only for the world to access Kenya, but also for Kenya to access the world. I am very sure none of this new to you and it would be a big shame to pour cold water on a project that will be life changing for all of us. For instance, I will have better access to my sisters abroad, I will be able to do Video conferencing with them at an affordable rate. I will be able to watch the International stock markets and other financial markets in the same way. The fact I can do it today with Analogue (Marram road) does not mean Tarmac is bad and should be ignored. By the way Robert what is primary business of KAY System Technologies Ltd Joe Mucheru On Nov 30, 2007 5:33 AM, robert yawe < robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: Kagai, Like all the rest we are misplacing the importance of the marine cable and it is unfortunate that Dr. Ndemo is also unable to provide us with the logical reason for why we need to land this fiber cable. Your issue of digital TV has nothing to do with whether we have the marine cable or not as our transmission is local and thus what we need is a fiber network within the country. I have been listening to that story of digital TV being echoed by many a so called IT gurus. All that the fiber will do is create so much competition for our local stations before they have enough time to adopt or recoup their investments which will result in massive layoffs. If we can negotiate for the delay in opening our markets to sugar maybe we need the same team to look at the pros and cons of the fiber cable landing. Note that the signal sent out by MNet and other satellite channels is digital yet I can watch it on my Greatwall TV which is as analogue as you can get, even come 2010 all that will happen is that set top boxes will be so cheap that there will be no need to replace our TV's. Alternatively look behind your DVD player and tell me how many analogue and digital inputs you have? Just for information purposes do you know that Telkom Kenya has fiber optic cable laid to most high rise building in the city but only 2 or so locations have actually had the fiber terminated onto equipment? I ask anyone to challenge me on this point this includes Eng. Waweru and Mr. Kirui all of who have been party to this wasteful actions. We are being totally wasteful with our resources what makes us think that the landing of the fiber optic cable will change our habits. Kagai, I ask again why do we need to land the fiber optic cable and how will it change your life, leave alone mine? Have an analogue weekend Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: Bill Kagai <billkagai(a)gmail.com> To: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> Cc: info(a)mediacorp.co.ke; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Thursday, 29 November, 2007 10:19:51 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Faith in local web hosting On Nov 28, 2007 8:24 AM, robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > End user ---> Telkom ---> ISP ---> KDN --> ISP --> Telkom --> end user > > Do the math Yawe, you probably need to look at this cable beyond internet. The kind of technology we use today for broadcasting TV is being phased out in Europe by August 2008. TV is now being broadcast on cable or ADSL specifically for beyond quality purposes. You need to ensure that commercial components reach the right people. For instance, that is why CNBC opted to pull out its channel from DSTV bouquet to local stations like KBC with a wider reach. 'Measurement of reach' is capable through adsl/cable connected to the international fibre network. ADSL via optic fibre reinforces the copper that we are not about to do away with anyway in the near future. Copper is not obsolete yet. Optic fibre allows u freeview channels where internet becomes secondary to primary data and voice transmission...and most of all...things we have learned to leave with..such as attenuation distortion...become an old way of life for us in the Africa north of the limpopo but south of of the sahara. Another way of looking at it...when they tell you that computers are down in a bank..most of the times they mean the link to the server is unsteady since they need to ensure that you don't withdraw twice or thrice on the same transaction..satellite does not give you redundancy [read back-up] channels as cable would. With cable, you are able to re-wind live tv instead of having a local disk imersed in your decorder...thanks to the cable. In essence, if u look at the submarine cable minus the copper telephone system and electricity grid then u will not see much. If u look at it in terms of how it adds value to the existing infrastructure, then you will see...how significant albeit small....the hole the international link plus the terrestrial cable needs to fill to sort out our big problems. Bill... Support the World Aids Awareness campaign this month with Yahoo! for Good _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: mucheru(a)google.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mucheru%40google.com -- Joe Mucheru Office Lead, East Africa Google Kenya 7th Floor, Purshottam Place Westlands Road P O Box 66217 - 00800 Westlands Nairobi, KENYA +254 20 360 1701 Office +254 20 360 1100 Fax +254 20 360 1000 Switch Board (Regus) +254 722522135 Mobile http://www.google.com This email may be confidential or privileged. If you received this communication by mistake, please don't forward it to anyone else, please erase all copies and attachments, and please let me know that it went to the wrong person. Thanks. ___________________________________________________________ Support the World Aids Awareness campaign this month with Yahoo! For Good http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/forgood/

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Re: [kictanet] Projections
by robert yawe 11 Dec '07

11 Dec '07

Dr. Ndemo, It is interesting what you have said about how the Koreans used their high speed links initially for pornography, my take would then be why don't we concentrate on providing local pornographic content so that we can get more people online. This will allow us to exist this unproductive use of bandwidth so that we will have higher utilisation of the fiber when it lands. I know the concept here is that the reasons for the initial uptake of a technology is not necessarily what it was designed to do. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- 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: Thursday, 6 December, 2007 1:03:44 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Projections Dear Walubengo, Studies have shown that if you constantly think that you will fail, indeed you fail eventually. I gather that you have already decided to be too pessimistic about the future of ICTs in this country. When the Koreans built their broadband networks, virtually all men were into pornography. After overcoming the spiteful start, they have built wonderful local content and search engines that rival google. You can now project how we shall use the ICTs to remove poverty from our midst. Regards Ndemo. _______________________________________________ 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.… ___________________________________________________________ Support the World Aids Awareness campaign this month with Yahoo! For Good http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/forgood/

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Computer parts and peripherals
by Nieri, Diana MainaX 10 Dec '07

10 Dec '07

Hi all, Please check out today's story from PS. Dr. Ndemo on taxes on computer components http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4777&I temid=5847 <http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4777& Itemid=5847> Computer parts and peripherals attract Import Duty and VAT whereas fully assembled systems imported from outside the country attract neither Duty nor VAT .This move has affected Locally assembled Systems adversely, as the very components used in integrating these systems now attracts VAT and Duty thus making them not competitive with International brands. We need to support our own local people to ensure faster access of affordable computers Regards Diana Maina --------------------------------------------------------------------- Branch office of Intel South Africa Corporation 2nd Floor, South Wing, Building 14, The Woodlands Western Service Road, Woodmead, 2148 Johannesburg, South Africa The above is a branch office of: Intel South Africa Corporation A Corporation registered in Delaware, USA Registered Office: 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, USA Registered No: 2501764 This e-mail and any attachments may contain confidential material for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). Any review or distribution by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender and delete all copies.

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latest domain name brief attached DEC 07]
by alice 07 Dec '07

07 Dec '07

Dear all Domain name industry brief by Verisign attached. best alice _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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Re: [kictanet] Fibre Optic & Cyber Security, March 2009
by Pauline Muthigani 07 Dec '07

07 Dec '07

Walu, True, Kenya and the whole region have become the preferred destination for executing cyber crimes . Top on the agenda for the ICT fraternity, and the board should be to see to it that the e-legislation bill is passed and enacted much sooner than 2009. My experience with ICT investors especially in eCommerce and eBusiness, confirms that unless the Cyber Security issues are dealt with( investigations and prosecutions etc), Broadband or no Broadband , Kenya still is not a competitive destination as we would wish her to be.Even for the really great digital village initiatives, the risk is high there..I hope the owners are being made aware. What we need is a 'conducive environment and security assured infrastructure' the rest will fit in. The Dubai model is worth borrowing a leaf from. First things first. rgds, Pauline > Security is going to be a mega-issue once the submarine > fiber lands in Mombasa. At the moment Kenya is spared the > full-scale exposure from international cyber crooks simply > because our slow satellite links don't lend themselves to > modern tools of cyber-attacks. > > Here is my macro-projection of what will occur on the > internet-security landscape in March 2009 or thereabout > when the submarine cable is launched. > > 1. Continued delay of national and regional legislation > makes Kenya and E.Africa a safe-haven for cyber-crooks. > > {following the delayed debate and enactment of the > pre-requisite Cyber-legislations (e-Transaction Act, > Cyber-crime Act, Data-protection Act, etc) Kenya has become > the preferred destination for executing cyber crimes and > getting away with it. The crooks are taking advantage of > the lack of legislation as well as the incapacity for the > authorities to investigate, collect, preserve digital > evidence as well as prosecute cyber-crime. > > The newly launched submarine cables seem to have provided a > conducive superhighway for the crooks to deploy there tools > from the comfort of their Chinese, Eastern Europe and other > territories. The Kenya Government seems to have been > caught off-guard and the Internal Security Minister could > not be reached for comment because he was holed up in a > crisis-meeting....} > > 2. Local domains hosting critical national infrastructure > get hit (Banking, KRA, Immigration, Medical Data) > > {....In particular, the successful deployment of > eGovernment initiatives such as KRA, KPA, Banking, Medical > and other data have become a soft-target for the criminals. > They

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Re: [kictanet] kictanet Digest, Vol 5, Issue 22
by A.K. Mahan 07 Dec '07

07 Dec '07

Dear all, I am new to this list and have been lurking. In addition to the Latin American and Caribbean study noted by Alice, the World Dialogue on Regulation also conducted a similar survey of Africa in 2003 - for which the Kenyan regulatory website was observed to be a best practice website. http://www.regulateonline.org/content/view/213/65/ As mentioned by Alice, there is a Consumer Center on the CCK website - which is an extremely useful feature. In addition to what kind of information is made available, we also need to think about how it is organised and presented. At the CCK site, the information on the Consumer Center page seems overly formal. The tone and language of that section could be a bit more user friendly with examples of complaints and the kind of documentation that would be required. For example, I bought a prepaid card last month that was supposed to have 20 minutes of time on it. And after carefully monitoring my time so that I have enough for two months, more than 30 days after I bought the card I find out that I could only make 15 minutes of calls. What do I do? Your site tells me that I have to exhaust all possibilities with the provider. Is that the person I bought the card from? If I call the number on the card and they take the complaint but say they can't help me, can I complain to the regulator? Or, I have subscribed to a broadband (yeah!!) service. But from noon until about 6pm it is really slow. I've called my service provider, but they say everything is fine. Can I measure this? How do I show it is too slow for what I am paying? Some websites post the complaints that are being reviewed by the regulator; other websites post yearly consumer complaint indicators. Also, an online feature to submit questions could be useful. In a recent study of the Uruguayan regulator, we found that attention to consumer affairs was lacking on all levels (by the regulators, consumers and the private sector) simply because there is no historical tradition of a consumer movement in the country. One of the reports recommendations was for the regulator to work with the local consumer advocacy groups to strengthen them and make them a better resource for consumers. Developing a strong relationship with the consumer advocacy groups would also serve to lessen the burden on regulators in terms of improving communication and disseminating information to consumers via these groups. Thanks for the great discussion thus far. Very useful. - Amy Mahan _______________________________________________ Amy Mahan, LIRNE.NET Coordinator Montevideo, Uruguay www.lirne.net www.regulateonline.org ________________________________________________ > The CCK recently unveiled the CCK service chatter that sets public > expectations Re: dealing with the Commission and its staff > interchangeably called the "The Customer Service Charter " it outlines > rights and responsibilities and the procedure to follow if CCK service > standards are not met. available at www.cck.go.ke > > Then there is a consumer center on the website, which includes some > useful links e.g how to make a complaint, what you need to know about > telecoms services, but is this enough? > I think the following benchmarks > (http://www.regulateonline.org/content/view/354/69/ ) for Latin American > and Caribbean Regulatory Authority Websites are rather useful > > best > alice > > above comments are personal and do not reflect any position of the organizations I am affiliated with > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > >

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Kenyans executing Identy Theft in the US!
by John Walubengo 07 Dec '07

07 Dec '07

Looks like the internet security challenge is already being practiced by Kenyans in the diaspora... check this out... Two Convergys employees arrested on ID fraud charges DAILY HERALD Two Convergys employees were arrested and charged with ordering thousands of dollars worth of cell phones and accessories using the identities of AT&T customers. Kechi Ezem, 24, of Provo, was arrested Tuesday and charged with one count each of identity fraud and theft, and 24-year-old Philista Oniango, of Orem, was arrested Wednesday and charged with one count each of theft and identity theft. Oniango is also being held at the Utah County Jail on an immigration hold. Both women are employees of Convergys, which handles calls for AT&T. According to court documents, Orem police went to Convergys after AT&T learned that a cell phone billed to one of its customers had been ordered by Ezem. Ezem told police that Oniango had her computer password, and a search of company records showed that she had confirmed the order of more than $50,000 worth of phones and accessories using AT&T customer accounts, court documents said. Most of the phones were sent to Oniango's home in Orem. the story continues at http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/245669/ 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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nGOmobile competition
by alice 06 Dec '07

06 Dec '07

Hi All this may be interesting for some.... best alice -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [Apc.africa] nGOmobile competition Date: Thu, 6 Dec 2007 11:25:24 +0000 From: Abi Jagun <abi(a)apc.org> Reply-To: APC Africa list <apc.africa(a)lists.apc.org> To: apc.africa(a)lists.apc.org Dear APC Africa members and Team (Please see http://www.ngomobile.org/ for more information.) I recently came across this website and announcement and thought it might be of interest to those organisations interested in using mobile phones in their work. "nGOmobile is a text message-based competition aimed exclusively and unashamedly at grassroots non-profit organisations working for positive social and environmental change throughout the developing world ... The competition wants to encourage NGOs to think more about how mobile technology could be applied in their work ... NGOs from developing countries are invited to submit a short proposal outlining how text messaging could make their job easier ... What we are looking for is impact - a clear indication that winning an amazing prize, and gaining access to mobile technology, would revolutionise your work and turn mission impossible into mission accomplished." The prize includes the following: A brand new HP Pavilion laptop computer - To help you run your messaging campaign from anywhere you choose A GSM modem - Send messages through the mobile network without the need for the Internet Office software - Word processing, spreadsheets, email - everything to help you run your project more efficiently A top-of-the-range Nokia mobile phone (or two) - A couple of cool Nokia phones to help you take photos and videos (and talk!) FrontlineSMS - Software to run your text-messaging campaign. A little cash - One thousand dollars to help get your new project off to the best possible start! There will be FOUR winners and the deadline for proposals is 14th December. Please see http://www.ngomobile.org/ for more information. _______________________________________________ Apc.africa mailing list Apc.africa(a)lists.apc.org http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/apc.africa

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An ITWeb article from [email protected]
by pauline＠nordic.co.ke 06 Dec '07

06 Dec '07

This article has been sent to you from pauline(a)nordic.co.ke as a courtesy of ITWeb. Comment: Too expensive!! Nigeria blacklists Siemens Nigeria has revoked its last contract with Siemens and suspended dealings with the industrial group pending a probe into allegations it gave 10 million euros ($14.6 million) in bribes, the government said yesterday.A German court fined Siemens 201 million euros on 4 October for bribes paid to Nigerian, Russian and Libyan officials by a former manager of one of the group's telecoms equipment units.Details were not made public at the time, but the Wall Street Journal reported details of the Munich court ruling last month. It said five Nigerian former ministers and senior officials were involved.President Umaru Yar'Adua, who took office on 29 May on pledges of zero tolerance for corruption, said he had ordered security agencies to investigate and take appropriate action.Information and communications minister John Odey said the government decided to cancel the 128.4 million naira ($1.08 million) contract for the supply of circuit breakers and other power generation accessories, as a first step towards blacklisting Siemens."Council today cancelled the contract bid won by Siemens Nigeria because of the current investigation against the company relating to corrupt practices," Odey told reporters after a Cabinet meeting in the capital Abuja."Government will not have any dealings with Siemens Nigeria in terms of contracts until the investigation is concluded and the company is exonerated or otherwise," Odey said.Several of the ex-ministers and top officials named in the German court ruling have denied they took bribes. The company has said it accepts the German court's judgment.The ruling, according to details reported by the Wall Street Journal, focuses on bribes paid between 2001 and 2004, ranging from 2 000 euros to 2.25 million euros, given to senior government officials in Nigeria, Libya and Russia. About 10 million euros went to the Nigerians, it said.The newspaper said Siemens sold telecoms equipment in Nigeria, but the ruling did not specify what contracts Siemens was seeking. It also did not say what, if anything, the recipients of Siemens' money did in exchange for it.Yar'Adua's anti-graft posture in one of the world's most corrupt countries has been undermined by a series of scandals.The speaker of the House of Representatives was forced to step down after being found to have improperly awarded contracts worth $5 million for the renovation of her official residence and that of her deputy.Anti-corruption police have charged five ex-state governors with embezzlement and have said they are investigating several others, though there has been no conviction. Posted: 12/6/2007 10:46:27 AM --------------------------------------------------- ITWeb - First with IT news. Every day. For more topical IT industry news, views and analysis, visit us at http://www.itweb.co.za ---------------------------------------------------

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The day your Phone-Number becomes a web address]
by alice 06 Dec '07

06 Dec '07

The day your Phone-Number becomes a web address (http://area.phone.num.com/) the reality will hit home. Neustar enum: http://www.enum.org/index.html?CFID=428983&CFTOKEN=13613274 Personal devices: ipods, psp, cell phone, pvp, pda whatever your plugged into, will innerconnect to the internet. You'll be your own little Utility Co. Yep that day is coming. Neustar: http://www.neustarultraservices.biz/ TWM Solicitors Selects NeuStars Managed Internal DNS Service: http://www.neustarultraservices.biz/news_events/articles/070810.html Demo: http://www.neustarultraservices.biz/technology/portal.html NeuStar National Pooling Website: http://www.nationalpooling.com/ NeuStar extends UltraDNS Network Infrastructure to Australia and China: http://www.domainnews.com/general/2007112805/neustar-extends-ultradns-netwo… nfrastructure-to-australia-and-china/ -- ____________________________________________________________ You received this message as a subscriber on the list: governance(a)lists.cpsr.org To be removed from the list, send any message to: governance-unsubscribe(a)lists.cpsr.org For all list information and functions, see: http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance _______________________________________________ secretariat mailing list secretariat(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/secretariat This message was sent to: alice(a)apc.org Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/secretariat/alice%40apc.org

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Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] Nii Quaynor receives the prestigious Jon Postel Award
by Eric Osiakwan 06 Dec '07

06 Dec '07

Dr. Nii Narku Quaynor has laboured as a General in the ICT Army in Africa over two decades providing leadership, vision, foresight, strength and the best of field commandship - in his own words, "a strike against techno-colonialism. A lot of us have learnt from his fortitude, tenacity and sense of commitment to cause that sometimes is not as well recognised but yet the only hope for generations to come. Nii'a efforts has resulted in great strides not only in the technical community but in the other disciplines and stakeholder manifestations across board. It is important to underscore his great work as one of the pioneers also of the building of institutions for the knowledge economy in Africa of which AfriNIC is a classical example of great gain. Not to talk about his building of systems, people, spaces and opportunity. Please join me in congratulating a five star General, Nii which means in our local dialect, Chief..... Eric here Begin forwarded message: > From: "Dawit Bekele" <bekele(a)isoc.org> > Date: 6 December 2007 05:09:37 GMT+03:00 > To: <africann(a)afrinic.net> > Subject: [AfrICANN-discuss] Nii Quaynor receives the prestigious > Jon Postel Award > Reply-To: bekele(a)isoc.org, africann(a)afrinic.net > > Hi all, > > > > I am happy to announce to you that, today, this year’s prestigious > Jon Postel award has been awarded to Nii Quaynor. Lynn St.Amour, > CEO and President of ISOC handed the presentation crystal of the > award to Nii Quaynor at the IETF meeting in Vancouver, where more > than 1,000 participants were present. > > > > You all know how much Nii has contributed for the development of > Internet in Africa, which is why we are all happy that he has be > given this award that he fully deserves. > > > > To know more about the Jon Postel award please see http:// > www.isoc.org/awards/. > > > > Best regards, > > > > > > Dawit Bekele > > Manager, African Regional Bureau > > Internet Society (ISOC) > > bekele(a)isoc.org > > Tel: +251 911 22 13 33 > > > > > Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.11/1084 - Release Date: > 10/21/2007 3:09 PM > > _______________________________________________ > AfrICANN mailing list > AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"

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Tell me the future
by alice 05 Dec '07

05 Dec '07

Dear all Very interesting reads below re; the internet. And yes yes again fiber/infrastructure is critical to increase penetration, access etc best alice > > > http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/dec/03/mondaymediasection.internet > > > Tell me the future > > We asked the godfather of the net to tell us where the technology will > take us. He emailed his address book > > * The Guardian <http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian> > * Monday December 3 2007 > > When we asked Vint Cerf, chief evangelist at Google, to guest edit > MediaGuardian, we expected him to bring us some luminaries of the web > who we don't often get to hear from. His choices transform an > often-asked question ("what's the future?"), into an insight into the > thinking of innovators and pioneers. It's no coincidence that three of > them are founders of some of the biggest web names. > > Their specialist fields (from search, to advertising, video streaming > to social networking) represent what Cerf believes to be the most > exciting areas of development on the web and in the world; notably > Steven Huter and Adiel Akplogan, who have pioneered the internet > infrastructure in Africa. > > Finally, each one has had, and will continue to have, a profound > impact on the future of media. > > *Developing world* > *Steven Huter and Adiel Akplogan* > *Research associate, University of Oregon Network Startup Resource > Center; CEO, Regional Registry for Internet Number Resources for Africa* > The first full internet connection to the African continent was > established in Tunisia in October 1991. Over the next 15 years, the > transition from store-and-forward email networks to full internet > connectivity in capital cities all over Africa progressed steadily, > with Eritrea being the last to join the global internet in November 2000. > > While most of the continent's internet connections are via satellite > today, the transition to fibre over the next five years will take off > as one or more of the undersea cables currently competing to service > eastern and southern Africa become operational. However, penetration > to rural communities will continue to be limited due to the lack of > infrastructure, and the cost of a personal computer is typically more > than what the average person in a village can afford. > > Consumer broadband services via DSL are becoming available in an > increasing number of countries; however, service costs depend greatly > on the pervasiveness and reliability of local infrastructure. Wireless > solutions will continue to evolve as the dominant service for "last > kilometre" access due to the lack of local infrastructure. Given that > national scale fibre build-outs are not a major focus of the five-year > budget plans for most governments, most service providers will > continue to deploy a combination of wireless and leased line > infrastructure from telecommunications companies for providing > internet access. Overall progress will occur, but realistically, the > limited or unavailable national infrastructure (power and fibre) will > make it difficult to attain economies of scale, which will limit > pan-African internet development between now and 2012. > > The explosion in mobile telephony that has turned Africa into the > fastest-growing market in the world, at more than twice the > international average growth in subscriber numbers, will continue to > drive locally-fuelled innovations. A number of SMS and voice-enabled > applications are already in use in numerous African markets, providing > financial, agricultural, health, and other information services. > Network services via mobile devices will accelerate as mobile > operators upgrade infrastructure, and cheaper and more sophisticated > handsets lower the bar for innovation. > > The rise of a youthful, entrepreneurial and well-educated vanguard of > Africans will lead this overhaul of the continent's communications > services. Countries that are embracing information technology today > and harnessing the power of wireless networks, mobile telephony and > low-cost technology for the end-user, along with establishing > regulatory environments to foster entrepreneurship, will evolve > rapidly over the next five years. Countries that establish and promote > internet exchange points will help to cultivate the localisation of > African internet traffic, and stimulate the creation and distribution > of more local content. > > To take full advantage of the power of the internet, African leaders > must give rise to regulatory and political environments that remove > cumbersome barriers, encourage competition by opening up markets to > engage more access providers, and capitalise on these positive forces > that ultimately will be the dynamic impetus to propel Africa forward. > > *Social networking* > *Chris De Wolfe* > *CEO, co-founder MySpace* > In only a few years, social networks have become a staple in the > internet landscape as the social networking phenomenon allowed people > to "put their lives online". A person's profile became a > representation of who they really were in the offline world, and > allowed them to transfer their offline world online. > > More than ever, social networks are blurring online and offline > worlds, evolving into social destinations that are driving the > direction of the larger web and affecting industries like advertising, > music and politics. > > Predicting the future of social networks exclusively misses the larger > point - these evolving online social destinations are laying the > groundwork for the new social web which we believe is becoming > infinitely more personal, more portable, and more collaborative. > > First, as we expand these social destinations to all corners of the > world, we must always think in terms of the individual. With millions > of people using social websites, there's an increasing demand to make > everyone's web experience personal. In the same way a home or office > is your physical address, we expect your personal, online social > profile to become your internet address. When I give out > www.myspace.com/chrisdewolfe <http://www.myspace.com/chrisdewolfe> to > friends and colleagues, everyone knows where to find me online. > > We expect aspects of all socially-based sites to become increasingly > portable. In terms of mobile, we expect to have relationships with > every carrier and device-maker in the world and we expect that half of > our future traffic will come from non-PC users. > > Social activity is happening everywhere and we expect applications and > features to be more fluid, based on the online population that want > content where they want it, when they want it, and how they want it. > Social activity should be portable and we expect the industry will > continue to move in that direction. > > Lastly, online social destinations work best when creativity and > development are collaborative concepts. From personal profiles, to the > widget economy, to the OpenSocial standard - the future of the social > web will harness the savvy of the masses to produce more relevant and > meaningful social experiences, ultimately pushing the larger industry > to be more innovative and progressive. > > Lowering the barrier to entry for a new generation of developers will > lead to a more collaborative and dynamic web and directly affect the > tools and feature sets available on socially-based sites. Supporting a > more collaborative web creates a more global and participatory > internet experience for everyone. > > The evolution of social networks is kick-starting a broad global shift > for how people, content and culture collide on the web. Right now > we're looking at the tip of the iceberg for what the social web will > look like in the future. Fundamentally, all social destinations must > expand while staying personal, they must engage users while empowering > portability, and they must work with up and coming innovators and > major web leaders to both collaborate and contribute to the larger web > community. > > *Video* > *Chad Hurley* > *CEO, co-founder YouTube* > In five years, video broadcasting will be the most ubiquitous and > accessible form of communication. The tools for video recording will > continue to become smaller and more affordable. Personal media devices > will be universal and interconnected. People will have the opportunity > to record and share video with a small group of friends or everyone > around the world. > > Today, eight hours of new video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. > This will grow exponentially over the next five years. Our goal is to > allow every person on the planet to participate by making the upload > process as simple as placing a phone call. This new video content will > be available on any screen - in your living room or in your pocket - > and will bring together all the diverse media which matters to you, > from videos of family and friends to news, music, sports, cooking and > more. > > In the next five years, users will be at the centre of their video > experience, you will have more access to more information, and the > world will be a smaller place. > > *Advertising* > *Maurice Lévy* > *Chairman and CEO, Publicis Groupe* > Five years is an eternity in technology, but from our vantage point a > few things are clear about what the internet and internet advertising > will look like in 2012. One, virtually all media will be digital, and > digital will enable almost all kinds of advertising. Two, online > advertising will depend more than ever on the one element which has > always been at the heart of impactful advertising, both analogue and > digital: creativity. The explosion of media channels means this is a > glorious time to think and act creatively. In art history terms, we > are at the dawn of the Renaissance after the Dark Ages. > > Just as the Renaissance broke down the distinctions between sacred and > profane art forms and between individual and community, so we are > seeing a similar exciting blurring today - and this will only > intensify. Linear media is fast giving way to liquid media, where you > can move seamlessly in and out of different settings. Prescribed time > - the 7 o'clock news, the Friday night out at the cinema, etc - is now > becoming multitasking time. People are no longer willing to put up > with interruptions for a commercial break during their entertainment > experience, and so we have to find incredibly creative solutions to > interact with them and engage them in genuine and honest ways. This > implies a brave new world of engagement and involvement between > marketers and consumers and will also mean co-production between > marketers and media owners. Scale will be critical: in five years' > time, around 2 billion people will be constant internet users and > mobile internet computing will be ubiquitous. What a great time to be > in the business! > > *Mobile* > *Biz Stone* > *Co-founder, Twitter* > As we increasingly realise the web as a vital social utility and > important marketplace we cannot ignore an even bigger potential. The > power of the internet is not limited to the PC. Twitter has emerged to > create a seamless layer of social connectivity across SMS, IM, and the > web. Operating on the simple concept of status, Twitter asks one > question: "What are you doing?" Friends, family and colleagues stay > connected through short responses. > > The potential for this simple form of hybrid communication technology > is strong. For example, a person in India may text "Follow Biz" and > get online via Twitter over SMS in a matter of seconds. Biz might be > updating from the US on a PC. Nevertheless, the updates are exchanged > instantly. > > Our future holds in store the promise of increased connectivity to a > powerful social internet which truly extends to every little spot on > our Planet Earth. We're all affected by and defined by each other's > actions. What are you doing? > > *Search* > *Peter Norvig* > *Director of research, Google * > Yale librarian Rutherford Rogers said "We're drowning in information > and starving for knowledge." The internet is an ocean of information > and in the near future we'll speed through it effortlessly and > intuitively, like a tuna. No, I don't mean you'll have fins. > > If you haven't been searching for [tuna tail vortices] recently, you > may not know that a tuna's body creates small vortices in the water > that are then channelled by the tuna's tail to create additional power. > > This symbiosis of tuna and watery environment forms a more efficient > propulsion system than anything designed by human engineers. > > In the future, a similar symbiosis of searcher and computational > environment will allow us to move faster through the internet than we > would have thought possible. We will not just be typing in keywords > and getting back a list of 10 web pages. > > Instead, our interaction will be more fluid, our computers will accept > our requests in many forms, and will scan our environment proactively, > looking for ways to provide us with additional power. We will get back > web pages, yes, along with existing books and videos, but also custom > tables, charts, animations, databases, and summarisations created > on-the-fly in response to our specific needs. > > Today, nobody says "I need to connect to a megawatt power station" - > instead we assume that electricity will be available on demand in > almost every room of every building we visit. Edison could see that > this would be useful, but could not foresee the range of appliances, > from food processors to mp3 players, that this availability would > enable. So too will information flow freely to us in the future, and > be transformed by as-yet-unforeseen information appliances. > > *Archive* > *Bruce Cole* > *Chairman, National Endowment for the Humanities (US)* > At the National Endowment for the Humanities, we believe the internet > and other information-age tools, such as digital archiving, will help > us understand the world more deeply, broadly, and creatively. For > humanists just as much for scientists, the ability to mine, analyse, > and understand data, simulate complex environments, and combine > information from a wide variety of sources, is critical to > 21st-century discovery and innovation. > > The exciting new tools of the digital age also present unique > challenges. With digital technologies, we can comb through information > in seconds versus years, and assimilate knowledge from a much broader > array of sources for new insights. But the wellbeing of the > infrastructure itself demands new time-frames. Information in books > can be preserved for centuries before transfer to new "media" is > needed. Information on disks, thumb drives, and other digital media > has a lifespan measured in years or even months rather than centuries > before transfer to the next generation of media is required. > > Just as physical infrastructure is a foundation for modern life, > digital infrastructure (data storage, computers, networks, etc.) is > foundational infrastructure for the information age. Attention to the > health and support of this infrastructure is critical to ensuring that > born-digital knowledge is preserved and passed on for the benefit of > future generations. > > > _______________________________________________ > AfrICANN mailing list > AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net <mailto:[email protected]> > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann Eric M.K Osiakwan ICT Integrator Internet Research www.internetresearch.com.gh emko(a)internetresearch.com.gh <mailto:[email protected]> 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Tel: +233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: +233.21.258811 Cell: +233.24.4386792 _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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Communication Methods: History Repeats Itself
by Alex Gakuru 05 Dec '07

05 Dec '07

I wish to take a historical perspective re-looking the continuing fibre debate to prove why we cannot resist change and win. I learnt this morning that Mombasa had a submarine cable connection in 1895 to the rest of the world! After Marconi invented the radio in 1900,that became the "new" communication method and served the time well. HF still in use in ships and today CCK still licenses radio hobbyists <http://www.qsl.net/oh2mcn/5z4.htm> 1950s saw arrival of the satellite, better and cheaper than substituting long range radio. In the 1970s came fibre for communication used in conjunction with satellites, has been serving us thus far. The first documented article on local use was in 1983 on the Kenya Engineer magazine written by Eng. John Kariuki. This fibre connected Westlands, City Centre, Southands and Embakasi. Twenty years later, can we really afford to argue against fibre connectivity? Shall we stall it and wait for 10 years to be dumping sites for "old" fibre technology after the new type of connectivity PS mentioned is broadly deployed out there? Developed countries, such as Canada, are now delivering 1 Gigs to to home through FTTH projects. Let us also remember that PS Ndemo still has a order pending complete execution. <http://www.statehousekenya.go.ke/speeches/kibaki/ feb06/2006280201.htm> Regards, Alex For the record, I differ with a separate post calling for list information gatekeeping allowing only deemed "useful content" since if that principle were extended to radio, TV, this list would be flooded with claims of broad censorship:) I believe the current debates will seasonate settle fizzle out sooner or later. But should one be uncomfortable with another's postings, just press DELETE without ever opening the messages:) Personally I am happy to read every post because I always learn new things. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

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Re: [kictanet] Fibre Optic
by robert yawe 05 Dec '07

05 Dec '07

Alex, You again still have not justified the landing of the marine cable. 1. Of the US 500 Million spent on satellite connectivity 80% is none productive traffic such as porn, spam and chat (you and me both in Nairobi but chatting on MSN). Reducing costs is not necessarily the only way to resolve an issue most of the times it is easier to increase your income so that the expense as a percentage is lowered. 2. Lets not replace the world bank loans with diaspora remittances, let us become productive and more ingenious, lets take advantage of our position as the most advanced economy in sub Saharan Africa. We need to lay fiber to the neighbouring countries so that we can pick out sourcing contracts from Europe and America but set up the call centers in the neighbouring countries. That way we utilise our higher value personnel to look for high value outsourcing. 3. Dream on . . . 4. Log onto a locally hosted site and experience true high speed Internet, stop browsing foreign sites and the fiber ceases to be essential. I know Dr. Ndemo says we cannot be an Island, is it being an Island when you are faithful to one partner. Certain things can be shared such as a hand shake or a conversation but certain activities are best kept within. Lets not over stretch ourselves bringing high speed garbage when we can use technology to improve our lives, locally. 5. Charity begins at home and so does B2B and B2C 6. Out sourcing what??? Have a good day. PS. Delay fiber or perish Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: Alex Gakuru <alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com> To: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Friday, 30 November, 2007 6:25:46 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fibre Optic Robert: I cannot rationally argue against fibre connectivity, but on processes yes. Of course, I will argue hypothetically since if I responded seemingly with insider information then I would be misleading consumers. And you know my issues... On Nov 30, 2007 4:46 PM, robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > > Explain one issue to me, how will the marine cable increase the remittances > from the diaspora, they are sending 3.9 billion over slow, expensive > satellite links why should we reduce this by spending 7 billion to land the > fiber? 1. AfDB data shows that in total Africa spends US$ 500 million (shs 30 billion) every year on transit satellite bandwidths.( i.e. 5 TEAMS projects). That would be a saving! 2. Back to your question, since it would be (promised very) cheap to call them, then we shall call them day and night "convincing" them how they have neglected mother Africa, poetically narrating Wanjiku's financial sufferings back home, her kiosk that needs only one-off stocking and her anguish will ease. They are only human. They will dig deeper into their pockets, miss a few lunches, tighten their belts, or speak nicely to their bosses on their urgent need to alleviate home poverty. If we collude and do this nationally for just one year, then we could quadruple remmitances to 16 billion shillings or at worst double it to 8 billion-enough to build a cable that will benefit us for the next 25 years:) That was on a light note though I am paraphrasing real comments attributable to *130* "Please call me" to diasporans. 3. Imagine starting a movie company. Be it a comedy, folk tales, Flora and Fauna, or like developing video games like Wesley Kiriinya's, "Adventures of Nyangi" http://www.sinc-studios.com/. The fibre gives one a potential 1.2 billion internet users customer base. Because THEY can play quality demo videos clips fast many are bound to purchase and if, say 10,000 buy a product at US$10 that would be Kshs 6 million. Such opportunities are lost every day we are not connected by fibre. 4. We have 2.7 million internet users. For how long does each one take tapping their fingers on the desk waiting for a slow web page to load? Multiply each one's lost productivity by 365 days/year then by 2.7 million and compute the national productivity loss caused by slow, yet very expensive internet. Based on these mathematics OECD countries have put up a nifty graphic showing broadband rankings of member countries, but which also include average price of broadband and average throughput here http://www.fiberevolution.com/2007/11/us-lags-in-grap.html, pointer courtesy Bill St. Arnaud http://www.canarie.ca/. I would be interesting to have Dr. Ndemo's expected consumer prices to compare. 5. Consumer/Busineses costs saving would be the most apparent benefit. I need not dwell on that since we all feel them pretty well. 6. I also skip outsourcing. > Alex, all I ask is can you give me a logical reason why we should spend 7 > billion to land this fiber? Are above logical enough reasons sufficiently compelling justification to support the international fibre? But like I said, remember SAT3 West Africa cable cost nearly the same as satellite because of Bandwidth cartels. So should be assured they have no space in TEAMS to clog broadband to consumers, but that is somebody's job. We are only asking for assurance it will not turn out to be a white grey elephant project:) > > I am aware this discussion is academic but it should not stop us from > questioning the rational. > That's the spirit! We keep Ndemo on his toes, always.... Thanks, Alex __________________________________________________________ Sent from Yahoo! - the World's favourite mail http://uk.mail.yahoo.com

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Free Internet Centre Established
by Alex Gakuru 05 Dec '07

05 Dec '07

[Telcos' "Corporate Social Responsibility" programs could borrow from this wonderful initiative--AlexG] Kenya and Korea to offer free Internet training Written by Okuttah Mark December 5, 2007 Groups within Nairobi and its environs will benefit from free Internet training and access courtesy of an initiative between the Kenyan and Korean governments. Schools with no Internet connectivity and computers, informal sector, children homes and slum dwellers will benefit from the venture. The centre is also open to other organised groups and individuals for Internet use at a fee. The initiative intends to bridge the digital divide facing the country. <http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content &task=view&id=4693&Itemid=5847> ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

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Re: [kictanet] Kenya's Peculiar Business Environment
by Claire RUTO 04 Dec '07

04 Dec '07

I am sorry guys; I have kept quiet as I have watched this debate go on. But now it is bordering on sub-judice and defamation, given the implications some are making. I would ask that we keep this site to comments on policy and information that would enrich us as practitioners in ICT. It takes away from our discussions when we start to makes comments that have no basis on fact and which we really know nothing about. Having said that I must say that when facts have been used well, I have benefited a lot from the information given here and even from some of the criticism and suggestions made. Clare Ruto -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+ruto.c=ke.celtel.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of badru Ntege Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 9:58 AM To: Claire RUTO Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] Kenya's Peculiar Business Environment Bill Kagai wrote: >> So the lawyer's reason must have been genuine, not a pretext. >> I've seen some calculations on the amounts the country loses as a >> result of the traffic jams. >> The figure, per year, was more than the 2bn taxman is chasing! >> > > Blimey....Man..r u serious??!!! For a 2 billion brief..I would stay at > Intercontinental 2 nights in advance if traffic were to mess me up!!! > This joke has to stop. Its killing me. > Man i have very little trust in lawyers though in my darkest moment i know they might be the only rescue. However one could have another look at the situation in that the gains for one party were obviuosly understandable 2 Billion and all the other party had to do was not turn up. Could there have been some agreement ?? What time did the lawyer set off for court ?? How long has he been doing that journey ?? was there something unusual that morning that the traffic was too much ??? In these days of ICT did the lawyer call ahead and inform court of his problem ?? If he so did why was the case still thrown out ?? I'm sorry i just think this is too obvious that if we just let it be we allow ourselves as Africans to be ridiculed for corruption and incompetence. No lawyer is that dump or are they ??? Or do they think we are all too dump and stupid that we let it go. Guys I'm sorry but i smell a FAT ROTTEN RAT. I don't buy the traffic storry pull the other one matey. My 2 cents _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: ruto.c(a)ke.celtel.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/ruto.c%40ke.celtel. com This e-mail contains confidential information or information belonging to Celtel Kenya Limited and is intended solely for the addressee. The opinions therein, explicit or implied, are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Celtel Kenya Limited as a company. The unauthorized disclosure, use, dissemination or copying ( in whole or in part) of this e-mail, or any information it contains, is prohibited. E-mails are susceptible to alteration and their integrity cannot be guaranteed. Celtel KenyaLimited shall not be liable for this e-mail if modified or falsified. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please delete it immediately from your system and notify the sender of the wrong delivery and the e-mail deletion.

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Re: [kictanet] Faith in local web hosting
by bitange＠jambo.co.ke 04 Dec '07

04 Dec '07

Dear Yawe, In my view you are failing to understand. I sent an e-mail to you stating the efforts we have put in place to have a local broadband network. I also stated that we need the international broadband network to enhance our common strategy on business processing outsourcing that now employs up to 3,000 Kenyans and has a potential of employing many more. Besides all this I have also stated that access to connectivity will spur innovation and create cheaper linkages to all Kenyans wherever they may be in the globe. We are simply creating an enabling environment. This where many opportunities will arise from. Digital TV is one of the many opportunities that we want our rural folks to utilize. Local content developers will need the networks to sell their content. Educational institutions will need these networks to provide e-learning services. E-commerce shall flourish. Tourissts accessing local services, flower farmers linking cheaply to their customers etc. This is all about economic growth. I sense you are not in agreement with us on why we need the Fibre Optic. You will do us a lot of good if you had an answer. In all your writing, you seem to be complaining and not offering any sugestions. Yet this forum is for sharing of ideas. Can you for once share what you are up to. You may greatly help this country if what we are doing is not justifiable. You are right about TKL Fibre that is not terminated and we are doing something about it. In fact the problem is local content which the Government is soon churning out and will need the FO. The greater problem though is that we have far too many activists than we have entrepreneurs. Innovative people cannot complain about idle capacity of such a factor of production. It is criminal that you who is aware of what ICT infrastructure can do to the country that you sit there to complain that it is idle instead of raising awareness to the public and utilizing that asset. Regards Bitange Ndemo. > Kagai, > > Like all the rest we are misplacing the importance of the marine cable and > it is unfortunate that Dr. Ndemo is also unable to provide us with the > logical reason for why we need to land this fiber cable. > > Your issue of digital TV has nothing to do with whether we have the marine > cable or not as our transmission is local and thus what we need is a fiber > network within the country. I have been listening to that story of > digital TV being echoed by many a so called IT gurus. All that the fiber > will do is create so much competition for our local stations before they > have enough time to adopt or recoup their investments which will result in > massive layoffs. If we can negotiate for the delay i

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Voter Registration
by Claire RUTO 04 Dec '07

04 Dec '07

"Are you registered to vote this Election? To know your status, simply send an SMS with your ID number to 5872. Celtel Making Life Better" This e-mail contains confidential information or information belonging to Celtel Kenya Limited and is intended solely for the addressee. The opinions therein, explicit or implied, are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Celtel Kenya Limited as a company. The unauthorized disclosure, use, dissemination or copying ( in whole or in part) of this e-mail, or any information it contains, is prohibited. E-mails are susceptible to alteration and their integrity cannot be guaranteed. Celtel KenyaLimited shall not be liable for this e-mail if modified or falsified. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please delete it immediately from your system and notify the sender of the wrong delivery and the e-mail deletion.

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eDiscussion Report on Regulators' eCommunication Strategies-Final Copy
by Rebecca Wanjiku 04 Dec '07

04 Dec '07

hi, Here is the final report of the online discussion on eCommunication strategies for regulators. please forward comments. regards Becky ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better pen pal. Text or chat with friends inside Yahoo! Mail. See how. http://overview.mail.yahoo.com/

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Kenya's Peculiar Business Environment
by Bill Kagai 04 Dec '07

04 Dec '07

http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4642&Item… KRA moved to the appellate after High Court judge Onesmus Mutungi dismissed its Sh2 billion tax demand on KenCell Communications (now Celtel Kenya) on technical grounds after the taxman's lawyer failed to attend court, citing transport problems. I rest my case!!!! -- -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete URL. www.mediacorpafrica.com --

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