- KICTANet - KICTANet

Sluggish Internet? This works fast for me
by Alex Gakuru 19 Apr '07

19 Apr '07

Hi all, I know I am a little off-topic here but I could not resist to share this. For a while now, I changed my DNS server settings resulting in remarkable internet speed increase. Just this morning, one cyber cafe user asked "How come your internet is much faster" so I thought you should all know why, and also try it out if you like. Do not try this (at home or office:-) if you don't know how to change DNS Server settings on your internet connetion card. You know, that one with an IP address, subnet mask then DNS Server, alternate DNS (for windows). Remember to write down your current settings before changing so that you can revert to them whenever you wish, if your not on Linux-based systems which can take more than 2 DNS servers [>>FF>> <http://www.opendns.com/ (DNS 1 208.67.222.222 and DNS2 208.67.220.220 Would appreciate if you let me know (off-list) you if it helps.] They are saying: "OpenDNS helps you navigate the Internet in a safer, faster, smarter and more reliable way. Our service is free and requires nothing to download. OpenDNS doesn't replace your existing Internet connection, it just makes it better." "The only thing worse than a slow DNS service is an unreliable DNS service. When DNS isn't working it appears as if the entire Internet isn't working. Our service is built on our own high-performance network that is connected in multiple cities and to many different networks. We know reliability is important, and we stand behind ours." <http://www.opendns.com/what/> Simply put, when one types a website address on to their browser, your ISP's DNS Server resolve the characters into an IP address where and the browser is then directed to that IP address. What does DNS do? DNS, the Domain Name System, translates the human addresses of websites and servers (like wikipedia.org) to the numerical address used by computers (207.142.131.203). Do I use DNS? Every time you send an email or visit a web page, you are using DNS services. We estimate most people make at least 100 DNS requests every day. If you are unsure, readup some more from their site before making changes. Thxs --------------------------------- Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell? Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos.

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Nurturing Future Enterprenuers....
by Fatma Bashir 19 Apr '07

19 Apr '07

NURTURING FUTURE ENTREPRENUERS. By Fatma Bashir When I got a call confirming that I would have a chance to make a presentation before ICT stakeholders, I was delighted. I somewhat expected more Industry representation, perhaps from the Information and Communication Ministry and a cross section of players from the industry such as communication, hardware and software providers. However, the attendance was good and presentations were excellent. Kictanet Monthly Forum is a good forum to meet and exchange ideas and I am sure that our views will reach the right tables. The media bit was tricky because I missed most of Gakuru's presentation when I was being interviewed. Being on the KICTANet mail list is a revelation, once again THANK YOU! I am getting to know more and more and soon will start to add my voice on a lot of things that are being sent around. My interest is in education...not only because I am a teacher by profession but because without our building understanding of the use of ICT in education and maximizing of this emergent market in schools we will have chosen to be rained on instead of walking in the rain. Needless to say, tomorrow's entrepreneurs, policy makers, presidents, business owners, employees, mums and dads are in school right now. I look forward to the next forum you can count on my attendance and contribution. Fatma A Bashir Chief Marketing Officer Cyber School Technology Solutions Ltd. P.O. Box 14636-00100 Nairobi, Kenya. T: 4452870/1 ; 0726/0734 880864 F: 4452873 M: 0722 5070 50 www.cyberschooltech.com ---------------------------------------------- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. --------------------------------------------- "easy access to the world"

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International telecommunications blackout looms
by Rebecca Wanjiku 19 Apr '07

19 Apr '07

17 April 2007 International telecommunications blackout looms In a move that threatens to cause a blackout in the telecommunications sector, Zimbabwe’s mobile phone operators, Econet, Net*One and Telecel have said they will start billing all outgoing international calls in foreign currency. The move will also see Tel*One, the sole fixed telephone network provider charging all outgoing calls in United States Dollars. Mobile phone companies, which have been engaged in a rate wrangle with the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), maintain that they are unable to pay the termination rates charged in United States dollars, and have accumulated many debts. Chair of the Telecommunications Operators Association of Zimbabwe Douglas Mboweni is quoted as having stated that currently it costs ten times cheaper to make an international call from Zimbabwe than anywhere else in the world and as a result most international calls now emanate from Zimbabwe . Consequently, these companies have to pay more termination rates than the corresponding countries. POTRAZ has set the tariffs using the official exchange rate of Z$250 against each US $ a rate which has become unsustainable for most exporters and service providers. Zimbabwe is currently facing a foreign currency shortage, making it virtually impossible for subscribers to pay their telephone bills in foreign currency. Nyasha Nyakunu Research and Information Officer Media Institute of Southern Africa - Zimbabwe 84 McChlery Ave Eastlea P.O Box HR 8113 Harare Zimbabwe Tel: 263 4 776165 / 746838 misa(a)mweb.co.zw www.misazim.co.zw __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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My day with journalists……By Jose Ngunjiri
by Jose' 19 Apr '07

19 Apr '07

It was the first time for Kimathi Information Centre (KIC) to do a presentation at a panel of ICT stakeholders. I was still getting to know how things work around the meeting until the journalists sought to interview me. Working around journalists has made me become more cautious with what I say. I was interviewed by KBC and the first time is always shaky, you don’t know what to say or what not to. It went on well and we got valuable coverage. Thanks to Kictanet. After the forum, KDN (Kenya Data Networks) Pledged that they will help us network the six E-learning centres that we are planning to open. The big question is where are the resources to sustain all these? We are a group operating at the community level and we are under so much pressure from the neighboring communities to set up e-learning centres. Our growth is narrowed down by lack of resources. in as much as we have no money, we are approaching local banks for loans but the only collateral we have are computers and we have not made progress in securing loans. We are not afraid to get loans because we believe in what we are doing. Countries like Malaysia succeeded on commercial loans and through hard work they have reaped benefits. We will too. On March 24th, we organized a financing symposium that mainly addressed areas that require financing and how to approach financing institutions. Small Medium enterprise Solution centre (SSC) a World Bank affiliate attended the symposium and emphasized on starting small enterprises and on ways to access funds as the youth and the importance of building business capacity. More than 134 youth delegates were inspired to see Edith Adera from IDRC. Adera is KIC’s mentor and greatest supporter. Thanks for your support! Best Regards, Jose' Njuki-Imwe Ngunjiri || +254 722 336754 || __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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setting digital pace in Eastlands
by Rebecca Wanjiku 19 Apr '07

19 Apr '07

SETTING DIGITAL PACE IN EASTLANDS When Dr Bitange Ndemo, Information and Communication Permanent Secretary asked Collin Bruce and his team to visit Eastlands, everybody was eager. Eager because the PS had sang praises about Kimathi Information Centre (KIC) and how it had used Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) to uplift the lives of the youth in the area. As the PS and his team snaked through the streets of Maringo, Jerusalem, Bahati and Uhuru, the team of youth at KIC were putting final touches to the presentation. The KIC team is comprised of Catherine Atieno Agallo {21}, Jose Njuki-Imwe Ngunjiri {26} and Lillian Gloria Okumu {28). Before welcoming the visitors, the KIC team and the volunteers had to ensure that all the work due to the local schools has been delivered and any other pending jobs are finalized. This is their day to show what the youth can do. The PS has been so impressed by KIC’s digital innovation and integration to the community that every visitor to Ndemo’s office is referred to the centre for examples of how Kenya has embraced ICTs. Bruce, the World Bank country director was not disappointed at what he saw. He witnessed how the area youth had worked with meager resources to improve living conditions in the area. “We have received tremendous support from Dr. Ndemo. It has motivated us to keep exploring our potential,” said Ngunjiri. He was speaking at the Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) monthly forum, where innovators in ICTs showcase their achievements to other industry players as well as the public. So why was KIC started? According to Ngunjiri, they teamed up in December 2005 and decided to come up with innovative practical solutions to the problems of unemployed youth in the area. KIC serves Eastland’s community in Kimathi, Bahati, Jerusalem, Maringo and Uhuru. Apart from unemployment, the youth in the area lack of proper skills to search for jobs, lack job interview skills and some have been unable to secure attachment opportunities after university. Armed with their findings and suggested solutions, the trio approached Computer for Schools Kenya and the International Development Research Council (IDRC) seeking assistance. Impressed by the innovation, the two organizations donated 13 computers and agreed that the trio would train and equip the youth and the whole communities in the area. “I think they have done an excellent job that can be shared with others,” said Edith Adera from IDRC. Ngunjiri told KICTANet members how that partnership has improved ICT knowledge, reduced crime rate, unemployment and ignorance among the youth. “We have tried to ensure that the community owns the project, they give collective security and our equipment has never been stolen. The youth who would have been out mugging people is now working behind computers,” Ngunjiri added. KIC works with neighbouring schools to provide computer services if needed. For instance, at the end of the term, the teachers forward the scores for tallying and grading instead of doing it manually. “It is now easier and time saving for teachers to grade the students. Once they mark the exams, we send one volunteer to get the data, organise according to instructions then send back to the school. A minimal cost is charged,” said Ngunjiri. KIC has tried to integrate everybody into the project provided they show interest in learning. Those with skills they can share with others are encouraged to visit the centre and benefit the others. Working with university graduates, KIC goes beyond ICTs skills and teaches accounting and small business management skills to those aspiring to start businesses. Other services offered include- research and study centre, library centre through e-learning, data base centre for small business entrepreneurs, security pay point for Kimathi estate, networking centre, web design training for teenagers under the Mtandao Africa initiative. Out of the activities, the centre raises money to sustain itself and pay minimal wages to the workers. The priority now is to ensure the community fully embraces ICTs before they can pursue profits. To fulfill their social responsibility, Ngunjiri told KICTANet forum how KIC supports Shelter of Hope Centre- the local children’s home. The home houses sixty orphans in the neighboring Kiambiu slum. Because the space at KIC is limited, two trainers from the children’s home have been trained with the expectation that they will impart the orphans with ICT knowledge. Every Sunday, have a volunteer from KIC teaches 5 students from the children’s centre on computer packages and any advanced skills needed. The progress of KIC has not gone unnoticed by the corporate sector, Popote wireless gave thirty volunteers a chance market the company’s products. The library and research centre expects to train many students and enter competition for international awards including the Bill and Melinda gate Foundation Program. Ends Rebecca Wanjiku, journalist, p.o box 33515, Nairobi.00600 Kenya. Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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media workshop
by Rebecca Wanjiku 19 Apr '07

19 Apr '07

Kictanet and Kenya ICT journalists network will be holding a workshop for journalists on April 26 at Jacaranda from 9 am to 1 pm, the workshop, addressing OFC, FOI and ICT bill the workshop is basic and we expect to hold further training in a month or two, if you are interested in attending, please confirm with me directly, regards becky __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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IT in rural schools
by Rebecca Wanjiku 19 Apr '07

19 Apr '07

TAKING IT TO RURAL SCHOOLS At the heart of Meru district, a dusty road leads to Ruiga girls’ school. It is a typical village school with no power and vehicles to the shopping centre operate only on market days. To access it, one needs prior information, if it rained; don’t bother visiting because the road is impassable. The school is two kilometers from the road with no public transport. Imagine this: the school has an integrated system that allows teachers to teach mathematics, chemistry, biology and physics using animated computer graphics and has an integrated system that allows parents to monitor students’ academic and disciplinary progress from the internet. The imagination can roll on to the classroom where the teachers use LCD projectors in place of black boards and exam past papers are available online. The assignments are forwarded via email and teachers, parents and students are in constant communication. Well, this is the dream that the headmistress of the school has dared to dream. The school is typical of many village schools but wants to be the pioneer of computer technology in the area. This school imposes itself as the testimony of the determination by Cyber School Technology Solutions (CSTS) of providing quality educational services to schools in Kenya- whether rural or urban. With no power and coming from a place where computers are still perceived as myths, CSTS is proving that all students can enjoy world-class teaching aids that enhance the learning environment. Fatma Bashir, chief marketing officer at CSTS narrated to ICT stakeholders gathered for the KICTANet forum how she has had to teach communities about benefits of computers before embarking on her mission to promote educational packages. “One time a headmistress of another school blocked us from entering the school because we were introducing ‘bad pictures through the internet’ to the students. I took time to explain to the teachers the benefits of computers in schools, and that we had good intentions,” Bashir told the forum. CSTS develops teaching resources, aligned to specific syllabi, featuring 3D animations. Each Unit within a Chapter apart from 3D animations contains 2D animations, visuals, charts, experiments and other reference materials required by teachers in a classroom environment. Today, Ruiga girls’ school has 220 students and 12 teachers. Granted the challenges, the school was ranked 18 out of 79 schools in 2006, up from 33rd position in the district in 2005, and according to Bashir, the students have demonstrated positive index improvement in sciences subjects after using the Digital Science products for barely 6 weeks before the final exams. This school epitomizes the desire by CSTS to bridge the infrastructure and digital divide and ensure that rural schools enjoy similar opportunities as those enjoyed by urban schools. Through the electronic teaching aids offered to schools, CSTS hopes to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban schools. This, Bashir argued, will lead to early familiarization with ICT for teachers and students alike. According to Bashir, CSTS hopes to qualitatively improve learning by conceptualizing more creatively and digitizing learning resources to help educators build better learning interventions. For the tough science subjects, CSTS hopes to make them fun by introducing new teaching aides in the subjects of Mathematics, Biology, Physics and Chemistry that animate and turn the subjects to life, making it easier to learn and recall. Standardizing the learning process thereby creating an equal opportunity for success for every student sitting the examination across the board. Digital Science is a revolutionary teaching aid because by using animated visuals, that brings to life the abstract concepts learning science has been made easier thus more interesting and readily understood by the students. “The interactivity built into these modules also gives students a feeling of hands-on experience. At the same time, it gives control to the teachers and students as the lessons follow syllabi of specific subjects while pace and explanations can match the level of the student,” said Bashir. In Physics, interactivity allows students to tweak parameters in situations and literally see how the system responds to the change. In short, the limitations of a school laboratory are overcome. For example, no school lab can show a nuclear reaction, but this is also shown in our modules. In Chemistry, using the virtual lab, students can conduct potentially hazardous experiments safely and without the expenditure of chemicals. Even dangerous experiments dealing with poisonous gases, etc. can be performed (students are warned adequately in such cases to prevent them from replicating it in reality). They can also repeat experiments over and over until they are familiar with the process in preparation for practical examinations, all this at the click of a button. In Biology, through animation of complex concepts students get to understand what they are being taught and can thus apply this not only in their lives but also while responding to examination questions. For example a process such as importance of diffusion in the human body, cell division during reproduction etc are visually depicted aiding the understanding and retention process required in the teaching and learning environment. CSTS has introduced a new technique of teaching mathematics. In Mathematics, when teaching about shapes, the animation shows the shapes in 3 dimension, thus attracting the students to get into the concept and learn it better and with self-interest. CSTS recognizes the necessity for educating students about HIV / AIDS appropriately and effectively, using the power of multimedia. The organization has developed innovative, original multimedia teaching tools, on CD ROM for HIV / AIDS education for children between the ages of 6 and 18. The content sophistication increases for higher age groups, covering the nature of viral infections and causes and effects of HIV / AIDS. Because this is a global problem with many mature themes, it is treated in a sensitive and flexible, non-judgmental manner to appeal to persons from different backgrounds. The lessons are created in a visually attractive style with cartoon characters giving the message in a manner which is easy to understand. This is followed by interactive exercises, quizzes, etc. to reinforce the learning process, evaluate what they have learnt, and show them how this knowledge can be applied in safe behavior to avoid HIV / AIDS. By Advocating the use of relevant ICT software in education CSTS hopes to improve learning processes of all students in Kenya as well as improve living standards. Ends Rebecca Wanjiku, journalist, p.o box 33515, Nairobi.00600 Kenya. Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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kictanet monthly forum
by Rebecca Wanjiku 18 Apr '07

18 Apr '07

Kictanet will be holding the monthly forum on thursday next week (april 26) at 3pm Jacaranda, the forum will address e-learning issues to coincide with the e-learning conference to be held in Nairobi next month, there will be presentations from government on e-learning intiatives, we expect presentations about all the elements needed to complete the eLearning picture, there will be presentations from organisations working in software development as well as rural awareness, please plan to attend, regards becky __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Time to rebuild the internet]
by alice 17 Apr '07

17 Apr '07

Others explore scrapping Internet By ANICK JESDANUN, AP Internet Writer Fri Apr 13, 11:04 PM ET NEW YORK - Although it has already taken nearly four decades to get this far in building the Internet, some university researchers with the federal government's blessing want to scrap all that and start over. The idea may seem unthinkable, even absurd, but many believe a "clean slate" approach is the only way to truly address security, mobility and other challenges that have cropped up since UCLA professor Leonard Kleinrock helped supervise the first exchange of meaningless test data between two machines on Sept. 2, 1969. The Internet "works well in many situations but was designed for completely different assumptions," said Dipankar Raychaudhuri, a Rutgers University professor overseeing three clean-slate projects. "It's sort of a miracle that it continues to work well today." No longer constrained by slow connections and computer processors and high costs for storage, researchers say the time has come to rethink the Internet's underlying architecture, a move that could mean replacing networking equipment and rewriting software on computers to better channel future traffic over the existing pipes. Even Vinton Cerf, one of the Internet's founding fathers as co- developer of the key communications techniques, said the exercise was "generally healthy" because the current technology "does not satisfy all needs." One challenge in any reconstruction, though, will be balancing the interests of various constituencies. The first time around, researchers were able to toil away in their labs quietly. Industry is playing a bigger role this time, and law enforcement is bound to make its needs for wiretapping known. There's no evidence they are meddling yet, but once any research looks promising, "a number of people (will) want to be in the drawing room," said Jonathan Zittrain, a law professor affiliated with Oxford and Harvard universities. "They'll be wearing coats and ties and spilling out of the venue." The National Science Foundation wants to build an experimental research network known as the Global Environment for Network Innovations, or GENI, and is funding several projects at universities and elsewhere through Future Internet Network Design, or FIND. Rutgers, Stanford, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are among the universities pursuing individual projects. Other government agencies, including the Defense Department, have also been exploring the concept. The European Union has also backed research on such initiatives, through a program known as Future Internet Research and Experimentation, or FIRE. Government officials and researchers met last month in Zurich to discuss early findings and goals. A new network could run parallel with the current Internet and eventually replace it, or perhaps aspects of the research could go into a major overhaul of the existing architecture. These clean-slate efforts are still in their early stages, though, and aren't expected to bear fruit for another 10 or 15 years assuming Congress comes through with funding. Guru Parulkar, who will become executive director of Stanford's initiative after heading NSF's clean-slate programs, estimated that GENI alone could cost $350 million, while government, university and industry spending on the individual projects could collectively reach $300 million. Spending so far has been in the tens of millions of dollars. And it could take billions of dollars to replace all the software and hardware deep in the legacy systems. Clean-slate advocates say the cozy world of researchers in the 1970s and 1980s doesn't necessarily mesh with the realities and needs of the commercial Internet. "The network is now mission critical for too many people, when in the (early days) it was just experimental," Zittrain said. The Internet's early architects built the system on the principle of trust. Researchers largely knew one another, so they kept the shared network open and flexible qualities that proved key to its rapid growth. But spammers and hackers arrived as the network expanded and could roam freely because the Internet doesn't have built-in mechanisms for knowing with certainty who sent what. The network's designers also assumed that computers are in fixed locations and always connected. That's no longer the case with the proliferation of laptops, personal digital assistants and other mobile devices, all hopping from one wireless access point to another, losing their signals here and there. Engineers tacked on improvements to support mobility and improved security, but researchers say all that adds complexity, reduces performance and, in the case of security, amounts at most to bandages in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. Workarounds for mobile devices "can work quite well if a small fraction of the traffic is of that type," but could overwhelm computer processors and create security holes when 90 percent or more of the traffic is mobile, said Nick McKeown, co-director of Stanford's clean-slate program. The Internet will continue to face new challenges as applications require guaranteed transmissions not the "best effort" approach that works better for e-mail and other tasks with less time sensitivity. Think of a doctor using teleconferencing to perform a surgery remotely, or a customer of an Internet-based phone service needing to make an emergency call. In such cases, even small delays in relaying data can be deadly. And one day, sensors of all sorts will likely be Internet capable. Rather than create workarounds each time, clean-slate researchers want to redesign the system to easily accommodate any future technologies, said Larry Peterson, chairman of computer science at Princeton and head of the planning group for the NSF's GENI. Even if the original designers had the benefit of hindsight, they might not have been able to incorporate these features from the get- go. Computers, for instance, were much slower then, possibly too weak for the computations needed for robust authentication. "We made decisions based on a very different technical landscape," said Bruce Davie, a fellow with network-equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc., which stands to gain from selling new products and incorporating research findings into its existing line. "Now, we have the ability to do all sorts of things at very high speeds," he said. "Why don't we start thinking about how we take advantage of those things and not be constrained by the current legacy we have?" Of course, a key question is how to make any transition and researchers are largely punting for now. "Let's try to define where we think we should end up, what we think the Internet should look like in 15 years' time, and only then would we decide the path," McKeown said. "We acknowledge it's going to be really hard but I think it will be a mistake to be deterred by that." Kleinrock, the Internet pioneer at UCLA, questioned the need for a transition at all, but said such efforts are useful for their out-of- the-box thinking. "A thing called GENI will almost surely not become the Internet, but pieces of it might fold into the Internet as it advances," he said. Think evolution, not revolution. Princeton already runs a smaller experimental network called PlanetLab, while Carnegie Mellon has a clean-slate project called 100 x 100. These days, Carnegie Mellon professor Hui Zhang said he no longer feels like "the outcast of the community" as a champion of clean- slate designs. Construction on GENI could start by 2010 and take about five years to complete. Once operational, it should have a decade-long lifespan. FIND, meanwhile, funded about two dozen projects last year and is evaluating a second round of grants for research that could ultimately be tested on GENI. These go beyond projects like Internet2 and National LambdaRail, both of which focus on next-generation needs for speed. Any redesign may incorporate mechanisms, known as virtualization, for multiple networks to operate over the same pipes, making further transitions much easier. Also possible are new structures for data packets and a replacement of Cerf's TCP/IP communications protocols. "Almost every assumption going into the current design of the Internet is open to reconsideration and challenge," said Parulkar, the NSF official heading to Stanford. "Researchers may come up with wild ideas and very innovative ideas that may not have a lot to do with the current Internet." ___ Associated Press Business Writer Aoife White in Brussels, Belgium, contributed to this report. ___ On the Net: Stanford program: http://cleanslate.stanford.edu <http://cleanslate.stanford.edu> Carnegie Mellon program: http://100x100network.org <http://100x100network.org> Rutgers program: http://orbit-lab.org <http://orbit-lab.org> NSF's GENI: http://geni.net <http://geni.net> __._,_.___ Messages in this topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/message/5866;_ylc=X3oDMTM0Z3V1b3BiB…> (1) Reply (via web post) <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJwNjNtMTd2BF9TAzk3M…> | Start a new topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJlNTJpc3E1BF9TAzk3M…> Messages <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJlNmNoZ2ZtBF9TA…> | Links <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJmb3U4c2FqBF9TAzk3…> | Polls <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/polls;_ylc=X3oDMTJmMWVxdjc2BF9TAzk3…> | Calendar <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/calendar;_ylc=X3oDMTJkdWcyc2txBF9TA…> Dig Africa site welcomes you to join us at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/Digafrica on IT in Africa Aids-Africa is a forum for communication and information on AIDS related issues in Africa and all are welcome to join us at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/aids-africa Join us on hiv/aids forum on Kenya at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenya-aids Join us at a Kenyan networking forum and NGOS at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenyainternational Yahoo! 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East Africa Broadband Connectivity Workshop
by alice 17 Apr '07

17 Apr '07

*East Africa** Broadband Connectivity Workshop* The Global Digital Freedom Institute (GDFI), inveneo, and balancing act in cooperation with the United States’ Digital Freedom Initiative (DFI), are pleased to invite you to join colleagues from telecommunications ministries, the information and communications technology (ICT) industries and non-profit communities, to participate in a roundtable discussion about ways of accelerating deployment of high-speed broadband networks in Eastern Africa. The discussion will take place on Thursday, May 10 at the Hotel des Mille Collines, in Kigali, Rwanda beginning at 8:00 am and ending at 5:00pm. It will immediately follow a two day *East Africa Regional Broadband Workshop** **that** *the U.S. Digital Freedom Initiative, under the leadership of Ambassador David A. Gross, will be holding on May 8-9 with Telecommunications Ministers and private/academic sector leaders from Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. The ministerial-level DFI Workshop will examine potential models and produce a road map for expanding broadband connectivity in East Africa. The follow-up, roundtable discussion on May 10 will delve more deeply into the issues and further refine policy and infrastructure build-out options identified during the preceding two-day DFI workshop. These will include but not necessarily be limited to the following three tasks: · Examining specific steps that ICT businesses and governments in East Africa could take to remove or relax impediments to broadband deployment. · Discussing the feasibility of implementing the policy and infrastructure options developed during the two-day workshop and suggesting enhancements where necessary. · Focusing on connecting universities in the region and building on the work that has already been accomplished. We hope you will view this meeting as an opportunity to positively influence the deployment of broadband networks and applications throughout East Africa, and we very much hope that you will join us in this effort. *Please RSVP by May 1 by e-mail to gmccoy(a)gdfi.org <mailto:gmccoy@gdfi.org>. *

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