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Finland makes fast broadband a legal right
by alice 17 Oct '09

17 Oct '09

Linking to the current discussion on Internet outage, I will use IDRC Outcome mapping lingua and say, what Finland is doing is an "I would Love to see" kind of scenario. best alice ---------------------------------------------------------- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/broadband/6337698/Finland-makes-fast-… Finland makes fast broadband a legal right The Finnish government has passed a law that entitles every person to a one megabit-per-second internet connection. By Claudine Beaumont, Technology Editor Published: 4:05PM BST 15 Oct 2009 Even the citizens of remote, rural parts of Finland will be legally entitled to a minimum broadband connection speed of one megabit per second, rising to 100 megabits ber second by 2015. Photo: GETTY IMAGES Finland's Ministry of Transport and Communications has committed to ensuring that every person in Finland can access the internet at a minimum speed of one megabit per second from July next year. The Finnish government had already committed to rolling out 100 megabits per second broadband connections across the country by 2015. It's the first country in the world to make universal minimum internet access speeds a legal requirement. The government said the move was aimed at improving broadband provision in rural areas. Telecoms companies across Finland will have to start rolling out high-speed services to all locations. But the Finnish authorities have stressed that this is merely an "intermediary step" ahead of the roll-out of superfast broadband within the next five years. "We think [the internet is] something you cannot live without in modern society," said Laura Vikkonen, a spokesman for the ministry. "Like banking services or water or electricity, you need an internet connection. "Universal service is every citizen's subjective right." Finland, which has a population of around 5.2 million, is already one of the most connected countries in the world, with 95 per cent of citizens already hooked up to some form of internet connection. Although other countries, such as France, have declared the concept of guaranteed web access a "human right", Finland is the first nation to recognise this in law. The British government and internet stakeholders will be keeping a close eye on Finland's plans. In the recent Digital Britain report, the government set a target of universal internet access of speeds of at least two megabits per second by 2012. But it remains unclear whether this target will be achieved, as rural and remote areas may still have to rely on mobile or satellite broadband, rather than fixed-line internet connections, for their web access. The Prince of Wales has added his voice to the debate, calling on the government and internet service providers to stop the countryside becoming a "broadband desert". "Access to the internet is increasingly becoming a necessity," he wrote in The Daily Telegraph at the weekend. "The lack of access to high speed broadband is putting many of those who work in rural communities at a severe disadvantage." BT recently announced that it was doubling the roll-out of its own next-generation, high-speed 100 megabits per second broadband network, making it accessible to 2.5 British households by 2012. However, most of those homes are expected to be concentrated in urban areas. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/broadband/6337698/Finland-makes-fast-…

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Internet Outage Tuesday Oct-13-2009
by Mwangi Wamae 16 Oct '09

16 Oct '09

All: Does anyone know what happened to the Internet service yesterday. We had no service from Telkom or Safaricom here and I have heard that Wananchi and Zain were down. Surely an Internet outage -- especially a generalized one -- should be news. The Internet is not a luxury ... someone somewhere should inform stakeholders. And if the networks, ISPs won't communicate then surely the Government should. -Mw

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Re: [kictanet] Internet Outage Tuesday Oct-13-2009
by Shah, SurajX 16 Oct '09

16 Oct '09

Too true Brian. Fiona you need to actually listen to the complaints of the members of this forum and take investigative action rather than telling us the mandate of the Kenya Internet Exchange Point. The members are not raising this issue simply for the heck of it - everyone was inconvenienced terribly by this outage and when the likes of Safaricom do not come up with a reasonable explanation nor a time estimate when the service will resume in the 6 hours they were out, it is un acceptable. Regards Suraj Shah Corporate Affairs Manager Intel Corporation | Kenya | Office: 7th Floor, Purhsottam Place, Westlands Road next to CfC Stanbic Bank, Nairobi | Tel: +254 20 3601724 / 3601727 | Mobile: +254 722 412277 | Email: surajx.shah(a)intel.com -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+surajx.shah=intel.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke Sent: 15 October 2009 19:55 To: Shah, SurajX Subject: kictanet Digest, Vol 29, Issue 47 Send kictanet mailing list submissions to kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke You can reach the person managing the list at kictanet-owner(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: Internet Outage Tuesday Oct-13-2009 (Brian Munyao Longwe) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:57:22 +0300 From: Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe(a)gmail.com> To: waudo siganga <emailsignet(a)mailcan.com> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Internet Outage Tuesday Oct-13-2009 Message-ID: <CE29BA66-92A5-41BA-9065-84495813C91A(a)gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; Format="flowed"; DelSp="yes" Very true Waudo and I think that most important thing here is for the operators/service providers to COMMUNICATE. As long as customers/users have information, they will generally tend to cool off and give their supplier time to sort out whatever the problem is. Customer service is key! Brian Sent from my iPhone On Oct 15, 2009, at 7:35 PM, "waudo siganga" <emailsignet(a)mailcan.com> wrote: > I think what started this thread was an observation that a number of > disparate users, having disparate services providers, reported > Internet outage at roughly the same time. I for one know that my > service provider Wananchi (Zuku service) was down Tuesday morning, > something they confirmed when we contacted them. When a user is > down, they are down and they are entitled to ask questions without > being deflected because all they want is to be online with a > reliable service, the technicalities notwithstanding. > > Waudo > > > On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:17 +0300, "Fiona Asonga" > <tespok(a)tespok.co.ke> wrote: >> Hallo Brian >> >> >> >> Mwangi was not specific about what traffic he was referring to but >> in his remarks below: >> >> >> >> ?Does anyone know what happened to the Internet service yesterday. >> We had no service from Telkom or Safaricom here and I have heard >> that Wananchi and Zain were down. >> >> Surely an Internet outage -- especially a generalized one -- should >> be news. The Internet is not a luxury ... someone somewhere >> should inform stakeholders. And if the networks, ISPs won't >> communicate then surely the Government should.? >> >> >> >> In view of the license established for the KIXP by CCK we don?t ha >> ndle international traffic. However by expecting serious action su >> ch as a statement on there being no internet service while there w >> as be it from other operators just doesn?t add up. Being that I wa >> s out of the office most of Tuesday therefore access internet via >> modem as opposed to the office LAN I didn?t experience such a prob >> lem. That is why I again state; there are many factors that could >> affect connectivity at the last mile that must be considered. Am s >> ure Brian as a someone who has been in the industry a long time yo >> u must be aware of what some of these may be. There are also many >> more operators licensed to provide internet licenses and they can? >> t be ignore either. In other words, a blanket statement such as t >> he one quoted above would do more harm than good. >> >> >> >> I appreciate the comments that Eric gave: ?Are these not >> ?quality of Service Issues? that we should increasingly be >> paying more attention to?? >> >> >> >> The quality of service will improve a lot if we can avoid such >> blanket statement and contacting the specific operator when an >> issue arises so as to be sure where the problem is. Brian as long >> as the traffic is flowing through we assist the operators by >> letting them know so that they can check their other locations/ >> equipment. TESPOK is keen on addressing quality of service issues >> amongst the members and trying to get them to adhere to >> international best practices. Due to working as a team with the >> peering operators most technical teams are honest on where the >> problems are on their networks as they seek assistance is resolving >> some of the issues. However, the support of the end user by being >> clear on the issues affecting their experience is extremely >> important. >> >> >> >> I would propose that Mwangi clarifies what traffic seemed to have a >> problem. >> >> >> >> Fiona Asonga >> >> Chief Executive Officer >> >> Telecommunications Service Providers Association of Kenya/ >> >> Kenya Internet Exchange Point >> >> 14th Floor, Bruce House >> >> Standard Street >> >> >> >> Tel: +254 20 2245 036 >> >> >> >> >> >> ?Industry voice in Telecommunications, Providing Policy and Direct >> ion >> >> within the Industry and Government? >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> From: Brian Munyao Longwe [mailto:[email protected]] >> Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 5:42 PM >> To: Fiona Asonga >> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Internet Outage Tuesday Oct-13-2009 >> >> >> >> Hi Fiona, >> >> While all of what you have said is true, the only uptime that you >> can monitor from KIXP (based on how I originally designed it) is >> uptime for operators/providers/members on their link to KIXP. In >> other words, there is now way of determining if their upstream/ >> international connectivity is working or not. >> >> I believe that the initiator of this thread might have been >> referring to 'external' internet access as opposed to 'local' >> internet access. >> >> Best regards, >> >> Brian >> >> On Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 5:27 PM, Fiona Asonga <tespok(a)tespok.co.ke> >> wrote: >> >> Hallo Conrad, >> >> >> >> The Telecommunications Service Providers Association of Kenya set >> up, runs and manages the Kenya Internet Exchange Point as one of >> the many services it provides to operators. At the Kenya Internet >> Exchange Point we are able to >> >> ? Monitor the levels of local internet traffic from connec >> ted members, >> >> ? Monitor downtime >> >> ? Can generate reports of how long a particular operator w >> as down and whether the down time is as a result of equipment at t >> he IXP or other operator location (Downtime of an operator at the >> KIXP implies that the local internet traffic is going out as inter >> national traffic then back into the country therefore some delay) >> >> ? Monitor user behavior in terms of what users are doing o >> nline locally and periods when local internet is most used >> >> >> >> We also provide shared value add services to peering members that >> translate to a better experience for the consumer such as >> >> ? Training members? technical staff on new peering standar >> ds and international best practices (We have a hands on training k >> it from one of our partners to facilitate this) >> >> ? We have recently introduced shared online security mon >> itoring tools for all peering members courtesy of a renown global >> online security experts >> >> ? Peering members get global recognition to enable them pe >> er directly to other IXPs such as London and Amsterdam >> >> ? We also house the .ke, .net, .com, J-root, F-root and I- >> root servers or mirror instances >> >> >> >> We currently have 28 operators, government departments running key >> services online that require access by the general public and the >> Academic network are connected at the KIXP. >> >> >> >> You may contact me if you have any specific queries you may need >> answered. >> >> >> >> Kind Regards >> >> >> >> Fiona Asonga >> >> Chief Executive Officer >> >> Telecommunications Service Providers Association of Kenya/ >> >> Kenya Internet Exchange Point >> >> 14th Floor, Bruce House >> >> Standard Street >> >> >> >> Tel: +254 20 2245 036 >> >> >> >> >> >> ?Industry voice in Telecommunications, Providing Policy and Direct >> ion >> >> within the Industry and Government? >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> From: kictanet-bounces+tespok=tespok.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> [mailto:[email protected]] >> On Behalf Of Rad! >> Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 3:34 PM >> >> >> To: tespok(a)tespok.co.ke >> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions >> >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Internet Outage Tuesday Oct-13-2009 >> >> >> >> Come to think of it, is there some government body or other such >> entity, public or otherwise, that monitors this sort of thing? >> Internet uptime and connectivity is pretty much a national resource >> now -- disrupting the internet or the mobile telephone networks >> will definitely have an impact on the country and economy. Is there >> anyone monitoring this? >> >> On Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 3:02 PM, Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo(a)gmail.com >> > wrote: >> >> >> >> On Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 2:12 PM, Fiona Asonga <tespok(a)tespok.co.ke> >> wrote: >> >> Hallo Mwangi, >> >> >> >> I am not sure where you got your information from but based on >> monitoring tools statistics at the Kenya Internet Exchange Point >> none of the service providers you have listed had any problems. >> >> >> >> Hi Fiona, >> >> >> >> Last night, while connected via Safaricom 3G, and working on a >> server hosted at KDN by one of the providers, I lost connection to >> that server at around 10-ish and could not even ping it, though it >> was and still is UP so there's some credibility to the allegation. >> >> >> >> -- >> Best regards, >> Odhiambo WASHINGTON, >> Nairobi,KE >> +254733744121/+254722743223 >> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ >> "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!." >> -- Lucky Dube >> >> _______________________________________________ >> kictanet mailing list >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> >> This message was sent to: conradakunga(a)gmail.com >> Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/conradakunga%40gmail.c… >> >> >> >> >> -- >> This message has been scanned for viruses and >> dangerous content by MailScanner, and is >> believed to be clean. >> >> >> >> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus >> signature database 4509 (20091015) __________ >> >> >> >> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. >> >> >> >> http://www.eset.com >> >> >> >> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus >> signature database 4510 (20091015) __________ >> >> >> >> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. >> >> >> >> http://www.eset.com >> >> >> >> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus >> signature database 4510 (20091015) __________ >> >> >> >> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. >> >> http://www.eset.com >> >> >> -- >> This message has been scanned for viruses and >> dangerous content by MailScanner, and is >> believed to be clean. >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> kictanet mailing list >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> >> This message was sent to: blongwe(a)gmail.com >> Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/blongwe%40gmail.com >> >> >> >> >> -- >> Brian Munyao Longwe >> e-mail: blongwe(a)gmail.com >> cell: + 254 722 518 744 >> blog : http://zinjlog.blogspot.com >> meta-blog: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com >> >> -- >> This message has been scanned for viruses and >> dangerous content by MailScanner, and is >> believed to be clean. >> >> >> >> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus >> signature database 4510 (20091015) __________ >> >> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. >> >> http://www.eset.com >> >> -- >> This message has been scanned for viruses and >> dangerous content by MailScanner, and is >> believed to be clean. > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: blongwe(a)gmail.com > Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/blongwe%40gmail.com

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FCC seeks your view on Berkman Broadband Study
by emko＠internetresearch.com.gh 16 Oct '09

16 Oct '09

Folks, The FCC is calling for your views through http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/index.do?document=293955 on the just completed Berkman Centre study on Next Generation Broadband for the US @ http://www.fcc.gov/stage/pdf/Berkman_Center_Broadband_Study_13Oct09.pdf Eric here Sorry for crossposting

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Kenya¹s Gakuru is Africa's rep in NCUC
by Harry Hare 14 Oct '09

14 Oct '09

FYI http://www.cio.co.ke/index.php/view-all-top-stories/214-kenyas-gakuru-is-afr ican-rep-in-ncuc.html Kindest regards Harry African eDevelopment Resource Centre eDevelopment House : : 604 Limuru Road Old Muthaiga : : P O Box 49475 00100 Nairobi : : Kenya T +254 20 3741646/7 : : C +254 725 650044 Training : : Research: :Consultancy: : Publishing

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Zain Blackout
by Shah, SurajX 14 Oct '09

14 Oct '09

Safaricom's data service was completely down today from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Customer Service had no idea why or when service would resume. Is this even acceptable in this day and age? Is there no backup strategy? Or are they becoming like the good old KPLC? I agree with Benson Mbugua's suggestion. Regards Suraj Shah Corporate Affairs Manager Intel Corporation | Kenya | Office: 7th Floor, Purhsottam Place, Westlands Road next to CfC Stanbic Bank, Nairobi | Tel: +254 20 3601724 / 3601727 | Mobile: +254 722 412277 | Email: surajx.shah(a)intel.com -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+surajx.shah=intel.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke Sent: 13 October 2009 17:09 To: Shah, SurajX Subject: kictanet Digest, Vol 29, Issue 38 Send kictanet mailing list submissions to kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke You can reach the person managing the list at kictanet-owner(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Zain Blackout (Benson Mbugua) 2. Re: Zain Blackout (Gichuki John Chuksjonia) 3. use of freephone numbers in Kenya (waudo siganga) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:03:53 -0700 (PDT) From: Benson Mbugua <mbugz(a)yahoo.com> To: John Kariuki <ngethe.kariuki2007(a)yahoo.co.uk> Cc: kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke Subject: [kictanet] Zain Blackout Message-ID: <218996.4895.qm(a)web82404.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Yesterday I was not able to go online with my zain post paid modem. After a call to the customer service I was notified that their systems were down. If my memory serves me right, when jambonet was the only internet backbone/provider in the country, they were fined a huge sum of money for a similar incident. Is there any provision or consumer protection that could liase with Zain to credit users for the loss of service for a whole day or at least put a red flag for such an oversight. Ben ________________________________ From: John Kariuki <ngethe.kariuki2007(a)yahoo.co.uk> To: mbugz(a)yahoo.com Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Sat, October 10, 2009 8:45:02 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Call Drops & Regulatory Action Eric, Call drop is a measurable parameter which is one item in a broad array of measurements in what are often called "QUALITY OF SERVICE" in telecommunications.KCA 1998 has a provision on quality of service and consequently is of regulatory interest in accordance with the law. Just my opinion Eng.J.N.Kariuki --- On Sat, 10/10/09, Eric Aligula <jairah(a)KIPPRA.OR.KE> wrote: >From: Eric Aligula <jairah(a)KIPPRA.OR.KE> >Subject: [kictanet] Call Drops & Regulatory Action >To: ngethe.kariuki2007(a)yahoo.co.uk >Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> >Date: Saturday, 10 October, 2009, 9:47 AM > > > > >Dear All: > >I am looking for any information / studies out there in respect of call drops and regulatory action. Specifically I am looking for information on any studies measuring the economic impact of call drops and regulatory action to deal with the same. > >Look forward to your feedback. > >Kind regards > >Eric Aligula Magolo, PhD >Senior Analyst >Infrastructure and Economic Services Division >Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) >P.O. Box 56445, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya >Telephone: +254-20-2719933/4 >Fax: +254-20-2719951 >E-mail: jairah(a)kippra.or.ke >URL: www.kippra.org > > >Proudly Kenyan >?In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility???.I welcome it.? >John F. Kennedy >"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." >Edmund Burke >"Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory, nor defeat." >Theodore Roosevelt >"Ex Africa semper aliquid novi" > >-----Inline Attachment Follows----- > > >_______________________________________________ >kictanet mailing list >kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >This message was sent to: ngethe.kariuki2007(a)yahoo.co.uk >Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/ngethe.kariuki2007%40y… >

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Call Drops & Regulatory Action
by Eric Aligula 13 Oct '09

13 Oct '09

Dear All: I am looking for any information / studies out there in respect of call drops and regulatory action. Specifically I am looking for information on any studies measuring the economic impact of call drops and regulatory action to deal with the same. Look forward to your feedback. Kind regards Eric Aligula Magolo, PhD Senior Analyst Infrastructure and Economic Services Division Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) P.O. Box 56445, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya Telephone: +254-20-2719933/4 Fax: +254-20-2719951 E-mail: jairah(a)kippra.or.ke <mailto:[email protected]> URL: www.kippra.org <http://www.kippra.org/> Proudly Kenyan "In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility..........I welcome it." John F. Kennedy "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke "Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory, nor defeat." Theodore Roosevelt "Ex Africa semper aliquid novi"

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use of freephone numbers in Kenya
by waudo siganga 13 Oct '09

13 Oct '09

Does anyone know if there is a policy in Kenya on the use of freephone numbers (0800 etc) in Kenya? Are these services banned? Freephone numbers allow callers to phone the subscriber free of charge with the subscriber paying the bill. Recently I was on an international conference call where the other participants had been provided with freephone numbers for their countries but none for Kenya. When I enquired I was informed that there is a problem with freephone services in Kenya, "apparently with local telecom services". Waudo

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Safaricom's low dividend payments
by michael Ouma 13 Oct '09

13 Oct '09

Hi all: just wondering: would it make more sense for safaricom to just 'sambaza' airtime amounts equivalent to the dividend payments for those with less than say 2,000 shares (which translates to a dividend of khss 200), as i believe this would save them (shareholders) from having to incur the MPESA transaction fees of Kshs 30? what do others think? thanks. Michael Ouma Journalist Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254-725-537823 / +254-0731-201729 Email: benomnta(a)yahoo.com "There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction," - JF Kennedy.

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TEAMS an open circuit
by robert yawe 11 Oct '09

11 Oct '09

Hi, I finally got a chance to look through the presentation you sent me concerning the marine cable issue, which was comprehensive. My suggestion is that you call all the ISPs and give them this presentation so that they can stop, once and for all, passing the buck for failing the Nation and keeping us in the stone age of connectivity. From the presentation it is clear that the marine cable on its own was not the panacea for high internet charges and slow connectivity, we did not understand that the model for Internet access in the US cannot be applied in countries outside that continent as the bulk of the content is resident in the US. For a long time, over 12 years ago when I wrote an article for an IT magazine that was called Micro Computer Guide, I was called the village madman for advocating about the need to develop local content. I was incensed by the action by the then Karisa Communications (Makatiani & Ngeno) later AfricaOnline to shut down their bulleting board based service to provide us with the so called Internet connection yet we where on the right track as we created local content out of necessity. Today I believe I stand exonerated as ISP’s finally confirm that the marine cable is not going to bring down the cost of Internet access, you wonder why we have wasted the past 3 years singing its praises. I say PS Ndemo, in his personal capacity and on behalf of all the agencies under his ministry (ICT board, e-government, CCK & other), owes the country an apology for taking us on a wild goose chase. PS Ndemo the creation of local content falls smack in your docket and I have said this before all the government has to do is digitize all those reports in their possession beginning with the constitution, sessional papers, census, exam results, list of village polytechnics and the presidents diary then we can all move from their. Again thanks Walubengo. Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

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