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Accountability Statement
by Wainaina Mungai 21 Feb '07

21 Feb '07

"What Kibaki has doen with your money" http://www.communication.go.ke/development/default.asp ....an interesting read! --- Wainaina Mungai http://www.madeinkenya.org SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

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Re: [kictanet] Sasanet
by Mike Theuri 21 Feb '07

21 Feb '07

Perhaps there is more than meets the eye considering their site seems to be up and running per a visual inspection ? Is there more behind the scenes that might not be obvious ? On 2/19/07, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > Wouldn't you be curious to find out a very popular free internet-based > www.sasanet.co.ke is now no longer working? I wonder why? > > /Alex > > *Mike Theuri <mike.theuri(a)gmail.com>* wrote: > > Alex, > > Thank you for sharing the blog on the anti-consumer setting in the > country. The blog has very useful information that is not being shared with > Kenyan consumers and it is key that consumer rights are upheld. Your blog > out to be brought to more attention of key stakeholders in ICT and to > consumers alike. > > Yes, the Ministry and CCK are best placed to authoritatively comment on > such an issue. However I believe that what AT&T is discontinuing is the > ability to use a "call back" number from Kenya to the US. It is very likely > that the call back numbers which are 0800 numbers are no longer profitable > for AT&T especially given that they cost as high as $3/min. Technically they > are supposed to be cheaper to use than if one was to "call back" the US > direct from any other country be it Kenya or the UK. However with AT&T's > rate to call the US from Kenya as high as it is and with local providers > beating their tariffs they may have opted to drop this service. What this > might do, is it might leave AT&T US based customers unable to call the US > using their AT&T calling cards for what would otherwise be exorbitant > prices. > > The wording of the AT&T notice on the lack of no future support for calls > originating from Kenya wasn't very clear and after some digging around it > appears that it referred to users of AT&T who utilize call back services > while traveling overseas, it might just be due to stiff competition now that > VOIP has been deregulated and tariffs have fallen (though not low enough) > and that no one in their right mind would be willing to pay $3+ per minute > for a call to the US when for a extremely small fraction one could make the > same phone call at a lower rate. > > Even then the tariffs in general are not fair enough for Kenyan consumers > and it is an uphill battle to enforce changes when some of the largest tax > payers happen to be communication providers. It is unthinkable that the > government would do much to jeopardize a large and steady tax revenue stream > to save the honorable consumer. Increasingly huge profits in a formerly > depressed and now recovering economy like ours raise the question whether > the consumer is getting a fair deal. It is akin to oil companies making > several times over some nations GDP in profits and claiming that they are > struggling themselves and offering the best prices possible. Price > regulation in the industry is something that should be looked into to > further to try and strike a fair balance between consumers needs and > investors return on equity. > > Mike > > On 2/18/07, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > Mike: > > > > Although this is a consumer issue, you may notice we have quite some > > domestic wars with the prevailing anti-consumer setting, > > http://ictconsumer.blogspot.com/ for example. > > > > By engaging foreign networks, I am afraid the ICT Consumers Association > > of Kenya could be considered acting ultra vires thus the Ministry of > > Information and Communications, CCK, and perhaps also Foreign Affairs are > > best suited to comment. > > > > Would a provocative question, like "why has a private US telco > > unilaterally cut-off communication from Kenya to the US jeopardizing both a > > basic human right and the national outsourcing strategy" earn a quick > > response from government? > > > > rgds, > > > > Alex > > > > *Mike Theuri <mike.theuri(a)gmail.com>* wrote: > > > > As an after thought, this may mean calls dialed through this number > > which by itself is a very expensive option and which may reflect the effects > > of voip and lowered costs of international calls: > > > > Kenya 0-800-2201-15 (608) > > > > On 2/18/07, Mike Theuri <mike.theuri(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > Does anyone know why the below might be the case ? AT&T printed this > > > in small print on bills sent to customer in January. Considering > > > that AT&T is the largest telco in the US this is a serious issue : > > > > > > International Call Origination: > > > Effective March 1, 2007, our International Call > > > Origination service will change. Current access > > > numbers for calls originating internationally > > > will change. Please visit att.com/dialing-guide > > > to print the new dialing-guide for your reference; > > > or call the number on your bill to order a new > > > dialing guide. Calls from Kenya to US will > > > no longer be supported. International to > > > international calling from St. Martin will no > > > longer be supported. Also, International > > > service will be expanded to over 60 additional > > > countries. To find out rates and countries where > > > we provide service, please visit > > > att.com/intl-rates. > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > Please unsubscribe or change your options at > > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/alex.gakuru%40yahoo.com > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > The fish are biting. > > Get more visitors<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=49679/*http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/arp/spon…>on your site using Yahoo! > > Search Marketing. > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > Please unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mike.theuri%40gmail.com > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Please unsubscribe or change your options at > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/alex.gakuru%40yahoo.com > > > ------------------------------ > Sucker-punch spam with award-winning protection. > Try the free Yahoo! Mail Beta. > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Please unsubscribe or change your options at > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mike.theuri%40gmail.com >

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advice if I can place my opinion
by Jose' 21 Feb '07

21 Feb '07

please advice if I can post my opinions because I am getting a bounced mail always. Best Regards, Jose' Njuki-Imwe Ngunjiri || +254 722 336754 || ____________________________________________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta. http://new.mail.yahoo.com

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DAY 5... How would users update their data ? and WHAT IS THE WAY FORWARD
by joseph kihanya 21 Feb '07

21 Feb '07

Dear all, Any last views...before we close today's and the entire discussion prior to the meeting on tuesday?... regards Kihanya ____________________________________________________________________________________ Finding fabulous fares is fun. Let Yahoo! FareChase search your favorite travel sites to find flight and hotel bargains. http://farechase.yahoo.com/promo-generic-14795097

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Kenya Telecentre Network Workshop
by chelimo kenneth 20 Feb '07

20 Feb '07

Dear All, The First Kenya Telecentre Network workshop takes place from 21-23rd February, 2007 at Busia Trailer Inn Hotel in western Kenya. The workshop is being facilitated jointly by Ugunja Community Resource Centre (www.ugunja.org) a rural based resource centre in Siaya district, Kenya Telecentre Network and Ugabytes Initiative (www.ugabytes.org) . Ugabytes initiative based in Uganda is the telecentre network support organization in East and Central Africa. It is affiliated to the international network support organization www.telecentre.org a project of IDRC based in Canada. The theme of the workshop is using telecentres to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban communities in Kenya. The workshop has received substantive support from other organizations mainly from Microsoft International which has expressed interest in empowering rural communities with ICTs using telecentres as access points to disadvantaged communities in Kenya. The workshop will be a follow up of East Africa and Africa Leaders Telecentre forums held in Uganda (October,2006) and Benin (November) respectively. Among deliberations expected will be on internet connectivity and ISPs in rural areas, sustainability and management of telecentres, women,youth and ICTs,ICT policy and government involvement etc. Participants will be drawn from various models of telecentres (resource and information centres) based in rural and slum communities across the country . Ken Chelimo National Coordinator, Kenya Telecentre Network --------------------------------- Check out the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta - Fire up a more powerful email and get things done faster.

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Reliance to build submarine cable to rival EASSy
by Rebecca Wanjiku 20 Feb '07

20 Feb '07

some food for thought before the friday meeting........ Reliance to build submarine cable to rival EASSy By A CORRESPONDENT The EastAfrican Reliance Corporation, one of India's largest information technology firms, says that it will construct a submarine cable along the eastern Africa seaboard by 2009. The fibre optic cable, the company said recently, will link South Africa and Kenya, and also serve Tanzania, Mauritius, Mozambique and Madagascar as well as some land-locked countries. The cable link will be laid down by Reliance subsidiary, Flag Telecom Last December, Reliance announced that it would invest $1.5 billion to put up the world s most extensive Internet access network through submarine cables covering more than 60 countries. News of the latest plans to lay a cable along the eastern seaboard are likely to cause a certain level of alarm among the partner states involved with the controversy-prone East African Submarine Cable System (EASSy) cable. By last December, only 12 countries out of the targeted 23 stretching from South Africa to the Sudan had pledged support to the project. Proponents of an eastern seaboard fibre optic cable say that it would lower Internet slashing bandwidth costs by as much as a third, and spur the development of outsourcing centres along the eastern coast to compete with similar centres in Asia. Valued at $300 million, EASSy itself is planned to run from Mtunzini in South Africa to Port Sudan in Sudan, with landing points in six countries, and connected to at least five landlocked countries. The thinking is that these countries will subsequently no longer have to rely on expensive satellite systems to carry voice and data services. The project, to be funded largely by the World Bank and the Development Bank of Southern Africa, was initiated on January 2003. Since inception, however, the EASSy project which is now expected to be completed by the end of 2008 has been dogged by disagreements over financing and access among partner states, with Kenya opting to sit the project out. Kenyan officials were reportedly particularly peeved by South African efforts to control the project, reports indicated. Last September, Kenya announced that it would seek funding to finance its own undersea cable running from Mombasa to Fujairah in the Gulf of Oman in a bid to accelerate the emergence of the country a business outsourcing centre. The cable, Nairobi said, would be made available to any interested party along the way. Analysts say that the announcement by Reliance, by introducing a third player, could change the dynamics somewhat, raising the possibility that the Kenyan government may seek a partnership with the Indian multinational to counter-balance the South African-led EAS http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/News/News1902078.htm _______________________________________________ secretariat mailing list secretariat(a)kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/secretariat This message was sent to: rebeccawanjiku(a)yahoo.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/secretariat/rebeccawanjiku%40yahoo.com ____________________________________________________________________________________ It's here! Your new message! Get new email alerts with the free Yahoo! Toolbar. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/toolbar/features/mail/

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FOI meeting Tuesday feb 20
by Rebecca Wanjiku 19 Feb '07

19 Feb '07

just a reminder that the meeting on FOI at KSMS will take place tommorrow please plan to attend KICTANet will present a report of the just concluded list discussion ____________________________________________________________________________________ Get your own web address. Have a HUGE year through Yahoo! Small Business. http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/domains/?p=BESTDEAL

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TYCO WINS CONTRACT TO BUILD KENYAN GOVT’S FIBRE CABLE
by Rebecca Wanjiku 19 Feb '07

19 Feb '07

more background info for the friday meeting....... TYCO WINS CONTRACT TO BUILD KENYAN GOVTS FIBRE CABLE Communication in Kenya is to set for a major revolution, following the start of an undersea fibre optic link to the rest of the world through Fujairah in the Gulf of Oman. American company Tyco last week won a contract to undertake a marine survey that should be ready in two months, at a cost of Sh187 million. The Government will invite bids any time from now for a financial arranger who will design a plan to raise money for the project, tentatively expected to be complete by early next year. The contract will be awarded competitively by April this year. The Government, through Telkom Kenya, is working with Dubai-based Etisalat, a telecoms company, to build the cable. The private sector will be invited to either buy shares, or to prove its capacity to raise funds through plans worked out by the financial arranger. Information and Communication minister Mutahi Kagwe says fast-tracking the East African Marine System (Teams) will ensure that Kenya does not lag behind in information and communication technology (ICT). "The East African coast is the only one without a fibre optic cable. We are racing against time," he said. The cost of data transmission would come down, leading to lower cost of communication. The price of a megabyte is expected to plunge from a high of Sh490,000 (US$7,000) to Sh14,000 (US$200). All East Africa countries are part of the project, while Ethiopia wants to join them. The project was conceived by the Kenya Government after it became evident that a similar one from South Africa to Port Sudan, popularly called East Africa Sub-Marine Cable System (EASSY) would not take off. Kenya declined to sign the EASSY project protocol, citing inclusion of the New Partnership for Africa Development (Nepad) into the programme without specifying its mandate. Also, Kenya opposed Nepad's attempts to own the project, saying the group should not be involved as that would negate its noble concepts. The country also took issue with non-involvement of the private sector as it would be difficult to implement the protocol without it, once it was signed. But Kenya will not pull out of EASSY. It will remain a key participant and use it as back-up should there be any breakdown of Teams project. "We decided to work on a parallel project after it became difficult to make decisions on the EASSY one. The latter had too many players, some of whom were coming in every other day. But we will be involved in the project...The more the cables, the better. That will induce competition, which will bring down the prices". (SOURCE: The Nation) _______________________________________________ secretariat mailing list secretariat(a)kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/secretariat This message was sent to: rebeccawanjiku(a)yahoo.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/secretariat/rebeccawanjiku%40yahoo.com ____________________________________________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta. http://new.mail.yahoo.com

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NCC DEMANDS US$150M FOR 3G LICENCE IN NIGERIA
by alice＠apc.org 19 Feb '07

19 Feb '07

>From Balancing Act ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NCC DEMANDS US$150M FOR 3G LICENCE IN NIGERIA The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has placed a reserve price of US$150 million on its Third Generation (3G) licence that it plans to issue in seven categories through public auction from April 2, this year. NCC's Head of Public Affairs, Dave Imoko, disclosed in Abuja that the licence to be offered include universal access, digital mobile, fixed wireless access, and metropolitan fibre cable network licenses. Other spectrum on the card were the national carrier and the private network link licenses. He explained that bidders have up to Feb. 16, to submit their letters of interest, but warned that companies applying for the licence must have no link whatsoever. Imoko said the adoption of the auction process in the issuance of the licence was to ensure fairness and promote competition among existing telecommunication operators in the country. The issuance of the 3G licence has been limited to existing GSM operators and is expected to enhance the quality of GSM services and reduce tariffs on subscribers. The spectrum blocks to be made available for auction include the 40MHz of spectrum within the 2GHz band. The Commission, according to him, would offer the spectrum as four paired blocks of 10 MHz. Spectrum pairs, he added, would be separated by a 90MHz duplex spacing. "Blocks will be allocated as follows, Block A:1920-1930MHz paired with 2110-2120 MHz, Block B: 1930-1940MHz, paired with 2120-2130MHz, Block C: 1940-1950, paired with 2130-2140MHz and Block D: 1950-1960MHz paired with 2140-2150MHz." The statement added that "Spectrum will be allocated on a service and technology neutral basis without the specification of guard bands. Licensees will be required to co-ordinate spectrum use to avoid interference. "However, applicants according to the notice will not be required to submit financial or technical plans in the pre-qualification process, except details of company ownership structure and confirmation of compliance with the rules of the auction. "To participate in the auction, a bidder must be a limited liability company incorporated in Nigeria and must not be involved with any other bidder. "A Consortia according to the statement may bid for a licence subject to the requirement that they include a Nigerian telecommunications licensee. Bidders will also be required to lodge a $15million dollars (i.e.10% of Reserve Price) Intention to Bid Deposit with the Commission. The auctioning process will commence on the second of April following the receipt of the expression of interest on February 16, while issue of information memorandum a week later. (SOURCE: This Day)

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Balancing Act Top Story: THE AFRICAN LAKES SALE – QUESTIONS BEGIN TO PILE UP
by alice＠apc.org 19 Feb '07

19 Feb '07

>From Balancing Act TOP STORY: THE AFRICAN LAKES SALE – QUESTIONS BEGIN TO PILE UP _____________________________________________________________________ The sale of African Lakes (the owner of pan-African ISP Africa Online) has had more twists and turns than a Grand Prix race-track. Everyone involved – those selling the company and the two potential buyers – probably only agree on one thing: the sale ought to have been done by now. Russell Southwood looks at the lengthening number of questions emerging from this deal not yet done. On 28 January 2007 in issue 340 we announced erroneously that African Telecoms Company (ATC) had secured 52.66% of African Lakes and increased its offer to £18.50 a share, giving the deal a total value of GBP5.04 million. So in one corner you have African Telecoms Company, a grouping that includes Richard Bell, Kenyan ISP Wananchi, several local Kenyan investors and the US Schneider Media and Holding Group. And in the other corner is South African incumbent telco Telkom that is trying to put together a regional acquisitions strategy that will equip it to face a competitive future. True to form, it refused to say what it was doing: “The reports linking Telkom SA as a bidder for Africa Online are speculative and Telkom will not comment on media speculation”. Telkom had made no public offer at this point despite having been in discussion since an earlier point in 2006. The African Lakes Board did not recommended the ATC offer on the basis that it could obtain more money for shareholders from another bidder, the as-yet-unnamed Telkom. In the third corner is African Lakes that is chaired by David Montgomery, whose main claim to fame has been cutting the cost base of the UK’s Mirror Newspapers after the death of Robert Maxwell. ATC thought it had secured victory because it had acquired an “irrevocable” on the shares of one of the key shareholders, RAB Capital (18.9% of the total shareholding at that point). On 8 February ATC formally issued notice of its increased offer. The offer expires on 23 February. This triggered two things: a frantic scramble by ATC and African Lakes to sign up shareholders to their cause and the need for the somewhat indecisive Telkom to issue a public bid. In its 12 February press release announcing the Telkom bid African Lakes said it had “received strong support for it from shareholders holding more than 60% of the voting rights of the Company. Unfortunately the Panel ruled on Friday that of this number shareholders holding 18.9% of the voting rights cannot have their support counted in favour of the Telkom disposal as their voting rights have passed to ATC as a consequence of them accepting the ATC Offer prior to the Board concluding its negotiations for the Telkom Disposal. Furthermore, attempts by these shareholders to have their acceptances withdrawn were also deemed invalid under the conditions of the ATC Offer”. The Telkom offer was for what was claimed would be £25 per share, valuing the deal at £9.72m. But it emerged on 15 February that as it would only be buying what must be the controlling Africa Online Company – Africa Online (Mauritius) - it would not be dealing with the historic liabilities of African Lakes as a company. These would be dealt with using the cash from the deal and shareholders would be paid on liquidation of the African Lakes Company. Shareholders were assured that the offer figure of £25 a share had been based on a company audit of liabilities. On the same day it issued a correction saying an audit of liabilities had not been completed. Indeed a review of liabilities had only been started. The fight to gain shareholder acceptances was clearly getting tight as on 14 February African Lakes issued a notice saying that it had exercised various share options and issued more share to T Hoare Nominees, Lesley Davey and Paul West: the latter two are both senior Managers of African Lakes and Board members. Furthermore it issued shares to African Lakes employee, George Ezzat. On being rung by a member of the ATC consortium, it is alleged that Ezzat was unaware that the shares had been issued to him. This has been a dense and often complicated struggle for the company and in the interests of comprehension we have sought to summarise events above. But the number of questions that need answering just keeps getting longer: - If there is no audit of African Lakes’ liabilities, how can the company say with any confidence what the final outcome price of the Telkom offer will be to its shareholders? - What were the circumstances in which shares were issued to George Ezzat? Why (as alleged) did Ezzat know nothing about this share option issue when asked about it by an ATC shareholder? Why were additional share options granted during what was clearly an offer period when at least two offers were being publicly discussed? - It is not clear what number of subscribers Africa Online has but it is certain that it has fewer than the figures named in the last publicly available documents. What is the number and what is the Average Revenue Per User? It is one thing for a group of private investors to take a risk of this magnitude but how does a publicly quoted company like Telkom think that it will make a return on the purchase price? What expertise does Telkom have to run a pan-African retail ISP in competitive environments? What has been the success of its existing pan-African connectivity sales operations? Africa Online has the potential to become a pan-African player in the new competitive landscape that includes both voice and data. But it will need determined and experienced management capable of investing more than the purchase price to take it from where it is now to a successful future. Faced with these two potential buyers, who would you choose to carry out this task? ____________________________________________________________________

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