- KICTANet - KICTANet

KICTANets Monthly Minutes and KDN Presentation
by Judy kimiti 07 Dec '06

07 Dec '06

Dear Member, Please find attached the minutes of the Planning Meeting that took place on 9th November 2006 and the KDN Presentation by Kai Wulff . Thank You. Yours Faithfully Judy Kimiti KICTANet Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com ___________________________________________________________ All new Yahoo! Mail "The new Interface is stunning in its simplicity and ease of use." - PC Magazine http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html

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Women in ICTs in South Africa - final reports released
by A. Wanjira Munyua 04 Dec '06

04 Dec '06

A comprehensive study on the status of women in high-level ICTs in South Africa has recently been completed. A separate Manual of Possible Interventions has been produced alongside the status report - this maps out six possible programmes with a breakdown of activities and possible role players to take these actions forward. A third report shares international experiences, with particular emphasis on Finland. This has provided useful insights for consideration in addressing South Africa's needs. The three documents can be accessed at: http://women-in-ict.meraka.csir.co.za <http://women-in-ict.meraka.csir.co.za/> The report looks at how girls and women are progressing (or not) in the education system and the workplace. It presents gender-disaggregated data on the current situation and reflects on the perceptions of women in ICTs, including those in leadership positions. There has been some improvement in the participation of women in the sector, but the numbers are still low and increasing the levels of participation requires urgent attention. Various support mechanisms are in place to help women in the ICT sector but they are fragmented and uncoordinated. Recommendations for addressing these needs have been expanded in the Manual of Interventions. The work was the result of a South African-Finnish partnership between the Meraka Institute (CSIR), icteum consulting and the University of Oulu, Finland (Kajaani Consortium). Other South African collaborators include the Human Sciences Research Council, WomensNet and the Tshwane University of Technology. The study was funded by the Embassy of Finland, South Africa. For further details contact: Tina James (project leader) icteum consulting tjames(a)intekom.co.za Tel: +27 12 346-8264 Ronel Smith Meraka Institute Rsmith2(a)csir.co.za -- A. Wanjira Munyua National Coordinator, Catalysing Access to ICTs in Africa (CATIA) Association for Progressive Communications (APC) alice(a)apc.org http://www.apc.org http://www.catia.ws Cell: +254 733 731074

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TAKE BACK THE TECH! Reclaiming ICTs to End Violence Against Women
by A. Wanjira Munyua 04 Dec '06

04 Dec '06

Please help disseminate. Apologies for crossposting *********************************************************** TAKE BACK THE TECH! Reclaiming ICTs to End Violence Against Women www.takebackthetech.net 25 November - 10 December *********************************************************** Day 8: Digital Storytelling be heard - tell your story --------------------------- Listen to survivors of violence against women take up multimedia technology, and tell their own powerful and transformative stories. Digital storytelling by Silence Speaks [www.silencespeaks.org] is an initiative that makes it possible for survivors and witnesses of violence to come together in small groups, reflect on their gender training and experiences of abuse, and tell their stories in their own words, sounds and images. Few opportunities exist for survivors to tell their stories in their own words. Silence Speaks fills this gap by connecting survivors and witness of abuse with their creativity and making their voices the centerpiece of violence prevention and social justice efforts. Bearing witness to these stories moves the issue from the individual to the collective, and offers hope for ending the violence. Twelve powerful stories are showcased on Take Back The Tech!, in partnership between Silence Speaks and APC Women's Programme. Listen deeply. [www.takebackthetech.net/actions/storytelling.htm] ************* Action Day 8 ************* A study [http://www.stopvaw.org/Prevalence_of_Domestic_Violence.html] based on 50 surveys from around the world shows that at least 1 in every 3 women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or abused in her lifetime. Depressing statistics. But at the same time, think of all the women that you know. Grrls and women that you have chatted with on the bus, at some party, waiting for the elevator, at a work function, distant relatives, their partners.. There are so many survivors amongst us. 1 in every 3 women whom we come across has experienced targeted and senseless violence; and they are just. fine. We walk amongst unnamed sheroes; with stories of tenacity, courage and everyday survival. Action begins from reality. Tell your story. Use technology to amplify your voice. If the rabble is loud in its protest, if 1 in 3 women speak their case, then reality might start to look a little less ridiculous. . Go to "Talk Tech & VAW" [http://www.takebackthetech.net/talktech.htm] . Click on "Share Your Story" . Start telling yours! -- Take Back The Tech Day 8: Digital Storytelling be heard - tell your story www.takebackthetech.net _______________________________________________ Grace mailing list Grace(a)lists.apcwomen.org http://lists.apcwomen.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/grace

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Re: [Kictanet] [Fibre-for-africa] Whats i have being talking of as a public private partnership in ownership of the critical infrastructur
by Eric Osiakwan 04 Dec '06

04 Dec '06

Dear All, In my rush to attend to some emergency yesterday i did not read over so ended up with french (not good enough french for Bill to read.....:-) instead of english so please allow me to come again. Also this is being monitored on the KICTANET list so i have made an extension to them as well as to the AfrISPA list on which this is taking space. Anriette, The principle is the same however since EASSy was spanning multiple jurisdictions, it waranted multiple platforms for the stock market activity but the Kenyan one (TEAMS) is a single domain so in my mind the question should be "would it make sense for it to trade on one exchange or the multiple approach would generate much scale in terms of the financial lifting that is expected and the activities thereoff?" In someway Brian seems to suggest a multiple approach but i have a knowledge deficit of the East African Stock markets co- operatin and how this may work. Am aware that SWOPNET in Tanzania is similar to KICTANET and iNETWORK in Uganda also has the same semblance so if KICTANET liases with those camps we could get some country info on the dynamics at play or someone from the lists could feed us with some knowledge (at least am interested in knowing.....:-) YES, it looks like a race (NOT A RAT RACE...:-) but the precedent of very low cost bandwidth and non-discriminatory practise must be a guiding light. Eric here NB: Bill, thanks for the heads up. For those who are seeing this for the first time, below is MY french version of the english rendition above so if you dont understand the french dont worry, just stick to the english and you would not have missed anything at all.....:-) On 27 Nov 2006, at 20:06, Eric M.K Osiakwan wrote: > Anriette, > > The principle is the same however since EASSy was spanning multiple > jurisdictions then it warantted multiple platforms for the stock > market activity but the Kenyan one is a single domain so in my mind > should be that would is make sense for it to trade on one exchange > or the multiple approach would generate much scale in terms of the > financial lifting the expected activities? > > YES, it looks like arade but the precedent of very low cost and non- > discriminatory practise must be a guiding light. > > Eric here > > > On 27 Nov 2006, at 22:19, Anriette Esterhuysen wrote: > >> Dear Eric >> >> A group of us APC people actually discussed your idea quite >> intensively a >> while ago. >> >> The one difference between what is happening here, and what you >> propose, >> is that the Kenyan initiative will involve only one stock >> exchange.... so, if the >> IPO continues, it will be listed in Kenya... as far as I know. >> >> Your proposal would have involved the 'entity' listing on multiple >> stock >> exchanges.... that would have been much more complicated. >> >> Seeing these new financial models emerge is very interesting. And >> it does >> feel a bit like a race... whose cable will light up first? Who >> will sell the >> cheapest bandwidth? Any bets? >> >> Anriette >> >> >>> Folks, >>> >>> Below is exactly what i have being chanting as a way forward in the >>> ownership of the infrastructure; The Kenya Government will have a 40 >>> per cent holding in the project, Etisalat 20% and the remaining 40% >>> will go to investors in the East African region. The Government has >>> said it will organise an IPO on the Kenyan Stock Exchange. Several >>> Kenyan companies have expressed interest and one said that the >>> Government had told them it would "guarantee their loan". The >>> details of the finance package have not yet been settled but it is >>> unclear where the Kenyan Government will raise its 40% from. Will >>> the >>> World Bank simply shift a portion of its EASSy funding to the new >>> project as many think likely? >>> >>> NB; From this week's Balancing Act, full story below for your >>> pleasure. >>> >>> Thank God the Kenya are experimenting with this approach where >>> government owns part, private sector owns part, educational >>> institutions should also own part, CSO owns part through IPO on the >>> stock market. >>> >>> The Kenya government can actually raise the 40% from government >>> bonds >>> and am not an expert on the stock market discipline of shares or >>> bonds but this is where the financial experts need to come out with >>> innovative solutions that can help raise much of this money locally >>> and it is possible. >>> >>> In the attached paper which is an output of the great work Rahul >>> Tongia did with some colleagues and little input from me, it is >>> clear >>> that we could actually wire Africa up with fiber to the most >>> population densed centres for a billion dollars whcih means if every >>> African put a dollar on the table we could wire Africa up with fiber >>> and 50 percent of that dark fiber already exist - what does that >>> mean >>> to you as an African? >>> >>> >>> You Kenyans are showing the way and even it it does not work you >>> would be know for showing us how this model is not workable and then >>> we can try another. We Africans must try new ways of doing these >>> things and make our own mistakes and find our own solutions to our >>> problems but learn to avoid the mistakes of the Americans, Europeans >>> and Asians. Thank God for this BOLD move, it is commendable. >>> >>> >>> TOP STORY: KENYA BEGINS THE COUNTDOWN TO CHEAP INTERNATIONAL FIBRE >>> ____________________________________________________________________ >>> _ >>> >>> It´s like waiting for a matatu. You wait for ages and none come >>> along. But just when you´re about to give up hope, three come along >>> at the same time, all trying to come to a screaming halt in front of >>> you. Kenya now has three (or more) potential international fibre >>> projects that could be complete within 12 months. Each one is loudly >>> proclaiming that it will deliver cheap international bandwidth. >>> Russell Southwood took the temperature in the market last week about >>> what the impact of this bandwidth will be upon the market. >>> >>> The Kenya Government has signed an MOU to build a fibre link to >>> Fujairah >>> in the UAE currently costed at Ksh5.7 billion. The construction and >>> supply contract will be awarded early next year and the project, >>> dubbed The East African Marine System (Teams), will be ready by >>> November, according to a joint statement issued by both parties from >>> Dubai. Many in the sector believe that it will be more like 19 >>> months >>> or more before completion. >>> >>> The Kenya Government will have a 40 per cent holding in the project, >>> Etisalat 20% and the remaining 40% will go to investors in the East >>> African region. The Government has said it will organise an IPO >>> on the >>> Kenyan Stock Exchange. Several Kenyan companies have expressed >>> interest and one said that the Government had told them it would >>> "guarantee their loan". The details of the finance package have >>> not yet been settled but it is unclear where the Kenyan Government >>> will raise its 40% from. Will the World Bank simply shift a >>> portion of >>> its EASSy funding to the new project as many think likely? >>> >>> The Government´s commitment to a 12 month schedule is a bold move >>> but one that must lay them open to a certain amount of >>> scepticism. The >>> tender for expressions of interest was only issued 2 weeks ago and >>> Government timetabling is notoriously slow compared to the private >>> sector. Apparently the Private Secretary has been telling interested >>> parties that the Government wants prices comparable to those to be >>> found in India in 12 months time. This benchmark has been set in >>> order >>> that Kenya will be able to compete in the international outsourcing >>> market. >>> >>> Apparently a number of interested parties said that they would >>> put up >>> all the money to build it if they could have a monopoly and he sent >>> them away disappointed. But more worryingly one interested party >>> told >>> us that it could only get involved if it also allowed Telkom >>> Kenya to >>> be a shareholder. >>> >>> The next international fibre project is KDN´s and it has now signed >>> its contract with Flag Telecom. Its link from Mombasa will terminate >>> in an undersea junction in international waters off of the Yemen. It >>> says the link will be fully operational in the first quarter of >>> 2008, >>> just 15 months away. The company believes that it will come to >>> market >>> with capacity at $500 per mbps pm but that the price of bandwidth >>> will >>> go up to those wanting to invest as time passes. In other words, for >>> those who commit early prices will be lowest and for those who >>> come in >>> late, prices will go higher. It also stresses that its landing >>> station >>> at Mombasa will allow other carriers to co-locate there charging >>> only >>> electricity and services at cost. >>> >>> So this leaves the third project EASSy looking as if it will be the >>> third runner. NEPAD appears to have made little more progress on >>> persuading more African Governments to sign its political protocol. >>> And whilst the members of the EASSy consortium (that still includes >>> KDN and Telkom Kenya) are still moving things forward, there >>> remains a >>> disconnect between the political and commercial ends of the project. >>> If both of the above projects go ahead, there is clearly much less >>> need to build the Mombasa-Djibouti section of the route and it >>> has to >>> be said that both of the above projects have better international >>> connection points. >>> >>> As if three were not enough, Ethiopia´s ETC has now had its >>> international fibre connection working effectively for two months >>> via >>> Port Sudan and Saudi Arabia. But because it is landlocked and it had >>> endless fruitless arguments with Djibouti Telecom over control of a >>> possible fibre link, it wants to find a second international fibre >>> connection. Therefore it is in serious conversations with both of >>> Kenya´s fibre network operators about connecting to the Mombasa >>> links when they are ready. If this goes ahead, both it and Kenya >>> will >>> then have two international fibre links. >>> >>> Because the process of getting the international fibre to Kenya has >>> been both confusing and "on-off", everyone in the market >>> (including customers) have understandably not really grasped the >>> impact of its arrival on their businesses. Until now ISPs and >>> satellite resellers have largely been in the businesses of living on >>> the margin they make between buying and selling bandwidth. >>> >>> These margins have been kept high as they have concentrated on >>> selling >>> to comparatively few customers. Ironically it has been a high-price, >>> low volume business where their primary commodity - bandwidth - >>> has always been in short supply, not least because some of them >>> increased their margin by contending it as much as possible. This >>> has >>> meant that bandwidth quality is often variable at best for those not >>> paying "top dollar" for a premium service. >>> >>> If you argue that international fibre prices should be low price, >>> high >>> volume, then the national business model changes: what´s sauce for >>> the goose is sauce for the gander. Bandwidth becomes cheap and >>> plentiful at a sub $1000 threshold. The margins that can then be >>> charged make it difficult for those who are not operating at >>> volume to >>> stay in business. >>> >>> However it does now open up opportunities for new services, content >>> and applications that can be sold to customers who should now be >>> paying European prices for real broadband connections (1-2 meg >>> upwards) rather than the paltry 64 kbps they are currently >>> receiving. >>> There are at least 500,000 households in Kenya that are at an income >>> level that make them potential targets for broadband. It would take >>> only half of those households to sign up for there to be the >>> beginnings of a very different market. >>> >>> The real sign that the market has not "got it" is that some key >>> ISPs are not passing on the information about these soon-to-be cheap >>> prices but are seeking to protect their high margins by telling >>> customers higher prices. A heads-up, guys. The sector is a >>> village and >>> news will get round quickly and we´ll encourage the circulation of >>> this price information. The market´s about to change, get ready to >>> change with it. >>> >>> At the national level, there is now a third source of fibre >>> capacity. >>> Jamii Telecommunications has signed an agreement with the Kenya >>> Light >>> and Power Company (KPLC) to sell an STM1´s worth of its fibre >>> capacity in Nairobi and Mombasa, with KPLC saying that it will >>> triple >>> its capacity shortly. Two other companies - CTN and Cable Vision - >>> have been granted a licence to sell KPLC´s capacity and it is >>> telling (in terms of the argument above) that both are in the video >>> download and pay-TV business. Not so far afield, Tanzanian power >>> utility TANESCO is currently building out fibre capacity and has >>> invited bids to sell this capacity. Again KDN is poised to make a >>> fibre connection to Tanzania. >>> >>> However a recent ping on the Kampala-Nairobi route shows that >>> neither >>> KDN nor Telkom Kenya has got its fibre route operational. KDN is >>> promising it will be operational by the end of first quarter 2007 >>> and >>> that prices will be 20% cheaper. >>> >>> Elsewhere in the market, the new VoIP operators are finding it >>> difficult >>> to get interconnection agreements and to get proper service from >>> interconnect service providers. Telkom Kenya is charging absurdly >>> high >>> prices but has at least reached interconnect agreements. >>> Nevertheless >>> the new fixed wireless operators - Flashcom and Popote - are >>> having difficulties: customers are unable to receive or make >>> calls to >>> certain countries. Apparently anyone who calls a customer number of >>> these fixed wireless operators from Germany gets a number >>> unobtainable. >>> >>> Access Kenya´s Yello VoIP service has been aimed at corporates and >>> has attracted 250 customers who generate 120,000 minutes a month. >>> But >>> it has had difficulty getting interconnection agreements with the >>> mobile operators. It made a complaint to regulator CCK in April and >>> became so frustrated that it said it would run an advertisement >>> publicising the position. Safaricom came back to the table but >>> Celtel >>> refuses to enter discussions, saying that it will do so in its own >>> time. >>> >>> Kenyan ISPs are under heavy pressure from all the new operators. >>> Flashcom and Popote are taking more money from data than voice at >>> the >>> moment as customers are primarily signing up for cheaper Internet >>> access. Also the introduction of EDGE services by Safaricom is >>> eating >>> into their high-end customers: one ISP´s CEO admitted privately that >>> he was losing hundreds of customers a month to these new >>> competitors. >>> The challenge for everyone in the market will be whether they can >>> take >>> the soon-to-arrive cheaper international bandwidth and use it to >>> transform the market. >>> >>> >>> Eric M.K Osiakwan >>> Executive Secretary >>> AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) >>> Tel: + 233.21.258800 >>> 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" >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------ >> Anriette Esterhuysen, Executive Director >> Association for Progressive Communications >> anriette(a)apc.org >> http://www.apc.org >> PO Box 29755, Melville, South Africa. 2109 >> Tel. 27 11 726 1692 >> Fax 27 11 726 1692 >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Fibre-for-africa mailing list >> Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org >> http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa >> > > Eric M.K Osiakwan > ICT Consultant and Journalist > Tel: + 233.21.258800 > 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" > > > _______________________________________________ > Fibre-for-africa mailing list > Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org > http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 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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Infrastructure Financing for TEAMS through the Capital Markets
by Bill Kagai 30 Nov '06

30 Nov '06

[Summary of TEAMS financing discussion on www.stock-detective.co.ke] At a recent seminar hosted by the Nairobi Stock Exchange, options for infrastructure financing through the capital markets were comprehensively discussed by various financial experts. It is worthwhile to consider various financing options for the East African Marine System or Teams project, a fiber optic line linking Mombasa to Fujaira, in the context of various options for infrastructure financing through the capital markets discussed at the seminar. A strong case was put forward for funding for infrastructure projects in Kenya through the NSE. Among the experts who made a pitch for the idea were NSE chairman Jimnah Mbaru, NSE CEO Chris Mwebesa, Suntra Investment Bank chairman James Murigu, and IFC Operations Officer for Financial Markets, Ndiritu Muriithi. Infrastructure financing through the capital markets is still in its infancy stages in Kenya. Yet there is a huge opportunity for companies and government agencies to raise money cheaply to build roads and power dams through bonds and shares at the Nairobi Stock Exchange given that the current government development budget stands at around Ksh. 70 billion. The cost of completing the Machakos-Limuru dual carriage section of the Mombasa-Busia highway alone is estimated to cost Ksh. 108 billion. This means that the government has to find alternative sources of funding (other than donor funding) to meet the massive shortfall in funding for infrastructure projects. The government has indicated that it will consider raising money through an IPO to finance the Teams project. It recently signed an MOU with Etisalat of Dubai to implement the Ksh. 5.7 billion project. The government will hold a 40 per cent stake in the project, Etisalat 20 per cent and the remaining 40 per cent will be offered to investors in the East African region. The government has set an ambitious date for the completion of the project by November next year. If the government proceeds with the IPO as indicated, the project is certain to generate considerable interest among investors given the potentially high returns and profits from the link once activated. But the question still begs an answer: why has infrastructure financing through the capital markets been slow to develop in Kenya even with the recent expansion of the stock market? In other words, why haven't institutions like Kenya Airports Authority, Kenya Pipeline, National Housing Corporation, to mention just a few, been issuing to the public? Experts cite bureaucracy and lack of concise policy as the main bottlenecks to infrastructure financing through the domestic capital market. Mr. Muriithi is of the view that although the demand for infrastructure financing is huge, policy questions on issues like the role of the capital market in the process are not fully settled. He added that discussions are still on-going and that technical issues such as the financing structure, type of instruments and so on, were yet to be refined. He further noted that state owned enterprise have to obtain approval from Treasury to borrow money from the capital. Where such approval is not forthcoming especially considering red-tape and other internal bottlenecks, the opportunity to source funds cheaply from the investing public is squandered. Mr. Mbaru gave the example of East African Portland Cement which wanted to raise Ksh 2 billion through the capital markets to extend its line to Western Kenya and Uganda but shelved the plan after it failed to get Treasury approval. Mr. Murigu on his part argued that many SOEs went shopping abroad for financing while they could raise funds for infrastructure projects locally and at a cheaper cost. If the government is to successfully push through an IPO by mid-2007, Treasury approval will then have to come fast. Otherwise, the project could end up in the bog of red-tape as Treasury mandarins dillydally over approval. In seeking to raise financing for the project through the capital market, the government has a variety of options to consider. And critical here will be the manner in which the government structures the deal for investors. Mr. Mwebesa said of the market's ability to absorb infrastructure-backed instruments, that "if properly conceptualized and structured with detailed information on the specific infrastructure project, the capital markets will absorb the same". If the government chooses the IPO way, then it will have to create a special purpose vehicle whose shares it will then offer to the public. According to Mr. Mwebesa once such government-driven SPVs are listed in the NSE, bonds for specific infrastructure projects can then be issued by the SPV. Kenyans can then invest in such bonds through various vehicles such as pension funds, co-operative societies, insurance companies and collective investment schemes (companies or trusts created to mobilize investment funds from individuals). Pension funds are a good way of mobilizing investment in infrastructure bonds since the long-term financing needs of infrastructure projects match the long-term liability profiles of pension/retirement benefit schemes. Infrastructure or asset-backed bonds can provide income for retirees a few years down the line and are thus a viable investment option for pension fund managers. However, the law needs to be changed to facilitate such initiatives. In addition certain policy and tax incentives are needed to boost private sector participation. Mr. Mbaru proposes that income derived by investors from infrastructure-backed instruments be exempted from withholding tax to make them more attractive. He also proposes a 2-3 year grace period before interest payments to investors or alternatively the issue of zero-coupon bonds (bonds issued at a discount to the price and principal and interest paid lump-sum upon maturity) to finance such deals. There is no doubt that the Teams project can be financed through the NSE. It is up to the government to speed up the creation of an SPV as well as Treasury approval and also give investors an attractive value proposition. This is not to mention that public awareness of the viability of the Teams project and its importance to Kenya's ICT sector and the economy as a whole is very vital and a condition precedent to the success of the project. The government may also want to consider a cross-listing of the SPV once put in motion now that integration of the three stock exchanges is well under way. -- With Kind Regards, Bildad Kagai MD - Circuits & Packets Communications Ltd Content & Training Partner - JKUAT E-Government Academy Suite B2, Tetu Apartments, State House Avenue P. O. Box 20311 - 00200 Nairobi, Kenya Tel. 254 20 2728332 Fax. 254 20 2726965 Cell. 254 724 226600 URL. www.circuitspackets.co.ke URL. www.JKUATEgovAcademy.ac.ke

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Fwd: [Stock-Detective News] Investing in the Teams Project
by Bill Kagai 29 Nov '06

29 Nov '06

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: info(a)circuitspackets.co.ke <info(a)circuitspackets.co.ke> Date: Nov 29, 2006 12:01 PM Subject: [Stock-Detective News] Investing in the Teams Project To: news(a)stock-detective.co.ke Posted by Admin on www.stock-detective.co.ke Investing in the Teams Project On 6th November, 2006, the Government of Kenya through the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) advertised an 'Expression of Interest' (EOI) for a 'Lead Financial Arranger' for the 'East Africa Marine System' (TEAMS) project. The EOI further read that ICT sector growth is limited by inadequate international connectivity and over-reliance on expensive satellite connectivity. After exploring other international connectivity alternatives with no tangible results realized to date, the situation compelled the Government to consider facilitating the construction of a submarine cable system with a landing port in Mombasa to be established through a special purpose vehicle (SPV). The 'Lead Financial Arranger' is thus required to facilitate an elaborate financing mechanism for this project. On 18th November 2006, the Government announced that Telkom Kenya had signed a Sh5.7 billion pact with Etisalat of Dubai paving the way for the construction of an undersea cable linking Mombasa to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. The construction and supply contract will be awarded early next year and the project, dubbed The East African Marine System (Teams), will be ready by November, according to a joint statement issued by both parties from Dubai. Kenya will have a 40 per cent holding in the project, Etisalat 20 and the remaining will go to investors in the East African region. There is no doubt that this will be a good investment with good returns for those who invest in the Teams project. The project will also open up opportunities such as business process outsourcing and electronic commerce for other sectors such as tourism. A significant chunk of the financing is expected to be realized through the stock market making it a first where capital to finance a project is generated from the investing public. As part of our 'Intelligent Investor Series' we invite you to submit your comments by clicking on the comment button on the home page of www.stock-detective.co.ke . We would like to know your opinion on the project and the fundamentals that might compel you to put in funds in this kind of a venture. The Stock-Detective will then develop a comprehensive report that will be shared on this website. www.stock-detective.co.ke _______________________________________________ News mailing list News(a)stock-detective.co.ke http://www.stock-detective.co.ke:8080/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/news -- -- With Kind Regards, Bildad Kagai MD - Circuits & Packets Communications Ltd Content & Training Partner - JKUAT E-Government Academy Suite B2, Tetu Apartments, State House Avenue P. O. Box 20311 - 00200 Nairobi, Kenya Tel. 254 20 2728332 Fax. 254 20 2726965 Cell. 254 724 226600 URL. www.circuitspackets.co.ke URL. www.JKUATEgovAcademy.ac.ke

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Re: [Kictanet] [Fibre-for-africa] Whats i have being talking of as a public private partnership in ownership of the critical infrastructur
by Eric Osiakwan 29 Nov '06

29 Nov '06

Thanks for the feed-in, Bill. You raise a very genuine and important concern, which is how would the populace react to an IT stock which they are not familiar with given the track record of similar stocks? Was African Lakes on NSE as well or only on LSE? Eric here On 28 Nov 2006, at 15:38, Bill Kagai wrote: > > Trading in one stock exchange does not complicate matters because > institutional/foreign investors can still buy shares through the > NSE. One good thing is that the NSE is the dominat exchange in EA > with 51 listed companies and 3 or so cross listed in Dar and Kampala. > > Kampala has only 8 quoted companies and about a similar number in > Dar which will soon be trading under one exchange in a couple opf > years. > > The other interesting challenge will be how the stock is embraced > considering that the only IT stock ever listed (African Lakes) > collapsed after a while, whilst the anticipated Wananchi IPO has > not taken off yet. Basically, we are yet to see how the market will > react to IT related stocks. See the following links on the pilot > stock-detective.co.ke website we have been developing. > > http://www.stock-detective.co.ke > > and also on a discussion posted regarding Telkom upcoming listing.. > > http://www.stock-detective.co.ke/public-discussion-forum/public- > discussion-forum/post200609202612783179 > > > -- > -- > With Kind Regards, > Bildad Kagai > MD - Circuits & Packets Communications Ltd > Content & Training Partner - JKUAT E-Government Academy > Suite B2, Tetu Apartments, State House Avenue > P. O. Box 20311 - 00200 > Nairobi, Kenya > Tel. 254 20 2728332 > Fax. 254 20 2726965 > Cell. 254 724 226600 > URL. www.circuitspackets.co.ke > URL. www.JKUATEgovAcademy.ac.ke > _______________________________________________ > Fibre-for-africa mailing list > Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org > http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 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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DOT Capacity Building Training in Nairobi
by Joseph Maruti 28 Nov '06

28 Nov '06

DOT is running a youth and ICT capacity building program. See attached flyer. Those that have young friends/relatives that fit this profile and are available for the January intake should have them apply. Regards Maruti -- Joseph Maruti Country Director Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) Kenya <http://www.kenya.globalnetcorps.org> www.kenya.globalnetcorps.org <http://www.dotrust.org> www.dotrust.org p: +254 20 6751385 m: +254 725 153971 e: <mailto:[email protected]> jmaruti(a)globalnetcorps.org Cause, Measure, Share

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CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR ICT PROJECTS FOR FUNDING BY THE DIGITAL SOLIDARITY FUND
by alice＠apc.org 28 Nov '06

28 Nov '06

Dear All, This was advertised on the papers, but for those who did not see it, here goes! best regards alice -------------------------------------- CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR ICT PROJECTS FOR FUNDING BY THE DIGITAL SOLIDARITY FUND The Global Digital Solidarity Fund (DSF) is a financing foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland. The objective of the fund is to transform the digital divide into digital opportunities to promote peace, sustainable development, democracy, transparency and good governance. The Government of Kenya, through the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), is one of DSF’s founding members. .DSF PROJECTS: As a financing foundation, DSF does not establish large infrastructure, but subsidizes community-based projects, within the framework of a given national policy with a view to creating new activities, new jobs and, in the long term, new markets. The DSF works in partnership with institutions and programmes, thus capitalizing on their networks and know how in responding to local development needs pertaining to the ICT sector. Based on clearly defined criteria, the DSF supports three main areas of activity: i. Education, professional training and health ii. ICT support services to local administration iii. Creation of new activities, new employment, new revenue and new markets The DSF, through the CCK, is inviting interested organizations to submit ICT related project proposals, for funding consideration. To be eligible for DSF funding, the projects must: i. aim at developing good use of ICTs within local communities excluded from information and communication networks; ii. be a community development project making use of information technology, amounting to less than 500,000 euros, over one or several years, in the framework of Kenya’s national policy and addressing the insolvent demand; iii. be adapted to the real needs of the population and conditions in the field, respectful to local know-how and readily replicable in other communities. iv. be based on public sector/private sector/civil society partnerships, ensure traceability of its financial backing and benefit from at least one other source of financing. v. Target in priority women’s associations or groups with groups with specific needs (youth, people with disabilities, etc) ; vi. involve south-south cooperation; vii. Not entail the acquisition or creation of large and expensive infrastructures; viii. Operate and be supervised by recognized organizations in the field of development management; ix. Already have been subject to a feasibility study evaluating the project’s risks and opportunities; x. Develop local content to meet the needs of local populations; xi. Make use, when possible, of micro-credit strategies in order to promote local entrepreneurial spirit; Interested organizations with projects that meet the specified requirements are invited to download the DSF application forms from the CCK website www.cck.go.ke or collect the forms from the Competition, Tariffs and Market Analysis (CTMA) Division of the Commission on weekdays during official working hours. . Duly completed forms should be submitted together with the relevant documents in a plain sealed envelope, clearly marked – ‘ICT Project Proposal for DSF Funding’ – through the address below or placed in the Tender Box situated on the ground floor of the CCK Headquarter building so as to reach on or before 30th November 2006. The Commission will subsequently forward the proposals to the Digital Solidarity Fund for consideration. DSF will contact the selected firms directly. The Director-General Communications Commission of Kenya P.O. Box 14448 Nairobi 00800 Tel: +254 20 4242000 Fax: +254 20 4451866 Email: info(a)cck.go.ke For more details about DSF please visit their website: www.digital-solidarity.org A. Wanjira Munyua National Coordinator, Catalysing Access to ICTs in Africa (CATIA) Association for Progressive Communications (APC) alice(a)apc.org http://www.apc.org http://www.catia.ws

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Re: [Kictanet] [Fibre-for-africa] Whats i have being talking of as a public private partnership in ownership of the critical infrastructur
by Bill Kagai 28 Nov '06

28 Nov '06

Trading in one stock exchange does not complicate matters because institutional/foreign investors can still buy shares through the NSE. One good thing is that the NSE is the dominant exchange in EA with 51 listed companies and 3 or so cross listed in Dar and Kampala. Kampala has only 8 quoted companies and about a similar number in Dar which will soon be trading under one exchange in a couple of years. The other interesting challenge will be how the stock is embraced considering that the only IT stock ever listed (African Lakes) collapsed after a while, whilst the anticipated Wananchi IPO has not taken off yet. Basically, we are yet to see how the market will react to IT related stocks. See the following links on the pilot stock-detective.co.ke website we have been developing. http://www.stock-detective.co.ke and also on a discussion posted regarding Telkom upcoming listing.. http://www.stock-detective.co.ke/public-discussion-forum/public-discussion-… -- -- With Kind Regards, Bildad Kagai MD - Circuits & Packets Communications Ltd Content & Training Partner - JKUAT E-Government Academy Suite B2, Tetu Apartments, State House Avenue P. O. Box 20311 - 00200 Nairobi, Kenya Tel. 254 20 2728332 Fax. 254 20 2726965 Cell. 254 724 226600 URL. www.circuitspackets.co.ke URL. www.JKUATEgovAcademy.ac.ke <http://www.jkuategovacademy.ac.ke/>

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Fw: [Fibre-for-africa] Whats i have being talking of as a publicprivate partnership in ownership of the critical infrastructur
by alice＠apc.org 27 Nov '06

27 Nov '06

Hi all, Interesting discussions on the APC EASSY list see below. For those not subscribed to this list and would like to participate in the ongoing discussions please let me know best regards alice ----- Original Message ----- From: "Anriette Esterhuysen" <anriette(a)apc.org> To: "APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants" <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org> Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 10:19 PM Subject: Re: [Fibre-for-africa] Whats i have being talking of as a publicprivate partnership in ownership of the critical infrastructur Dear Eric A group of us APC people actually discussed your idea quite intensively a while ago. The one difference between what is happening here, and what you propose, is that the Kenyan initiative will involve only one stock exchange.... so, if the IPO continues, it will be listed in Kenya... as far as I know. Your proposal would have involved the 'entity' listing on multiple stock exchanges.... that would have been much more complicated. Seeing these new financial models emerge is very interesting. And it does feel a bit like a race... whose cable will light up first? Who will sell the cheapest bandwidth? Any bets? Anriette > Folks, > > Below is exactly what i have being chanting as a way forward in the > ownership of the infrastructure; The Kenya Government will have a 40 > per cent holding in the project, Etisalat 20% and the remaining 40% > will go to investors in the East African region. The Government has > said it will organise an IPO on the Kenyan Stock Exchange. Several > Kenyan companies have expressed interest and one said that the > Government had told them it would "guarantee their loan". The > details of the finance package have not yet been settled but it is > unclear where the Kenyan Government will raise its 40% from. Will the > World Bank simply shift a portion of its EASSy funding to the new > project as many think likely? > > NB; From this week's Balancing Act, full story below for your > pleasure. > > Thank God the Kenya are experimenting with this approach where > government owns part, private sector owns part, educational > institutions should also own part, CSO owns part through IPO on the > stock market. > > The Kenya government can actually raise the 40% from government bonds > and am not an expert on the stock market discipline of shares or > bonds but this is where the financial experts need to come out with > innovative solutions that can help raise much of this money locally > and it is possible. > > In the attached paper which is an output of the great work Rahul > Tongia did with some colleagues and little input from me, it is clear > that we could actually wire Africa up with fiber to the most > population densed centres for a billion dollars whcih means if every > African put a dollar on the table we could wire Africa up with fiber > and 50 percent of that dark fiber already exist - what does that mean > to you as an African? > > > You Kenyans are showing the way and even it it does not work you > would be know for showing us how this model is not workable and then > we can try another. We Africans must try new ways of doing these > things and make our own mistakes and find our own solutions to our > problems but learn to avoid the mistakes of the Americans, Europeans > and Asians. Thank God for this BOLD move, it is commendable. > > > TOP STORY: KENYA BEGINS THE COUNTDOWN TO CHEAP INTERNATIONAL FIBRE > _____________________________________________________________________ > > It´s like waiting for a matatu. You wait for ages and none come > along. But just when you´re about to give up hope, three come along > at the same time, all trying to come to a screaming halt in front of > you. Kenya now has three (or more) potential international fibre > projects that could be complete within 12 months. Each one is loudly > proclaiming that it will deliver cheap international bandwidth. > Russell Southwood took the temperature in the market last week about > what the impact of this bandwidth will be upon the market. > > The Kenya Government has signed an MOU to build a fibre link to > Fujairah > in the UAE currently costed at Ksh5.7 billion. The construction and > supply contract will be awarded early next year and the project, > dubbed The East African Marine System (Teams), will be ready by > November, according to a joint statement issued by both parties from > Dubai. Many in the sector believe that it will be more like 19 months > or more before completion. > > The Kenya Government will have a 40 per cent holding in the project, > Etisalat 20% and the remaining 40% will go to investors in the East > African region. The Government has said it will organise an IPO on the > Kenyan Stock Exchange. Several Kenyan companies have expressed > interest and one said that the Government had told them it would > "guarantee their loan". The details of the finance package have > not yet been settled but it is unclear where the Kenyan Government > will raise its 40% from. Will the World Bank simply shift a portion of > its EASSy funding to the new project as many think likely? > > The Government´s commitment to a 12 month schedule is a bold move > but one that must lay them open to a certain amount of scepticism. The > tender for expressions of interest was only issued 2 weeks ago and > Government timetabling is notoriously slow compared to the private > sector. Apparently the Private Secretary has been telling interested > parties that the Government wants prices comparable to those to be > found in India in 12 months time. This benchmark has been set in order > that Kenya will be able to compete in the international outsourcing > market. > > Apparently a number of interested parties said that they would put up > all the money to build it if they could have a monopoly and he sent > them away disappointed. But more worryingly one interested party told > us that it could only get involved if it also allowed Telkom Kenya to > be a shareholder. > > The next international fibre project is KDN´s and it has now signed > its contract with Flag Telecom. Its link from Mombasa will terminate > in an undersea junction in international waters off of the Yemen. It > says the link will be fully operational in the first quarter of 2008, > just 15 months away. The company believes that it will come to market > with capacity at $500 per mbps pm but that the price of bandwidth will > go up to those wanting to invest as time passes. In other words, for > those who commit early prices will be lowest and for those who come in > late, prices will go higher. It also stresses that its landing station > at Mombasa will allow other carriers to co-locate there charging only > electricity and services at cost. > > So this leaves the third project EASSy looking as if it will be the > third runner. NEPAD appears to have made little more progress on > persuading more African Governments to sign its political protocol. > And whilst the members of the EASSy consortium (that still includes > KDN and Telkom Kenya) are still moving things forward, there remains a > disconnect between the political and commercial ends of the project. > If both of the above projects go ahead, there is clearly much less > need to build the Mombasa-Djibouti section of the route and it has to > be said that both of the above projects have better international > connection points. > > As if three were not enough, Ethiopia´s ETC has now had its > international fibre connection working effectively for two months via > Port Sudan and Saudi Arabia. But because it is landlocked and it had > endless fruitless arguments with Djibouti Telecom over control of a > possible fibre link, it wants to find a second international fibre > connection. Therefore it is in serious conversations with both of > Kenya´s fibre network operators about connecting to the Mombasa > links when they are ready. If this goes ahead, both it and Kenya will > then have two international fibre links. > > Because the process of getting the international fibre to Kenya has > been both confusing and "on-off", everyone in the market > (including customers) have understandably not really grasped the > impact of its arrival on their businesses. Until now ISPs and > satellite resellers have largely been in the businesses of living on > the margin they make between buying and selling bandwidth. > > These margins have been kept high as they have concentrated on selling > to comparatively few customers. Ironically it has been a high-price, > low volume business where their primary commodity - bandwidth - > has always been in short supply, not least because some of them > increased their margin by contending it as much as possible. This has > meant that bandwidth quality is often variable at best for those not > paying "top dollar" for a premium service. > > If you argue that international fibre prices should be low price, high > volume, then the national business model changes: what´s sauce for > the goose is sauce for the gander. Bandwidth becomes cheap and > plentiful at a sub $1000 threshold. The margins that can then be > charged make it difficult for those who are not operating at volume to > stay in business. > > However it does now open up opportunities for new services, content > and applications that can be sold to customers who should now be > paying European prices for real broadband connections (1-2 meg > upwards) rather than the paltry 64 kbps they are currently receiving. > There are at least 500,000 households in Kenya that are at an income > level that make them potential targets for broadband. It would take > only half of those households to sign up for there to be the > beginnings of a very different market. > > The real sign that the market has not "got it" is that some key > ISPs are not passing on the information about these soon-to-be cheap > prices but are seeking to protect their high margins by telling > customers higher prices. A heads-up, guys. The sector is a village and > news will get round quickly and we´ll encourage the circulation of > this price information. The market´s about to change, get ready to > change with it. > > At the national level, there is now a third source of fibre capacity. > Jamii Telecommunications has signed an agreement with the Kenya Light > and Power Company (KPLC) to sell an STM1´s worth of its fibre > capacity in Nairobi and Mombasa, with KPLC saying that it will triple > its capacity shortly. Two other companies - CTN and Cable Vision - > have been granted a licence to sell KPLC´s capacity and it is > telling (in terms of the argument above) that both are in the video > download and pay-TV business. Not so far afield, Tanzanian power > utility TANESCO is currently building out fibre capacity and has > invited bids to sell this capacity. Again KDN is poised to make a > fibre connection to Tanzania. > > However a recent ping on the Kampala-Nairobi route shows that neither > KDN nor Telkom Kenya has got its fibre route operational. KDN is > promising it will be operational by the end of first quarter 2007 and > that prices will be 20% cheaper. > > Elsewhere in the market, the new VoIP operators are finding it > difficult > to get interconnection agreements and to get proper service from > interconnect service providers. Telkom Kenya is charging absurdly high > prices but has at least reached interconnect agreements. Nevertheless > the new fixed wireless operators - Flashcom and Popote - are > having difficulties: customers are unable to receive or make calls to > certain countries. Apparently anyone who calls a customer number of > these fixed wireless operators from Germany gets a number > unobtainable. > > Access Kenya´s Yello VoIP service has been aimed at corporates and > has attracted 250 customers who generate 120,000 minutes a month. But > it has had difficulty getting interconnection agreements with the > mobile operators. It made a complaint to regulator CCK in April and > became so frustrated that it said it would run an advertisement > publicising the position. Safaricom came back to the table but Celtel > refuses to enter discussions, saying that it will do so in its own > time. > > Kenyan ISPs are under heavy pressure from all the new operators. > Flashcom and Popote are taking more money from data than voice at the > moment as customers are primarily signing up for cheaper Internet > access. Also the introduction of EDGE services by Safaricom is eating > into their high-end customers: one ISP´s CEO admitted privately that > he was losing hundreds of customers a month to these new competitors. > The challenge for everyone in the market will be whether they can take > the soon-to-arrive cheaper international bandwidth and use it to > transform the market. > > > Eric M.K Osiakwan > Executive Secretary > AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) > Tel: + 233.21.258800 > 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" > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------ Anriette Esterhuysen, Executive Director Association for Progressive Communications anriette(a)apc.org http://www.apc.org PO Box 29755, Melville, South Africa. 2109 Tel. 27 11 726 1692 Fax 27 11 726 1692 _______________________________________________ Fibre-for-africa mailing list Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa

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Call for Participation: AITEC's Wireless Broadband Africa conference 29Nov-1Dec 2006 Hilton Hotel
by alice＠apc.org 27 Nov '06

27 Nov '06

Dear KICTAnet members KICTAnet member, AITEC Kenya has made available some spaces for KICTAnet's participation at the wireless broadband conference taking place at the Hilton Hotel in Nairobi from 29th November to 1st December 2006. The theme of the conference is "Technologies and strategies to evolve optimised networks" and brings together world leading experts on wireless technologies to share their knowledge and expertise with ICT professionals. . The conference aims at updating knowledge on wireless systems, planning and deployment. Please visit AITEC's website for more information and the programme. www.aitecafrica.com KICTAnet is therefore inviting participation from broad civil society, media, and private sector particularly SME's Please send an offlist message to Evelyne Majale by tomorrow, Tuesday 28th 2006. evelyneofwona(a)yahoo.com Tel: +254 020 4453671/2 best regards alice

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ITU IG Resolution
by alice＠apc.org 24 Nov '06

24 Nov '06

For those who follow the ITU processes. Find attached the Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-06) Antalya, 6-24 November 2006 resolution Analysis of the text needed! best alice

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Free delegate spaces for Kictanet members at AITEC Conferences
by Sean Moroney 23 Nov '06

23 Nov '06

Hi Alice, Following our meeting today, I'm pleased to confirm our agreement to provide up to 20 free delegate spaces at all AITEC conferences in Kenya for KICTAnet members from NGOs, development projects, other non-profit organisations and academia. Members who wish to apply for these places should do so through the KICTAnet secretariat and then you send us a list of the nominated delegates 48 hours before the start of the conference. This should be sent to Grace Gathoni in our Kenya office. Unfortunately we can't include our workshops and training courses in this agreement as these are usually done in partnership with third parties. But wherever possible we will accommodate special requests. I hope this meets the needs of all those in the Kenyan ICT community who want to attend our conferences but can't afford the delegate fees - starting with our Wireless Broadband Conference next week. The updated programme for this conference is attached. I hope all KICTAnet members who are interested in this vital aspect of infrastructure development will be able to attend, whether paying or non-paying. Best regards, Sean Sean Moroney AITEC Africa <mailto:[email protected]> seanm(a)aitecafrica.com UK Tel: +44-(0)1480-880774 UK Fax: +44-(0)1480-880765 UK Mobile: +44(0)7973-499224 SA Mobile: +27(0)72-610-7153 Kenya Mobile: +254(0)721-845674 Skype: seanmoroney <http://www.aitecafrica.com/> www.aitecafrica.com

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CALL FOR RESEARCHERS: "SAT-3/WASC Cable Research Project: Country Case Studies
by alice＠apc.org 22 Nov '06

22 Nov '06

Apologies for cross-posting. Please forward to suitable candidates in your contact list. CALL FOR RESEARCHERS: "SAT-3/WASC Cable Research Project: Country Case Studies" The Association for Progressive Communications is currently looking to engage four ICT policy researchers to conduct detailed country studies of the SAT-3/WASC submarine cable in the following countries: Angola, Cameroon, Ghana, and Senegal. The specific context of the research will be on the areas that Open Access (as a concept) seeks to impact - namely access and cost. Research will be conducted on the impact SAT-3/WASC has had on the competitiveness of international and Internet services in each country. Interested researchers should in the first instance submit a copy of their CV and a sample of written work (of no more than 2000 words) to abi(a)apc.org Please include "SAT-3/WASC Cable Research Project" AND the name of the country you are applying to research on, in the Subject field of your email. Applications should be received no later than Monday 27 November 2006 (17:00 GMT). A. Wanjira Munyua National Coordinator, Catalysing Access to ICTs in Africa (CATIA) Association for Progressive Communications (APC) alice(a)apc.org http://www.apc.org http://www.catia.ws

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Ethiopia on International Optical Fibre!!!!!
by Brian Longwe 21 Nov '06

21 Nov '06

Hi all, You may not believe this but I am sitting in Addis right now and seeing latency of 120ms on a ping to BBC in the UK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Apparently the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) did a deal with Sudan to get access by extending the national fibre optic between two towns close to the border. Interestingly enough this came about after another project to link Ethiopia via Eritrea stalled due to cross-border negotiations. At an estimated project cost of approx US$690,000 the country now has fairly good internet connectivity. The project was initiated in February this year and completed by August with 34 Mbps from Verizon. An invitation for bids to provide 155Mbps (STM-1) was also launched at the same time. This is a v. good example of how terrestrial networks can provide a quick alternative means of providing international connectivity. Regards, Brian

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KENYA BEGINS THE COUNTDOWN TO CHEAP INTERNATIONAL FIBRE
by alice＠apc.org 20 Nov '06

20 Nov '06

TOP STORY: KENYA BEGINS THE COUNTDOWN TO CHEAP INTERNATIONAL FIBRE from Balancing Act _____________________________________________________________________ It’s like waiting for a matatu. You wait for ages and none come along. But just when you’re about to give up hope, three come along at the same time, all trying to come to a screaming halt in front of you. Kenya now has three (or more) potential international fibre projects that could be complete within 12 months. Each one is loudly proclaiming that it will deliver cheap international bandwidth. Russell Southwood took the temperature in the market last week about what the impact of this bandwidth will be upon the market. The Kenya Government has signed an MOU to build a fibre link to Fujairah in the UAE currently costed at Ksh5.7 billion. The construction and supply contract will be awarded early next year and the project, dubbed The East African Marine System (Teams), will be ready by November, according to a joint statement issued by both parties from Dubai. Many in the sector believe that it will be more like 19 months or more before completion. The Kenya Government will have a 40 per cent holding in the project, Etisalat 20% and the remaining 40% will go to investors in the East African region. The Government has said it will organise an IPO on the Kenyan Stock Exchange. Several Kenyan companies have expressed interest and one said that the Government had told them it would “guarantee their loan”. The details of the finance package have not yet been settled but it is unclear where the Kenyan Government will raise its 40% from. Will the World Bank simply shift a portion of its EASSy funding to the new project as many think likely? The Government’s commitment to a 12 month schedule is a bold move but one that must lay them open to a certain amount of scepticism. The tender for expressions of interest was only issued 2 weeks ago and Government timetabling is notoriously slow compared to the private sector. Apparently the Private Secretary has been telling interested parties that the Government wants prices comparable to those to be found in India in 12 months time. This benchmark has been set in order that Kenya will be able to compete in the international outsourcing market. Apparently a number of interested parties said that they would put up all the money to build it if they could have a monopoly and he sent them away disappointed. But more worryingly one interested party told us that it could only get involved if it also allowed Telkom Kenya to be a shareholder. The next international fibre project is KDN’s and it has now signed its contract with Flag Telecom. Its link from Mombasa will terminate in an undersea junction in international waters off of the Yemen. It says the link will be fully operational in the first quarter of 2008, just 15 months away. The company believes that it will come to market with capacity at $500 per mbps pm but that the price of bandwidth will go up to those wanting to invest as time passes. In other words, for those who commit early prices will be lowest and for those who come in late, prices will go higher. It also stresses that its landing station at Mombasa will allow other carriers to co-locate there charging only electricity and services at cost. So this leaves the third project EASSy looking as if it will be the third runner. NEPAD appears to have made little more progress on persuading more African Governments to sign its political protocol. And whilst the members of the EASSy consortium (that still includes KDN and Telkom Kenya) are still moving things forward, there remains a disconnect between the political and commercial ends of the project. If both of the above projects go ahead, there is clearly much less need to build the Mombasa-Djibouti section of the route and it has to be said that both of the above projects have better international connection points. As if three were not enough, Ethiopia’s ETC has now had its international fibre connection working effectively for two months via Port Sudan and Saudi Arabia. But because it is landlocked and it had endless fruitless arguments with Djibouti Telecom over control of a possible fibre link, it wants to find a second international fibre connection. Therefore it is in serious conversations with both of Kenya’s fibre network operators about connecting to the Mombasa links when they are ready. If this goes ahead, both it and Kenya will then have two international fibre links. Because the process of getting the international fibre to Kenya has been both confusing and “on-off”, everyone in the market (including customers) have understandably not really grasped the impact of its arrival on their businesses. Until now ISPs and satellite resellers have largely been in the businesses of living on the margin they make between buying and selling bandwidth. These margins have been kept high as they have concentrated on selling to comparatively few customers. Ironically it has been a high-price, low volume business where their primary commodity – bandwidth – has always been in short supply, not least because some of them increased their margin by contending it as much as possible. This has meant that bandwidth quality is often variable at best for those not paying “top dollar” for a premium service. If you argue that international fibre prices should be low price, high volume, then the national business model changes: what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Bandwidth becomes cheap and plentiful at a sub $1000 threshold. The margins that can then be charged make it difficult for those who are not operating at volume to stay in business. However it does now open up opportunities for new services, content and applications that can be sold to customers who should now be paying European prices for real broadband connections (1-2 meg upwards) rather than the paltry 64 kbps they are currently receiving. There are at least 500,000 households in Kenya that are at an income level that make them potential targets for broadband. It would take only half of those households to sign up for there to be the beginnings of a very different market. The real sign that the market has not “got it” is that some key ISPs are not passing on the information about these soon-to-be cheap prices but are seeking to protect their high margins by telling customers higher prices. A heads-up, guys. The sector is a village and news will get round quickly and we’ll encourage the circulation of this price information. The market’s about to change, get ready to change with it. At the national level, there is now a third source of fibre capacity. Jamii Telecommunications has signed an agreement with the Kenya Light and Power Company (KPLC) to sell an STM1’s worth of its fibre capacity in Nairobi and Mombasa, with KPLC saying that it will triple its capacity shortly. Two other companies – CTN and Cable Vision – have been granted a licence to sell KPLC’s capacity and it is telling (in terms of the argument above) that both are in the video download and pay-TV business. Not so far afield, Tanzanian power utility TANESCO is currently building out fibre capacity and has invited bids to sell this capacity. Again KDN is poised to make a fibre connection to Tanzania. However a recent ping on the Kampala-Nairobi route shows that neither KDN nor Telkom Kenya has got its fibre route operational. KDN is promising it will be operational by the end of first quarter 2007 and that prices will be 20% cheaper. Elsewhere in the market, the new VoIP operators are finding it difficult to get interconnection agreements and to get proper service from interconnect service providers. Telkom Kenya is charging absurdly high prices but has at least reached interconnect agreements. Nevertheless the new fixed wireless operators – Flashcom and Popote – are having difficulties: customers are unable to receive or make calls to certain countries. Apparently anyone who calls a customer number of these fixed wireless operators from Germany gets a number unobtainable. Access Kenya’s Yello VoIP service has been aimed at corporates and has attracted 250 customers who generate 120,000 minutes a month. But it has had difficulty getting interconnection agreements with the mobile operators. It made a complaint to regulator CCK in April and became so frustrated that it said it would run an advertisement publicising the position. Safaricom came back to the table but Celtel refuses to enter discussions, saying that it will do so in its own time. Kenyan ISPs are under heavy pressure from all the new operators. Flashcom and Popote are taking more money from data than voice at the moment as customers are primarily signing up for cheaper Internet access. Also the introduction of EDGE services by Safaricom is eating into their high-end customers: one ISP’s CEO admitted privately that he was losing hundreds of customers a month to these new competitors. The challenge for everyone in the market will be whether they can take the soon-to-arrive cheaper international bandwidth and use it to transform the market. ____________________________________________________________________

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ITU appoints first African Secretary General ....
by alice＠apc.org 15 Nov '06

15 Nov '06

Dear all http://allafrica.com/stories/200611130952.html An African, Mali's Hamadoun Toure, Friday became the new Secretary-General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) after polling 95 votes over Germany's Mr. Mathias Kurth, who got 60 votes for the exalted position. Member states of the ITU elected Mr Touré of Mali as Secretary-General for a four-year term. The election took place in Antalya, Turkey during the 17th ITU Plenipotentiary Conference. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Francis and all I also congratulate Mr Touré for his election as Secretary general of ITU, and I'm happy for my African friends for them to have one of theirs at the head of this oldest UN Agency. However I'd be less enthusiastic as Francis for at least three reasons : - Mr Touré was the Director of the Development Bureau of ITU (ITU-D) during eight years, and during his mandate most of the insiders and observers admit that telecom development in Africa has got more "asymmetric" than ever. Whereas the mobile "market" grew substantially, especially in large metropolitan areas, managing even new generation wireless (so called 3G wireless) services to be deployed in these privileged areas, the villages and largest country areas of the continent still are waiting for their hypothetical connection to the ICT/telecom network. What’s more, some African countries have even declined in terms of telecom services to their population ( Central African Republic, DR Congo, etc) during these years. At last, the pan-African network Panaftel, established in the eighties for interconnecting African countries, steadily declined as did most of the fixed terrestrial networks in a large number of African countries. - Instead of network development, the priority of ITU-D during Mr Touré’s mandate was telecom sector “reform”, i.e. deregulation following –and in some cases even exceeding- the Worldbank credo and demand. So far this “sector reform” didn’t prove its efficiency. Moreover, it left some African countries in a more critical situation and demonstrated large collapses (Guinea, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, …). Who will ever try to appraise the huge amount of money lost in this process ? - As far as recent African network development is concerned, ITU is remarkably absent from both the design devising and the decision making processes. This is largely demonstrated in the SAT-3/WASC sub-marine cable, the EASSy project, Infinity project, EADTS, etc, but also in major countries’ ICT/telecoms Master Plans design (Cameroon, DR Congo, …). Here is the true place for ITU-D for proving its commitment and its competence for actual African telecoms development. Should I add that during the entire WSIS process, ITU wasn’t very “SC friendly” and failed to keep the leadership in large debates on how to bridge actually the digital divide and how to finance this profound injustice. Therefore; let’s keep cool and let the new SG take the most urgent and still awaited decisions such as real and concrete actions on bridging the “digital divide” ; more than twenty years after the Maitland’s Report it is highest time to awake in the (ITU) “ tower” ! And second, let the new SG take the appropriate decisions as soon as possible on an actual CS inclusive ITU, especially in the view of implementing the WSIS Action plan objectives and its follow-up on a real muliti-stakeholder basis. For both these issues, I simply recall the three proposals CSDPTT submitted to the ITU Council in January (in the view of the Plenipotentiary Conference), without any reaction nor response of ITU-D since then despite it was in the very centre of these proposals. Best Jean-Louis Fullsack CSDPTT - France > Message du 13/11/06 20:08 > De : "Dr. Francis MUGUET" > A : plenary(a)wsis-cs.org > Copie à : > Objet : [WSIS CS-Plenary] Mali's Hamadoun Toure, new Secretary-General of > the ITU > > [Please note that by using 'REPLY', your response goes to the entire list. > Kindly use individual addresses for responses intended for specific > people] > > Click http://wsis.funredes.org/plenary/ to access automatic translation of > this message! > _______________________________________ > > Dear friends > > ( un msg en français suit ) > > Since this excellent piece of news has not been seemingly posted > on the plenary list. > Congratulatiions to first African Secretary-General of the ITU, > who, coincidence or fate, belongs to the same country > as Adama Samassékou to whom WSIS Civil Society owes so much. > > --------------------- > http://allafrica.com/stories/200611130952.html > > An African, Mali's Hamadoun Toure, Friday became the new > Secretary-General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) > after polling 95 votes over Germany's Mr. Mathias Kurth, who got 60 > votes for the exalted position. > > Member states of the ITU elected Mr Touré of Mali as Secretary-General > for a four-year term. The election took place in Antalya, Turkey during > the 17th ITU Plenipotentiary Conference. Mr Touré won the position with > 95 votes with 155 countries present and voting, and thus the required > majority for election was 78 votes. > > The majority emerged in the third round of voting, with Mr Mathias Kurth > of Germany receiving 60 votes. > > The election showed the deft diplomacy of Toure who had come to the ITU > conference last year in Abuja with one message from the Malian > government: "To support the country to run for the highest position at > the ITU." Every country-delegate present pledged to support Mali, and by > implication, Toure. But that development effectively killed the spirit > of every person who would have been eyeing that position and vouchsafed > it for Toure. Last weekend, he triumphed. > > Addressing the Conference after the results of the vote, Mr Touré told > the 1500 delegates from around the world that he would work with > transparency, objectivity and vigour to realize the two main objectives > that were central to his campaign: to eliminate the digital divide and > to ensure that cyberspace would become more secure. He said, "The > Millennium Development Goals that were endorsed by all the world's > leaders as well as the WSIS resolutions are the ingredients we need to > get down to work." > > Mr Hamadoun Touré holds a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from > the Technical Institute of Electronics and Telecommunications of > Leningrad and Doctor of Philosophy Degree (PhD) from the University of > Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics of Moscow. After six > years at the Office des Postes et Télécommunications du Mali (OPT) Mali, > he joined Intelsat as Group Director & Regional Director in 1985 until > he became Director-General, Africa, of ICO Global Communications in > 1996. Elected Director of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau in > 1998, he was elected for a second term in 2002. > > In the election, Houlin Zhao of China was elected Deputy > Secretary-General in the first round with 93 votes. Carlos SÃ¡nchez of > Spain obtained 34 votes while T. Ayhan Beydoan of Turkey received 28. > John Ray Kwabena Tandoh of Ghana had announced the withdrawal of his > candidature prior to the start of the election. > > Thanking the members and, in particular, the People's Republic of China, > for placing their confidence in him, Houlin Zhao remarked that the post > of Deputy Secretary-General holds a strategic importance in the Union. > He said that he would do his best to assist the Secretary-General elect > and the three Directors as well as the membership to make ITU a more > dynamic organization that would contribute to the emerging global > Information Society. As outgoing Director of TSB, he said he was > confident that "ITU-T will meet the future challenges of ICT > standardization this century." > > Graduated from Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, China > in 1975, Mr Zhao received a Master degree of Science in telematics, > University of Essex (United Kingdom) in 1985. From 1975 to 1986, he held > various engineering positions at Ministry of Posts and > Telecommunications, China. In 1986, he joined ITU as a staff member of > the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB) until his election as > Director of the TSB in 1998. He was re-elected in his position at the > 2002 Marrakesh Plenipotentiary Conference. > > Outgoing Secretary-General Yoshio Utsumi leaves behind him a more > efficient and effective organization, offering a wider portfolio of more > relevant services that led to a 19 per cent increase in private sector > membership and a recommitment of the private sector to the work of ITU. > His tenure was characterized by efficiency measures that led to savings > equivalent to CHF 75 million out of a total budget of CHF 335 million on > average per biennium as well as the introduction of operational > planning, results-based budgeting and time-tracking across the > organization, resulting in a substantial overhaul of the organization. > Along with cost recovery, these measures created new sources of revenue > that led to a reduction in the contributions to be paid by members, > despite growing demands and cost increases. > > From a strategic perspective, Mr Utsumi successfully refocused ITU as a > policy-oriented organization by introducing new issues to ensure its > continuing relevance, with the successful organization of the World > Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) which provides a common > understanding and vision as well as a clear roadmap to building the > Information Society by 2015. He also strengthened the role of ITU in the > coordination of policy issues among Member States. Through this process, > ITU has asserted its leading role in the broader domain of the > Information Society. > > > > -- > > ------------------------------------------------------ > Francis F. MUGUET Ph.D > > MDPI Foundation Open Access Journals > Associate Publisher > http://www.mdpi.org http://www.mdpi.net > muguet(a)mdpi.org muguet(a)mdpi.net > > ENSTA Paris, France > KNIS lab. Director > "Knowledge Networks & Information Society" (KNIS) > muguet(a)ensta.fr http://www.ensta.fr/~muguet > > World Summit On the Information Society (WSIS) > Civil Society Working Groups > Scientific Information : http://www.wsis-si.org chair > Patents & Copyrights : http://www.wsis-pct.org co-chair > Financing Mechanismns : http://www.wsis-finance.org web > > UNMSP project : http://www.unmsp.org > WTIS initiative: http://www.wtis.org > ------------------------------------------------------ > _______________________________________________ > Plenary mailing list > Plenary(a)wsis-cs.org > http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary >

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Re: [Kictanet] [Fibre-for-africa] Re: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Ethiopia on Internatio nal Optical Fibre!!!!!
by Brian Longwe 13 Nov '06

13 Nov '06

On Nov 13, 2006, at 4:30 PM, Mark J Elkins wrote: > Brian Longwe wrote: >> Hi all, >> >> You may not believe this but I am sitting in Addis right now and >> seeing latency of 120ms on a ping to BBC in the UK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > How about a Traceroute? Traceroute from Germany to Ethiopia Traceroute www.inka.de -> 213.55.93.57 traceroute to 213.55.93.57 (213.55.93.57), 30 hops max, 40 byte packets 1 fe2-gw-user.z2.cix.ka-ip.net (193.197.184.18) 0.723 ms 0.388 ms 0.36 ms 2 Karlsruhe2.belwue.de (129.143.166.161) 0.553 ms 0.475 ms 0.466 ms 3 Karlsruhe1.belwue.de (129.143.166.137) 0.614 ms 0.501 ms 0.502 ms 4 Stuttgart1.belwue.de (129.143.1.7) 1.833 ms 1.728 ms 1.724 ms 5 Frankfurt1.belwue.de (129.143.1.26) 5.881 ms 5.875 ms 5.82 ms 6 ffm-k88-i1-geth1-2.telia.net (213.248.79.41) 5.878 ms 5.89 ms 5.863 ms 7 POS3-1.BR2.FFT1.ALTER.NET (146.188.67.85) 5.963 ms 6.063 ms 5.939 ms 8 so-0-2-0.TR2.FFT1.ALTER.NET (146.188.6.113) 6.392 ms 6.149 ms 6.212 ms 9 so-6-0-0.TR2.LND2.ALTER.NET (146.188.8.157) 20.908 ms 20.836 ms 21.076 ms 10 so-6-0-0.XR1.LND2.ALTER.NET (146.188.7.225) 20.865 ms 20.734 ms 21.156 ms 11 POS3-0.CR1.LND5.alter.net (158.43.233.241) 21.011 ms 20.837 ms 20.716 ms 12 fe0-0-0.gw13.lnd5.gbb.uk.uu.net (158.43.157.13) 21.048 ms 20.887 ms 21.107 ms 13 w0p45516.uk.customer.alter.net (158.43.48.250) 123.479 ms 123.987 ms 120.112 ms 14 213.55.90.204 (213.55.90.204) 120.539 ms 120.423 ms 120.434 ms 15 213.55.89.7 (213.55.89.7) 120.35 ms 121.031 ms 120.996 ms 16 213.55.90.162 (213.55.90.162) 135.938 ms 129.45 ms 143.033 ms

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Final Reminder - JKUAT IT SECURITY CERTIFICATE
by Bill Kagai 13 Nov '06

13 Nov '06

JKUAT CERTIFICATE IN IT SECURITY ETHICAL HACKING: SECURITY VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT, DETECTION AND PREVENTION – 20th November – 1st December 2006 [Full-Time - 8.30am to 5.00pm] VENUE JKUAT e-Government Academy- Juja Campus http://www.jkuategovacademy.ac.ke/itsecurity COURSE CONTENT This is a unique, authoritative, high-value, hands-on practical course which will provide participants with essential understanding of the tools, methodologies and vulnerabilities that hackers/intruders could employ to exploit the IT systems of their organisations. Most organisations now realise that in order to defend themselves against the threat of attack by hackers, crackers, and indeed any individual intent on causing disruption to their IT systems, IT staff must have an informed and current understanding of the present-day methodologies, tools, and vulnerabilities which allow these exploits to happen. This Ethical Hacking course is designed to educate IT professionals in order to allow them to defend systems against hacking attacks. During this course, participants will learn about the hacker mindset and become familiar with the tools and methodologies that are used to attack systems. Using state-of-the-art classroom setups, delegates work with LINUX/UNIX and Windows systems, and associated server software. A wide range of hacking tools and security auditing tools are used during the course. COURSE OBJECTIVES This course fulfils two vital objectives for anyone working in IT systems administration, IT security or IT support roles: 1.The course builds a strong awareness of the wide range of risks and threats now faced even by organisations which believe they have strong security solutions in place. 2.The course provides delegates with a solid understanding of the control measures that need to be put in place in order to limit an organisation's vulnerabilities and risk of attack. By the end of this course, the participant will have learnt about: -The tools, techniques and methodologies employed by hackers in a dedicated lab environment. -How hackers can collect and assimilate information about an organisation's infrastructure whilst avoiding detection. -How information may be used to assess your IT systems' weaknesses and subsequently launch an attack against target systems. -The techniques that are typically used to gain access into a system. -The types of tools that are used to elevate access on a system. -The techniques used by hackers to conceal their tracks and the methods via which access to a target system may be maintained. -The limitations of security firewall systems and the tools used to bypass them. -How hackers bypass Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS). -Measures that you can employ to secure and protect information against hacker attacks. COURSE SPECIAL FEATURES -Targeted Tracks: You will benefit from the expertise of industry front-runners, learn from real-world case studies and leave with everything you need to know to safeguard your wireless networks and devices -Tangible Take-Aways will be given to you including useful documents, guidelines and checklists that you can use as a springboard to your own initiatives. -Optimum networking opportunities are available through breaks, receptions, and luncheons. You will have the opportunity to talk shop with information security professionals and you will return to the office with new ideas and fresh contacts. -Transport (From KICC in Nairobi to the Academy in Juja and Back, Lunch and Teas -Obtain materials in 2 easy ways: -At the Training you will receive bound volumes of the conference materials -After the Training: download the materials you want from the web with a special access code and burn on your CDs WHO SHOULD ATTEND Information Security Officers, Directors and Managers; Information Technology Auditors, Managers and Staff Network Security Managers and Administrators; Local Area Network Administrators Technical Support Staff; System Administrators; Others charged with mobile and wireless security responsibilities COST – Kshs 35,000 inclusive of Transport, Lunch and Teas TRANSPORT - JKUAT e-Government Academy will avail transport from KICC at 7.20am and from the JKUAT e-Government Academy at 5.20pm. HOW TO REGISTER - Please register by 15th November 2006. Application forms can be obtained from the contacts provided below or from the JKUAT e-Government Website www.jkuategovacademy.ac.ke Ngahu Kanyingi Technical Manager Circuits & Packets Communications Ltd P. O. Box 20311-00200, Nairobi Tel: 20-2728332 Fax: 20-2726965 Email. info(a)circuitspackets.co.ke Joel Kimilu Training Manager JKUAT e-Government Academy Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology P. O. Box 62000-00200, Nairobi Tel: 067-52420 /0736 524200/ 0724 256 696 Email. jkuates(a)jkuates.jkuat.ac.ke

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Read This! Does High Tech Require High Fiber? (TIME Europe magazine)
by Brian Longwe 12 Nov '06

12 Nov '06

http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/article/ 0,13005,901061023-1546311,00.html

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Fw: [DigAfrica] Stop infighting over EASSY
by alice＠apc.org 11 Nov '06

11 Nov '06

Hi all Is this a case of a good private sector initiative gone bad because of government interference or is it the other way round? best alice http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/14/531243 Stop infighting over EASSY Thursday, 9th November, 2006 THE arrival of an underwater optic fibre cable in East Africa has been delayed by infighting between governments and telecom companies. Yet the East African Submarine System's proposed 9,900 km of underwater cable between Port Sudan and Mtunzini in South Africa could do more to transform East African economies than any other single infrastructure project of equivalent cost. Today all East Africa's connections to the Internet and international broadband go by satellite. The rest of the world is connected by optical fibre cables that run between continents. These are faster and cheaper than satellite connections. Once EASSY arrives in East Africa, the cost of Internet and telephone connections will drop by an estimated 65 per cent which will make East African companies more efficient and more profitable. EASSY was supposed to arrive in 2007 but now it is delayed because no- one can agree who is in charge. Originally the big telecom companies across southern and eastern Africa were building it but in 2005 NEPAD and the World Bank decided that EASSY should be run on an `open access' basis to allow service operators access to the cable at cost. This is a beautiful idea in theory but who is going to pay? Big telecom companies like MTN and UTL are now obviously reluctant to pump in money if they are not going to get a commercial return. East African operators are now considering an alternative underwater cable connection to Fujairah in the Emirates yet this would retard the cause of African commercial integration. It is time for the infighting to stop. The telecom companies have got the financial muscle to make EASSY happen immediately. If governments are worried about open access, let them insist that the telecom companies provide it with a modest profit margin of, say, 10 per cent. But let's delay no longer. EASSY is something that East and Southern Africa needed yesterday. http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/14/531243

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Wireless Broadband Africa - Discount Rate for KictanetMembers
by A. Wanjira Munyua 11 Nov '06

11 Nov '06

Dear Sean and all Thank you for the 25% offer to KICTAnet members. However, I would like to request some free slots for KICTAnet members (at least 6 ) interested in attending especially those coming from the public sector and civil society. Any member wishing to use this mailing list to announce commercial events should have given KICTAnet slots/chance to have a role that does not require any payments. Given that network is not for profit. This is not targeted at AITEC but we do need to set a policy/ precedence to ensure that members can advertise for events that benefit KICTAnet and its members as a network. Thank you and best regards alice ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sean Moroney" <seanm(a)aitecafrica.com> To: <alice(a)apc.org> Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2006 7:36 PM Subject: [Kictanet] Wireless Broadband Africa - Discount Rate for KictanetMembers > Dear Colleagues, > > > > AITEC is pleased to offer Kictanet members a 25% discount on the delegate > fee for the Wireless Broadband Conference we are holding at Hilton Hotel > over 29- Nov - 1 Dec. In addition, the first 50 delegates that register for > the main conference qualify to attend practical implementation workshops on > wireless technologies and CDMA free of charge. > > > > See our web site for the full programme - www.aitecafrica.com > <http://www.aitecafrica.com/> > > > > Please phone AITEC Kenya on 020-675-0802/020-2011233 to register. > > > > I look forward to seeing you at the conference. > > > > Regards, > > > > > > > > > > Sean Moroney > > AITEC Africa > > <mailto:[email protected]> seanm(a)aitecafrica.com > > UK Tel: +44-(0)1480-880774 > > UK Fax: +44-(0)1480-880765 > > UK Mobile: +44(0)7973-499224 > > SA Mobile: +27(0)72-610-7153 > > Kenya Mobile: +254(0)721-845674 > > Skype: seanmoroney > > <http://www.aitecafrica.com/> www.aitecafrica.com > > > > > > > > > > > > For the detailed programme and to register as a delegate, log on to > www.aitecafrica.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/ki -- A. Wanjira Munyua National Coordinator, Catalysing Access to ICTs in Africa (CATIA) Association for Progressive Communications (APC) alice(a)apc.org http://www.apc.org http://www.catia.ws Cell: +254 733 731074

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Re: [Kictanet] Re: India's Weaknesses
by Eric Osiakwan 11 Nov '06

11 Nov '06

Please permit me to send through Prof. Wilson's response since he is not on the list but he gives some insighful directions to the discussion. Point of correction, i meant "Quad" not "Squad". ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: "Ernest Wilson" <ewilson(a)cidcm.umd.edu> Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 15:59:15 -0400 >Eric- > >Excellent idea! > >There is an initiative with the World Bank Institute, led by their VP Frannie Leautier (a Tanzanian), and the Mandela Foundation to launch a series of Sci & Tech institutes in Africa. They've been fund raising etc etc. Might be worth refering to that. > >But it isnt clear that the WBI initiative has really seized the necessity of co-locating good firms and good universities and good govt support together. I think the first project for a 'ctr of excellence' is in Arusha. The indian IIT's are also involved in that project. > >Close cooperation across govt-pri-research-ngo is certainly much of the reasons for success, as you know, in Silicon Valley, plus Cambridge, Beijing, Sao Paulo, and of course Bangalore. (SEE new study by Harry Broadman "The New Silk Road: Chinese and Indian Initiatives in Africa", available on line thru the World Bank, where HB works.) > >Now it's Africa's turn to accelerate cross sector partnerships, and start co-locating and >developing these "Quad" relationships. > >cheers > > >Ernie > >Dr. Ernest J. Wilson III >Center for International Development and Conflict Management >University of Maryland >0145 Tydings Hall >College Park, MD 20742 >Tel: (301) 314-7711 >Fax: (301) 314-9256 >Email: ewilson(a)cidcm.umd.edu >http://www.cidcm.umd.edu >>>> "Eric Osiakwan" <eric(a)afrispa.org> 10/25/06 1:10 PM >>> > >Waudo said "Perhaps something could be done now before we find ourselves in India's >position" > >We all know that one of the demons that has held back Africa's rise is the DE-LINK between >industry and academia (research) and also with governments. Prof. Ernest Wilson's (of >Maryland University) squad model makes the argument that you need a constant interaction >between these constituencies for growth and innovation to take place. He argues that Silicon >Valley is a clear example. > >My proposition therefore as a way to answer the question above is to leverage the BPO >opportunity. Most African governments are at least on board the BPO wagon so my idea is, >lets establish the BPOs in the University environment given the current public policy >favouring. The BPO companys can take advantage of cheap but good student labour whiles >they build the real estate for their operations using university land on a "build operate and >handover basis". > >The Universities then get real estate which they use for their long term expansion of physical >infrastructure. The BPO companies get their work done cheaply and when they migrate in the >long term, much value would have being gained. The University students get work >experience for the long term job market entry and also interim cash to support their >University education. This also gives the non-computer related students some basic skills >and exposure and for the CS, EE etc students, they build their internal capacity not only to >take calls and do word processing but more technical stuff. They would soon be writing >software for those BPO companies. Mostly importantly this becomes the nucleus of the >government/academia/private sector LINKINING which would grow into other areas. > >Hence the value proposition of the BPO banwagon is, it gives us a foot into the door but we >must move up the value chain very quickly or we would end up doing the low end jobs which >would make us less competitive in the Knowledge economy. > >When I proposed this to my Ghana Cyber Group friend (Yaw Owusu, leading the way with a >private TechPark in Ghana) whom i have cced on this mail, he said, then the Tech Parks (BPOs >+ more) should be in the University/Research Environment and his example of been able to >acquire land from the Ghana CSIR which is close to the University of Ghana would be a good >prototype. > >This is the story am going to be telling at the the first University Leaders Forum in Cape >Town to which governments, academic leadership, private sector and Civil Society has being >convened. > >Eric here > > >---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- >From: waudo(a)signet.co.ke >Reply-To: Kenya ICT Policy - kictanet <kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke> >Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 09:53:47 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time) > >>Thanks to PS Ndemo for bringing this out. As for Wafula's question, the >>work force survey undertaken by the CSK earlier this year revealed that >>there is very little linkage between what the ICT training institutions >>(including Universities) are producing and the requirements of the >>industry either now or in the foreseeable future. Certainly there appear >>to be no mechanisms to facilitate such linkage. Perhaps something could be >>done now before we find ourselves in India's position. >> >> >>Kind Regards >>Waudo Siganga >> >>On Wed, October 25, 2006 9:22 am, TONY WAFULA wrote: >>> Good lesson , though wonder whether as a country we are ready to address >>> manpower shortage in this area. Just the other day Safaricom's Micheal >>> Joseph was lamenting about the same...are we checking what our >>> Universities are offering in relation to our projected needs? >>> >>> Regards >>> >>> Wafula >>> >>> bitange(a)jambo.co.ke wrote: >>> Hi Edith, >>> You must have been blogging. >>> >>> Regards >>> >>> >>> Ndemo. >>> >>> >>>> Certainly, a great lesson to learn from. >>>> >>>> Thanks for sharing the article! >>>> >>>> At / * 12:56 PM 10/24/2006, bitange(a)jambo.co.ke wrote / a *crit: >>>>>Dear All, >>>>>I think there are good lessons to learn from the article below. >>>>> >>>>>Regards >>>>> >>>>>Ndemo. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>October 17, 2006 >>>>>Skills Gap Hurts Technology Boom in India >>>>>By SOMINI SENGUPTA >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>TIRUCHENGODE, India >>>>> >>>>> As its technology companies soar to the outsourcing skies, India is >>>>>bumping up against an improbable challenge. In a country once regarded >>>>> as >>>>>a bottomless well of low-cost, ready-to-work, English-speaking >>>>> engineers, >>>>>a shortage looms. >>>>> >>>>>India still produces plenty of engineers, nearly 400,000 a year at last >>>>>count. But their competence has become the issue. >>>>> >>>>>A study commissioned by a trade group, the National Association of >>>>>Software and Service Companies, or Nasscom, found only one in four >>>>>engineering graduates to be employable. The rest were deficient in the >>>>>required technical skills, fluency in English or ability to work in a >>>>> team >>>>>or deliver basic oral presentations. >>>>> >>>>>The skills gap reflects the narrow availability of high-quality college >>>>>education in India and the galloping pace of the country's >>>>> service-driven >>>>>economy, which is growing faster than nearly all but China's. The >>>>> software >>>>>and service companies provide technology services to foreign companies, >>>>>many of them based in the United States. Software exports alone expanded >>>>>by 33 percent in the last year. >>>>> >>>>>The university systems of few countries would be able to keep up with >>>>> such >>>>>demand, and India is certainly having trouble. The best and most >>>>> selective >>>>>universities generate too few graduates, and new private colleges are >>>>>producing graduates of uneven quality. >>>>> >>>>>Many fear that the labor pinch may signal bottlenecks in other parts of >>>>>the economy. It is already being felt in the information technology >>>>>sector. >>>>> >>>>>With the number of technology jobs expected to nearly double to 1.7 >>>>>million in the next four years, companies are scrambling to find fresh >>>>>engineering talent and to upgrade the schools that produce it. >>>>> >>>>>Some companies are training faculty members themselves, offering courses >>>>>tailored to industry needs and improving college labs and libraries. >>>>> They >>>>>are rushing to get first choice of would-be engineers long before they >>>>>have completed their course work. And they are fanning out to small, >>>>>remote colleges that almost no one had heard of before. The country's >>>>> most >>>>>successful technology concerns can no longer afford to hire only >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>_______________________________________________ >>>>>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/eadera%40idrc.or.ke >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> 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/bitange%40jambo.co.ke >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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/twaf78%40yahoo.com >>> >>> >>> >>> WITH COMPLIMENTS OF ANTHONY WAFULA >>> >>> --------------------------------- >>> All-new Yahoo! Mail - Fire up a more powerful email and get things done >>> faster._______________________________________________ >>> 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/waudo%40signet.co.ke >> >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>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/eric%40afrispa.org >> > >-- >Eric M.K Osiakwan >Executive Secretary >AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) >Tel: + 233.21.258800 >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" >-- > > > -- Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 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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AfNOG 2007 Workshop on Network Technology - Application for Admission
by Dorcas Muthoni 10 Nov '06

10 Nov '06

AfNOG 2007 Workshop on Network Technology - Application for Admission Please see <http://www.afnog.org/afnog2007/workshop/> for information about the AfNOG 2007 Workshop on Network Technology. If you have questions regarding this announcement and application, they may be addressed to: <workshopinfo(a)afnog.org <http://mail.openworld.co.ke/src/compose.php?send_to=workshopinfo%40afnog.org>> Where to Apply - You can you can fill in an application on line, at <http://www.afnog.org/afnog2007/workshop/online-application.html> - You can download a copy of the application form from <http://www.afnog.org/afnog2007/workshop/application-form.txt>, or request a copy via email to <applications(a)afnog.org <http://mail.openworld.co.ke/src/compose.php?send_to=applications%40afnog.org>>. Then fill it in off-line, and email it to <workshop-apply(a)afnog.org <http://mail.openworld.co.ke/src/compose.php?send_to=workshop-apply%40afnog.…>>. The "Subject" line of the message should contain your surname or family name in the following format: Subject: AfNOG Workshop Application: <your-family-name> When to Apply Application forms must be submitted no later than 30 November 2006. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance to the program and the amount of financial aid available (if any) on or about 8th January 2007. Information to be included on your application Please ensure that all of the contact information you submit is and accurate, or we will not be able to contact you. Please give detailed answers to the questions about your work and your experience. If your are applying for financial assistance from AfNOG, please do not forget to answer the questions about other funding sources available to you. A. Personal data FAMILY NAME (LAST NAME, SURNAME) ONLY: Full Name: Employer/Organization: Position/Title: Business Address: Business Telephone: Alternate Telephone: E-mail address: Fax: Date of birth: Nationality: Name as it appears on passport or other travel document: Passport number: Country issuing passport: Date passport was issued: Date of passport expiration: Knowledge of English: Please rate your knowledge in these categories: Listening/comprehension: minimal / fair / good / excellent Reading: minimal / fair / good / excellent Speaking: minimal / fair / good / excellent Writing: minimal / fair / good / excellent Please indicate with an asterisk (*) the most reliable addresses and telephone/fax numbers above which can be used to reach you. B. Course of Instruction Instructional track applied for (Please select only one track; the tracks will run concurrently): [ ] Track E0 - UNIX SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION [ ] Track E1 - SCALABLE INTERNET SERVICES [ ] Track E2 - SCALABLE NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE [ ] Track F2 - INFRASTRUCTURE RESEAUX (French Track - equivanent to E2) Please indicate your specific interests within the area you have chosen: C. Technical Skills 1. Are you a UNIX user? How much have you used it? 2. Have you been a UNIX system administrator? Describe your experience (length of time, versions, etc.). 3 Have you used/administered TCP/IP networks? Describe. 4. Have you set up and/or administered any of the following? Please give details. - bind or any other nameservers - sendmail/smail/exim/postfix - majordomo/mailman or other list manager - apache/IIS web systems 5. Have you configured or otherwise managed any of the following? Details, please. - routers - switches - network monitoring - noc D. Description of Role in National Networking Activities Bearing in mind that this information will be used to determine whether to admit you to the workshop, please provide in the format of your choice the following information about yourself. Please be sure that it is sufficiently clear, well organized and adequate for this purpose. 1. A description of your current employer, your position, your duties and responsibilities, and how they relate to current and future data networking activities in your country. 2. A brief description of your computing and networking environment (operating systems, networking software, modems, etc.), including the connectivity of your organization to the Internet and your country's connectivity to the international Internet. 3a. Scope of your institution (check all categories that apply): [ ] Commercial Network Provider [ ] Academic Network Provider [ ] NGO Network Provider [ ] Other (Specify)______________ 3b. Approximate number of full time staff at your institution:________ 4. How your training and current work prepare and qualify you for the track you wish to attend. 5. How you expect to use the knowledge you gain at the workshop after you return to your country. 6. If you have previously attended AfNOG/INET Workshops for Developing Countries, a. Year and track you attended: b. A precise description of how you have used the training you have received in the past: c. The significant advances in networking which have occurred in your country specifically because of your knowledge and effort: E. Financial Information ------------------------- Your application must contain the following complete information if you wish to be considered for financial support to attend the workshop. The Workshop fee is US$1,600. This includes accommodation and meals. Applicants are usually expected to provide their own funding (from whatever sources). However AfNOG or its sponsors may make a limited financial assistance available to deserving candidates. Even if you request financial assistance you might not receive any, and your acceptance into the Workshop will be conditional on your ability to provide all or most of the funding yourself. Although you may be well qualified and in great need of financial assistance, the maximum funds AfNOG or its sponsors may provide is US$1,000 in financial assistance for BOTH WORKSHOP FEES AND AIRFARE. Payment for the workshop may be made by funds transfer, bank / certified cheque or in cash. Further details will be provided in the admission letter to successful candidates. NOTE : YOUR ACCEPTANCE INTO THE WORKSHOP MAY BEPEND ON YOUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE SOME OR ALL THE WORKSHOP FEES. 1. Are you are requesting financial aid from the AfNOG Workshop for attending the workshop and meetings? [ ] Yes [ ] No 2. If you are requesting financial aid to cover the workshop fee, please provide a complete list of funding sources in the following form. The list should contain all sources of funds that are available to you for payment of the workshop fee. The amounts should total U.S.$1,600. 1. Your Institution -- U.S.$ __________ 2. Your Government -- U.S.$ __________ 3. From international organizations -- U.S.$ __________ 4. Your personal contribution -- U.S.$ __________ 5. Amount you ask from AfNOG -- U.S.$ __________ (less than $1,000) _________________________________ TOTAL Income = U.S.$1,600.00 (PLEASE SELECT ONLY ONE - WORKSHOP FEES OR AIRFARE) 3. Will you need financial assistance for airfare? If so, how much will you or your institution be contributing? [ ] No, assistance for airfare not needed. [ ] Yes, assistance needed. (less than $1,000) Amount of your contribution: U.S.$_________ 4. If you are requesting financial support for airfare, please provide a good estimate of round trip, lowest economy excursion airfare between your place of residence and Abuja, Nigeria, in April 2007. 1. Airfare: 2. Airline: 3. Type of fare: 4. City of departure: 5. Source of your estimate: Signature (your name as you would sign it): __________________________ Date:___________________ -- DRAFT - Issued by the AfNOG 2007 Programme Committee 17 August 2006

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