- KICTANet - KICTANet

Job Opportunity: Senior Communications Officer
by Catherine Adeya 29 Aug '08

29 Aug '08

Please see attached. Nyaki

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Fwd: ICT Board Strategy a Farce
by Brian Longwe 29 Aug '08

29 Aug '08

FYI Listers ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Brian Longwe <blongwe(a)gmail.com> Date: Aug 29, 2008 9:31 AM Subject: Re: [kictanet] ICT Board Strategy a Farce To: wambuiwakarema(a)yahoo.co.uk Very strong language - but I think you should relax as your concerns are unfounded. I am at the Strategic retreat. Unfortunately Gilda Odera - Chairperson of BPO, who was supposed to be present had to cancel at the last minute. Brian On 8/29/08, Wambui Wakarema <wambuiwakarema(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > > > I have read with surprise the Kictanet mailout from the ICT Board claiming they are going for a stakeholders strategy workshop in Naivasha. > > Who are these stakeholders? Are there any representing the BPO sector?? I ask this because I have contacted the industry association and they dont seem > > to be in the know either. This is quite bizarre, especially since BPO is a key sector of the ICT Board's mandate. > > Who are the stakeholders from the other ICT sectors? Shouldnt the Board be getting input from key stakeholders at this workshop. > > They are wasting government resources going to write strategies and then 'presenting' to stakeholders, yet stakeholders should have been involved from the word go. > > The > current management of the ICT Board performance is well under par. Recently I called up their > > offices wanting to engage with the management on a number of issues. Alas! I was informed that they were all on leave at the same time! > > The ICT Board cant seem to function properly due to sheer incompetence. > > Dr Ndemo I want a response from you since the buck stops with you! > > Wakarema > > > Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: blongwe(a)gmail.com > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/blongwe%40gmail.com > > -- Brian Munyao Longwe e-mail: blongwe(a)gmail.com cell: + 254 722 518 744 blog : http://zinjlog.blogspot.com meta-blog: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com -- Brian Munyao Longwe e-mail: blongwe(a)gmail.com cell: + 254 722 518 744 blog : http://zinjlog.blogspot.com meta-blog: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com

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Re: [kictanet] Global Innovation Forum
by waudo siganga 29 Aug '08

29 Aug '08

This event, to be held in Armenia, could be of interest to some, particularly the youth. Apologies for any possible crossposting. Waudo On Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:26:51 +0400, "UN GAID - Athgo" <yerevan08(a)athgo.or g> said: [cid:[email protected]] GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR ICT AND DEVELOPMENT SECRETARIAT And THE COMMITTEE OF E-LEADERS FOR YOUTH AND ICT FOR DEVELOPMENT Room DC1-1464, One United Nations Plaza, New York, N.Y., 10017 Telephone: (1-212) 963-5796 Fax: (1-917) 367-4340 e-mail: [1]gaid(a)un-gaid.org Website: [2]www.un-gaid.org 15 August 2008 Dear Mr. Waudo Siganga, In September of 2007, the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID) hosted its first Youth Forum for ICT & Development in Geneva, Switzerland. Over 600 youth from 30 different countries convened to engage in a worldwide consultation on the use of ICTs to achieve the MDGs. One specific outcome of the forum was establishing a Global Youth Coalition for the UN ICT activities. To this end, in April of 2008, the UNDESA-GAID appointed 12 young persons from around the globe to a Committee of e-Leaders for ICT & Youth, who aim to further build a worldwide network of youth that support the United Nations mission of harnessing technology for development. On behalf of the UNDESA-GAID and the Committee of e-Leaders for ICT & Youth, we ask you to join us in our mission and request your support and for its first main event: the Global Innovation Forum for Education and Development, from 21 to 24 October 2008, in Yerevan, Armenia. We invite you to tap into your extensive youth networks and bring participants to this ground breaking event. The Global Innovation Forum for Education and Development is being jointly organized by GAID, the Committee of e-Leaders, and Athgo International. The forum will bring together young ICT4D practitioners and experts from government, civil society and the private sector to showcase their successful ICT practices in the areas of local content, access and connectivity. A critical theme of the conference will be education for innovation in development with young people themselves displaying educational policy prescriptions as the key example of enhancing innovation for development. The four-day interactive conference will allow ample opportunity for young people to develop substantive policy proposals in collaboration with policy makers and business executives. Each participant will have the opportunity to engage policy makers, experts and his/her peers to draft innovative solutions to ICT development and implementation challenges. On the final day, the young participants will showcase their plans in innovation panels. The proposals will be evaluated by leaders in government, the private sector, and civil society, and will be showcased at the conference closing ceremonies. Mr. Waudo Siganga Chairman The Computer Society of Kenya P.O. Box 70180, 00400 TOM Mboya Street Nairobi, Kenya - 2 - The Secretary-General of the United Nations, in his message to the GAID Strategy Council meeting held in Silicon Valley in February 2007, stressed that: "It is important that you work as a true partnership of all essential stakeholders - governments, civil society, the private sector, academia and others. All of you are needed if we are to succeed." Indeed, this is an outstanding opportunity for your organization to demonstrate its interest in ICT for Education and Development work, and showcase success stories that have empowered youth via ICTs. The event will also offer many opportunities for your organization to develop closer cooperation with the global ICT community at large. We warmly welcome your engagement in the upcoming Global Innovation Forum for Education and Development as an active partner. We invite you to reach out to your networks and recruit youth from around the world to attend the Forum. Young people (ages 18-35) are the critical audience of this cutting edge program and we look forward to fostering dialogue and innovation among youth. Participants can register at http://www.un-gaid.org/civicrm/event/register?id=4&reset=1. We also invite you and representatives from your organization to present at one of the many panels and workshops of the conference. At these interactive sessions, presenters will engage the participants to analyze the state of ICT for development in the real developing world and inspire them to innovate solutions to pressing challenges. A brief project document on the Forums objectives, participants, tentative programme structure, expected outcomes, budget estimates and sponsorship opportunities is attached for ease of reference. Please do not hesitate to contact Enrica Murmura of the GAID secretariat at murmura(a)un.org should you need additional information or have questions. On behalf of the youth around the world engaged in ICTs, we thank you for your time and consideration. We hope that you will be an active partner/participant in this first major UN Committee of e-Leaders for ICT & Youth event. Yours sincerely, [cid:[email protected]] [cid:[email protected]] Sarbuland Khan Executive Coordinator GAID Armen Orujyan Member GAID Committee of e-Leaders for Youth and ICT References 1. mailto:[email protected] 2. http://www.un-gaid.org/ People make a plan work, a plan alone seldom makes people work (Confucius).

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KENYA ICT BOARD NEWSLETTER - AUGUST 2008
by Lucy Odhiambo 28 Aug '08

28 Aug '08

Dear All, Herewith is our monthly newsletter for your perusal . This week: Strategy review workshop: The Kenya ICT board will be hosting a stakeholders workshop to review the boards strategic plan in Naivasha on the 29th and 30th of August 2008. The team will leave CCK offices at 3pm on 28th August and will return on 31st August at 10am. This will be followed by an open public forum on September 18th for stakeholders to review and take ownership of the strategic plan. We invite you to join us for the Public forum and we will post an invitation to the Kictanet list closer to the date. If you have any questions or comments about the open forum or the newsletter please feel free to email or call me. Warm regards, Lucy Gachui-Odhiambo Communications Manager Kenya ICT Board CCK Centre, Waiyaki Way PO Box 27150 - 00100 Nairobi, Kenya Cell 0737- 839047 Tel: 254-020-2093040 www.ict.go.ke ICT-logo-02.jpg

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Job Vacancy: Senior Communications Officer
by Catherine Adeya 28 Aug '08

28 Aug '08

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9th Strathmore University ICT Conference
by John Matogo 28 Aug '08

28 Aug '08

Dear Colleagues Strathmore University is once again hosting the annual ICT conference, this year the conference is on 5th and 6th of September. On behalf of the organizing committee I invite you to attend the conference. This year's conference theme is "ICTs role towards a knowledge economy". More information is available on the university's website at this url: http://www.www.strathmore.edu/ictconference/2008/index.html I look forward to your participation at the conference. Regards, John Matogo Strathmore University Strathmore University provides all-round education in an atmosphere of freedom and responsibility. This email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for use by the recipient(s) to whom it is addressed and may contain confidential information. If you have received this email in error please notify the sender immediately and permanently delete this email and/or any files attached to it from your computer. Please note that any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Strathmore University. The University accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss or damages incurred, or suffered, resulting, or arising, from the use of this email and/or its attachments. The University warrants neither the integrity of the e-mail nor its freedom from errors, viruses, interception or any other form of interference.

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Kenyan techies launch Skunk Awards
by Rebecca Wanjiku 28 Aug '08

28 Aug '08

http://computerworld.co.ke/articles/2008/08/27/kenyan-techies-launch-skunk-… Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/

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CNN to Feature SIDAREC (Kenya) and Architecture for Humanity (Saturday August 30th)
by Janet Feldman 28 Aug '08

28 Aug '08

Dear Friends, On Saturday, August 30th, at 7:30pm on CNN, Architecture for Humanity's latest project, a full-fledged media center serving youth in slum areas of Nairobi, Kenya, will be featured. For more see these websites: http://www.architectureforhumanity.org and http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/node/1677 And read more below about the Open Architecture Contest, including the overall winner: SIDAREC (Slums Information, Development, and Resource Centers), at http://www.sidarec.org. SIDAREC is an amazing nonprofit started by young people, and it is young people who still manage the organization and are served by it. The media center will help to transform many individual lives, the communities in which SIDAREC operates, and also a city whose slums are among the worst in the world. Please tune in Saturday and hear more about the outstanding work being done by these organizations. Thanks and all best wishes, Janet (Feldman, KAIPPG International and ActALIVE, kaippg(a)earthlink.net) CNN's Charles Hodson presents the second Principal Voices program: "Principal Voices: Design for Good" at the times below: http://edition.cnn.com/CNNI/Programs/principal.voices/design/ Saturday, August 30 (SIDAREC featured today) 0730 ET 1330 ET Sunday, August 31 0330 ET 0930 ET 1430 ET Monday, September 1 0930 ET 1330 ET PRESS RELEASE SIDAREC SCOOPS THE 2007 AMD Open Architecture Challenge: An ultra-modern technology media lab and radio station to be constructed in Mukuru Slums Organizational summary: SIDAREC is an acronym that stands for Slums Information Development and Resource Centres. This is a community based organization operating in the slum areas of Mukuru and Majengo in Nairobi, Kenya. SIDAREC was formed in 1996 as a youth group but later developed and changed status to an NGO in 1997. It is instructive to note that SIDAREC was founded by a group of youth who have managed it to date. The primary target group for SIDAREC is children, youth, and women living in these slums. SIDAREC pillars (programmes) include: Youth Reproductive Health and Development, Early Childhood Development, Community Media and ICT, and Livelihood. Vision: Empowered slum community with easy access to information and opportunities that enable them to lead a decent life on a sustainable basis. Mission: To build the capacity of slum communities through provision of quality services in the areas of Information, Communication, and Technology, as well as advocacy and socio-economic initiatives. Global Challenge: SIDAREC submitted its bid to the global challenge organized by Architecture For Humanity in 2006. There were about 556 entries received from all over the world. The screening and selection process was very competitive and time-consuming. On Tuesday June 3, 2008, Architecture for Humanity and AMD (NYSE: AMD) announced SIDAREC as the winner of the 2007 AMD Open Architecture Challenge during the World Economic Forum in Cape Town, South Africa. AMD sponsored the 2007 challenge through 50x15, a global initiative founded by AMD with the goal of enabling affordable Internet access and computing capability for 50 percent of the world's population by the year 2015. The winners, including one overall competition winner and two regional site winners, were determined by an international review board of jurors comprised of architects, technologists, and community members. SIDAREC was not only the Africa challenge winner but also scooped the overall competition prize among three entries from Nepal (construction of a health facility) and Ecuador (establishment of an indigenous chocolate factory). The site winner for SIDAREC is the Global Studio of Seattle, WA, USA, which will construct a technology media lab. This Community Media lab will include but is not limited to an internet centre, computer training lab, day care, amphitheatre, elevated wide screen, and radio station. With the construction of this media lab, the youth feel like managers (who are also the pioneers), and they believe that it will become "the next Silicon Valley," in the slum area of Mukuru. Benefit of Award to SIDAREC: -Build institutional capacity in terms of technology. -Generate revenue from the hire of amphitheatre, hall, computer training which will be ploughed back to social development activities. -Establish offices within the facility as opposed to renting elsewhere and thus saving on this cost. Benefits to be accrued by the community members: -Narrowing of the digital divide. -Increased affordability and accessibility of technology in the slum areas. -Improvements in the surrounding environment by building a facility complete with a greening concept. -Increased markets to local entrepreneurs through e-marketing and advertising. About the Sponsors: AMD Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NYSE: AMD) is a leading global provider of innovative processing solutions in the computing, graphics and consumer electronics markets. AMD is dedicated to driving open innovation, choice and industry growth by delivering superior customer-centric solutions that empower consumers and businesses worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com The 50x15 Initiative, launched by AMD in 2004 at the World Economic Forum, is a bold and far-reaching effort to develop new technology and solutions to help enable affordable Internet access and computing capability for 50 percent of the world's population by the year 2015. More than just goodwill, 50x15 is about fostering long-term economic progress and investment within high-growth markets in ways that benefit a wide range of people and businesses. For more information, visit http://www.50x15.com Architecture for Humanity: Architecture for Humanity is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that seeks architectural solutions to humanitarian crises and provides professional design services to communities in need. For more information, please visit http://www.architectureforhumanity.org Open Architecture Challenge: Each year, Architecture for Humanity hosts a global design challenge on the Open Architecture Network to harness the creativity and energy of the design community to address a different systemic issue facing those living in underserved communities. By reaching beyond the traditional bounds of architecture, the open design competition challenges architects, designers and others to solve inequities in the built environment affecting the health, prosperity and well-being of under-served communities. Contacts: Lucy Mathai, Executive Director Slums Information Development & Resource Centres (SIDAREC) P.O. Box 9687 00300 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 020 246961 / 247356 Email: info(a)sidarec.or.ke, lucy(a)sidarec.or.ke Laura Galloway Galloway Media Group Tel: (212) 260-3708 Email: laura(a)gallowaymediagroup.com Travis Bullard AMD Public Relations Executive Tel: (512) 602-5667 Email: travis.bullard(a)amd.com

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Re: [kictanet] Day 3 of 10:-IGF Discussions, Internet Interconnection Charges
by Brian Munyao Longwe 27 Aug '08

27 Aug '08

Yes, and the entire phenomenon that occurs between ISPs in order to allow them to announce networks to each other is what is known as peering http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peering which is the correct technical term. An excerpt from the above: " Peering requires physical interconnection of the networks, an exchange of routing information through the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) routing protocol and is often accompanied by peering agreements of varying formality, from "handshake" to thick contracts." This is what happens at KIXP which I established in 2000 and at various IXPs that I have been training ISPs on and helping various countries around Africa build for the past 8 years. Best regards, Brian - Hide quoted text - On 8/27/08, Gakuru, Alex <alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com> wrote: As promised earlier, .... Here's how it works. When a user types a website name into his browser or clicks "send" to launch an e-mail, a Domain Name System server produces an IP address for the destination. A router belonging to the user's ISP then consults a BGP table for the best route. That table is built from announcements, or "advertisements," issued by ISPs and other networks -- also known as Autonomous Systems, or ASes -- declaring the range of IP addresses, or IP prefixes, to which they'll deliver traffic. .... <http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/08/revealed-the-in.html> regards, On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 3:48 PM, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > Clearly Brian I am was not referring to peering but something within. > I shall locate and extract the lines from my 6deploy notes and post. > > regards, > > > > --- On Thu, 8/14/08, Brian Longwe <blongwe(a)gmail.com> wrote: > >> From: Brian Longwe <blongwe(a)gmail.com> >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 3 of 10:-IGF Discussions, Internet Interconnection Charges >> To: alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com >> Cc: kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> Date: Thursday, August 14, 2008, 12:52 AM >> Alex, >> >> The term is not "announcing" it is known as >> "peering" >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peering which is defined as >> " >> is voluntary interconnection of administratively separate >> Internet<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet> >> networks <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_network> >> for the purpose of >> exchanging traffic between the customers of each network. >> The pure >> definition of peering is settlement-free or "sender >> keeps all," meaning that >> neither party pays the other for the exchanged traffic, >> instead, each >> derives revenue from its own customers. >> " >> >> Underlying the ability to peer is the ability to access >> affordable >> infrastructure, otherwise most operators settle for transit >> arrangements >> where the inherent costs of the underlying transport is too >> high. >> >> Regards, >> >> Brian >> >> On Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 9:47 PM, Gakuru, Alex >> <alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com>wrote: >> >> > Alongside we should also consider the IXP concept >> where ISPs mutually >> > accept one another traffic without international >> transit (the concept >> > is called "announcing"). Simply put, such >> traffic never incurs >> > international transit costs. Question: Should this >> "part" of internet >> > cost consumers the same as costly international >> satellite? This >> > becomes more apparent when a lot of popular sites get >> locally hosted, >> > and for example where local content woes and comprises >> most traffic. >> > >> > Besides that, East (and all of) Africa should embrace >> solutions that >> > "keep Africa traffic in Africa" such as >> RASCOM 1 - the satellite now >> > in space that was designed by Kenya's own Engineer >> James Rege;) >> > potentially saving Africa a sizable chunk of the US$ >> 800 million >> > annual spending on transit traffic. Also more local >> and regional IXPs >> > would assist (and less NATs please) >> > >> > Network neutrality is a very hot one I dare not touch >> much except >> > affirm that whatever obstructs "the end-to-end >> > principle"< >> > >> http://web.mit.edu/Saltzer/www/publications/endtoend/ endtoend.txt> >> > should be removed from the network. They include >> privacy invading >> > techniques known as Deep Packet Inspection (or >> > >> DPI).<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_packet_inspection> >> Trust me to >> > sneak in consumer issues;) But it is an important >> aspect when >> > determining through whom your traffic passes. >> > >> > Regards, >> > >> > Alex >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > On Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 5:04 PM, mwende njiraini >> > <mwende.njiraini(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> > > In traditional telephony call termination >> revenues are shared between >> > > operators and are based on negotiated >> interconnection rates, in a >> > regulated >> > > environment, rather than the size and number of >> subscribers on the >> > network. >> > > (I stand to be corrected) Developing countries >> for a long time have >> > > benefited from revenues generated from this >> international settlement >> > > scheme. However, these revenues are rapidly >> being eroded by VoIP, which >> > is >> > > encouraged by 'loosely regulated' flat >> rate pricing of internet >> > bandwidth. >> > > The issue internet interconnection is based on >> the fact that >> > international >> > > ISPs have no incentive to enter shared-cost >> peering with ISPs developing >> > > countries thus forcing them to incur the full >> cost of transmitting >> > > international traffic. What incentives need to >> be put in place to >> > encourage >> > > shared-cost peering? Content development? >> > > >> > > >> > > There is raging debate on "network >> neutrality"; with network operators >> > > seeking to price network access on the basis of >> utilization in a bid to >> > > manage network congestion. In the US, for >> example the recent Comcast >> > case >> > > has resulted in the regulator, FCC, ruling that >> Comcast 'discriminatory' >> > > network management practices were illegal. To >> overcome the challenge of >> > > network congestion several proposals have been >> made including the >> > > introduction of bandwidth metered services. Vint >> Cerf, Google's chief >> > > internet evangelist, has proposed that ISPs >> should "introduce >> > transmission >> > > caps allowing users to purchase access to the >> Internet at a given minimum >> > > data rate, which would be guaranteed even during >> times of congestion." >> > Net >> > > neutrality is definitely an issue we may need to >> consider with reference >> > to >> > > the current developments in national and >> international fibre optic >> > > projects. >> > > >> > > References: >> > > >> > > http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10007079-93.html >> > > >> > > Regards >> > > >> > > Mwende >> > > >> > > Disclaimer: Comments are author's own. >> > > >> > > On 8/13/08, John Walubengo >> <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >> > >> >> > >> Plse feel free to belatedly contribute on Day >> 1 or 2 themes, jst >> > remember >> > >> to pick the correct subject line. Meanwhile >> today we should discuss one >> > of >> > >> IG issues that touch squarely on the retail >> cost of Internet Service in >> > >> developing countries- the Internet >> Interconnection Charges (IIC, in >> > short) >> > >> >> > >> This issue is fairly complex and explosive >> but we could try and >> > understand >> > >> if we used a simplified model for Mobile >> Phone Interconnection Charges >> > and >> > >> Relationships. Consider mobile phone >> company, X with 8million customers >> > and >> > >> mobile phone company, Y with 2 million >> customers. Each company is >> > supposed >> > >> to compensate (pay) the other for terminating >> calls originating from the >> > >> other. In such a relationship, the bigger >> company X, can chose to >> > dictate >> > >> how much the smaller company, Y pays it to >> terminate the 'Y' calls to >> > its >> > >> bigger 'X' network/customers. >> > >> >> > >> This is losely similar to what is called >> Transit relationship on the >> > >> Internet. The big internet networks (Tier 1 >> and 2 Internet Backbone >> > >> Providers) in US/Europe get to dictate how >> much the smaller networks in >> > >> developing countries need to pay in order to >> terminate their internet >> > >> requests for email, web, dns, voip and other >> services into their >> > Network. >> > >> Even our much celebrated TEAMS, EASsy and >> other projects cannot escape >> > these >> > >> Transit Interconnection Costs. Ofcourse if >> you do not like their >> > >> Interconnection Charges you are free to take >> a walk into nowhere (read: >> > stay >> > >> offline). >> > >> >> > >> Another relationship does exist, the >> Peer-to-Peer relationship which is >> > >> equivalent to Mobile phone company Y and >> company X both having equal or >> > >> similar number of customers/value e.g. >> 5million each. In such a >> > >> relationship, the two Internet >> Backbone/Service providers chose NOT to >> > >> charge each other anything. Traffic between >> the two is exchanged >> > >> reciprically for free but below each of this >> big Networks are the >> > smaller >> > >> networks (read African networks), that must >> pay Transit Charges. Put >> > >> bluntly, Africa and other developing >> countries are subsidizing Internet >> > >> Costs for the rich nations in the North. >> > >> >> > >> Many studies have been carried out to get us >> out of this fix such as the >> > >> Halfway-propositions, the ICAIS, etc but >> todate the status quo remains. >> > The >> > >> standard response has remained 'If it >> current interconnection models are >> > >> working, why should you try and fix >> them?' >> > >> >> > >> 1 day for comments, corrections and/or >> proposals on this theme. >> > >> >> > >> walu. >> > >> >> > >> Ref: for some of the Studies: >> > >> International Charging Arrangements for >> Internet Services, Module I, >> > >> ICAIS, p.3 >> > >> >> http://www.tmdenton.com/pub/reports/icais_mod1_ch1.pdf >> > >> >> > >> The Half-Way Proposition. >> > >> >> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/back/balancing- act_130.html >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >>

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Day 3 of 10:-IGF Discussions, Internet Interconnection Charges
by John Walubengo 27 Aug '08

27 Aug '08

Plse feel free to belatedly contribute on Day 1 or 2 themes, jst remember to pick the correct subject line. Meanwhile today we should discuss one of IG issues that touch squarely on the retail cost of Internet Service in developing countries- the Internet Interconnection Charges (IIC, in short) This issue is fairly complex and explosive but we could try and understand if we used a simplified model for Mobile Phone Interconnection Charges and Relationships. Consider mobile phone company, X with 8million customers and mobile phone company, Y with 2 million customers. Each company is supposed to compensate (pay) the other for terminating calls originating from the other. In such a relationship, the bigger company X, can chose to dictate how much the smaller company, Y pays it to terminate the 'Y' calls to its bigger 'X' network/customers. This is losely similar to what is called Transit relationship on the Internet. The big internet networks (Tier 1 and 2 Internet Backbone Providers) in US/Europe get to dictate how much the smaller networks in developing countries need to pay in order to terminate their internet requests for email, web, dns, voip and other services into their Network. Even our much celebrated TEAMS, EASsy and other projects cannot escape these Transit Interconnection Costs. Ofcourse if you do not like their Interconnection Charges you are free to take a walk into nowhere (read: stay offline). Another relationship does exist, the Peer-to-Peer relationship which is equivalent to Mobile phone company Y and company X both having equal or similar number of customers/value e.g. 5million each. In such a relationship, the two Internet Backbone/Service providers chose NOT to charge each other anything. Traffic between the two is exchanged reciprically for free but below each of this big Networks are the smaller networks (read African networks), that must pay Transit Charges. Put bluntly, Africa and other developing countries are subsidizing Internet Costs for the rich nations in the North. Many studies have been carried out to get us out of this fix such as the Halfway-propositions, the ICAIS, etc but todate the status quo remains. The standard response has remained 'If it current interconnection models are working, why should you try and fix them?' 1 day for comments, corrections and/or proposals on this theme. walu. Ref: for some of the Studies: International Charging Arrangements for Internet Services, Module I, ICAIS, p.3 http://www.tmdenton.com/pub/reports/icais_mod1_ch1.pdf The Half-Way Proposition. http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/back/balancing-act_130.html

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