Kagai,

Like all the rest we are misplacing the importance of the marine cable and it is unfortunate that Dr. Ndemo is also unable to provide us with the logical reason for why we need to land this fiber cable.

Your issue of digital TV has nothing to do with whether we have the marine cable or not as our transmission is local and thus what we need is a fiber network within the country. I have been listening to that story of digital TV being echoed by many a so called IT gurus. All that the fiber will do is create so much competition for our local stations before they have enough time to adopt or recoup their investments which will result in massive layoffs. If we can negotiate for the delay in opening our markets to sugar maybe we need the same team to look at the pros and cons of the fiber cable landing.

Note that the signal sent out by MNet and other satellite channels is digital yet I can watch it on my Greatwall TV which is as analogue as you can get, even come 2010 all that will happen is that set top boxes will be so cheap that there will be no need to replace our TV's. Alternatively look behind your DVD player and tell me how many analogue and digital inputs you have?

Just for information purposes do you know that Telkom Kenya has fiber optic cable laid to most high rise building in the city but only 2 or so locations have actually had the fiber terminated onto equipment? I ask anyone to challenge me on this point this includes Eng. Waweru and Mr. Kirui all of who have been party to this wasteful actions.

We are being totally wasteful with our resources what makes us think that the landing of the fiber optic cable will change our habits.

Kagai, I ask again why do we need to land the fiber optic cable and how will it change your life, leave alone mine?

Have an analogue weekend

Robert Yawe
KAY System Technologies Ltd
Phoenix House, 6th Floor
P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
KEnya

Tel: +254722511225

----- Original Message ----
From: Bill Kagai <billkagai@gmail.com>
To: robert yawe <robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk>
Cc: info@mediacorp.co.ke; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: Thursday, 29 November, 2007 10:19:51 PM
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Faith in local web hosting

On Nov 28, 2007 8:24 AM, robert yawe <robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> End user ---> Telkom ---> ISP ---> KDN --> ISP --> Telkom --> end user
>
> Do the math

Yawe, you probably need to look at this cable beyond internet. The
kind of technology we use today for broadcasting TV is being phased
out in Europe by August 2008. TV is now being broadcast on cable or
ADSL specifically for beyond quality purposes. You need to ensure that
commercial components reach the right people. For instance, that is
why CNBC opted to pull out its channel from DSTV bouquet to local
stations like KBC with a wider reach. 'Measurement of reach' is
capable through adsl/cable connected to the international fibre
network. ADSL via optic fibre reinforces the copper that we are not
about to do away with anyway in the near future. Copper is not
obsolete yet.

Optic fibre allows u freeview channels where internet becomes
secondary to primary data and voice transmission...and most of
all...things we have learned to leave with..such as attenuation
distortion...become an old way of life for us in the Africa north of
the limpopo but south of of the sahara. Another way of looking at
it...when they tell you that computers are down in a bank..most of the
times they mean the link to the server is unsteady since they need to
ensure that you don't withdraw twice or thrice on the same
transaction..satellite does not give you redundancy [read back-up]
channels as cable would. With cable, you are able to re-wind live tv
instead of having a local disk imersed in your decorder...thanks to
the cable.

In essence, if u look at the submarine cable minus the copper
telephone system and electricity grid then u will not see much. If u
look at it in terms of how it adds value to the existing
infrastructure, then you will see...how significant albeit
small....the hole the international link plus the terrestrial cable
needs to fill to sort out our big problems.

Bill...