On 9/27/10, robert yawe <
robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>
http://www.greenstar.org/butterflies/Hole-in-the-Wall.htm
> Robert Yawe
> KAY System Technologies Ltd
> Phoenix House, 6th Floor
> P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
> Kenya
>
>
> Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Mark Mwangi <
mwangy@gmail.com>
> To:
robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <
kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> Sent: Mon, 27 September, 2010 10:14:15
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] ISPs slap Ndemo
>
> Arguing that the low income earners will have little to do on the interwebs
> is
> abit short sighted if you ask me. Same arguments were supplied when the
> mobile
> phone was introduced. As Andrea said, it is abit patronising imagining that
> a
> guy in mukuru slum would have little use for email and Facebook. How
> different
> is he from us? It is not content that spurs access but access that spurs
> content. If all the guys in the slums had access to a good connection they
> would
> create content THEMSELVES not be fed patronising content veiled as aid by
> some
> guy seated in a plush office waxing lyrical to foreign donors.
>
>
> On Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 2:20 AM, Muchiri Nyaggah <
muchiri@semacraft.com>
> wrote:
>
> Hi Andrea. You may be right, their interests may not be drastically
> different
> from those a bit more flush with cash or unbothered by the lack of it. It
> may be
> Chivas for one but Chang'aa for another. At the end of the day it's alcohol
> for
> both of them. However, to be meaningful to the lower income individual, the
> alcohol would have to be delivered differently. Content that seeks to
> empower me
> will mostly be delivered in the format that works for the devices I am
> accustomed to. For my friend who is bootstrapping to start a car repair
> shop,
> his cellphone is everything to him. To empower him, content on the subject
> needs to be delivered in a format that works for HIS device.
>>
>>
>>If FM radio has the kind of content that results in high levels of audience
>>
>>engagement, how can it be ported onto the Internet? If sales of FM radio
>> phones
>>have gone up because of the conversations happening on that space, won't
>> sales
>>of data enabled phones go up because meaningful conversations are happening
>>
>>online? More people taking up bandwidth may result in better economies of
>> scale
>>for network operators and lower costs for consumers (in my own little
>> utopia at
>>least) due to better headroom for competition. Better pricing would keep
>> the
>>government from entertaining populist ideas like price controls for
>> bandwidth
>>because supply and demand would have been modified to the customer's
>> benefit.
>>
>>
>>Little content, few subscribers, high prices. Let's make the Internet a
>> place
>>where [many] people want to go.
>>
>>
>>
>>Kind regards,
>>
>>Muchiri Nyaggah
>>Director
>>@muchiri
>>+254 722 506400
>>Semacraft.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>On Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 12:56 AM, Andrea Bohnstedt
>><
andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com> wrote:
>>
>>Hey all,
>>>
>>>I really dislike the term 'bottom of the pyramid' or 'bottom billion' - I
>>> find
>>>those expression quite patronising. How about low-income clients or
>>> something
>>>along those lines?
>>>
>>>
>>>But that's by the by. I actually doubt that the so-called 'bottom billion'
>>> has
>>>so drastically different interests than the more middle class subscribers.
>>> I
>>>suspect that email/staying in touch, online dating, music and adult
>>> content are
>>>just as popular. Being poor doesn't automatically make you a more virtuous
>>>
>>>person. Look at people who buy changaa: barely any disposable income. And
>>> yet
>>>they'd still spend it on alcohol.
>>>
>>>
>>>This is the big irony: with internet connectivity, we have a load of
>>> information
>>>at our fingertips. But few people actually bother looking it up. I see the
>>>
>>>wildest speculation and conspiracy theories on Facebook that would take to
>>> a
>>>couple of seconds to clear up with a google search - but people don't do
>>> it. I
>>>suspect you must have learned how to ask questions, ask the right
>>> questions,
>>>search for information, figure out how to evaluate information etc. (and
>>> yes,
>>>I'm generalising here).
>>>
>>>
>>>Another thought: People already create content for the low-income segment
>>> - it's
>>>just delivered through FM stations rather than the internet.
>>>
>>>
>>>Have a good week,
>>>Andrea
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>On 26 September 2010 01:22, Muchiri Nyaggah <
muchiri@semacraft.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>The Internet is a highway (a super one even) that takes us where we want
>>> to go.
>>>I believe there's a lot of local content online, its just not very
>>> meaningful
>>>for the vast majority living at the bottom of the pyramid. People who are
>>> busy
>>>trying to put food on the table won't get on the highway to go to a place
>>> called
>>>'Hot or Not.' It's just not meaningful. I agree with Brian, for-profit
>>>enterprises have no reason to drop prices unless it becomes necessary for
>>> their
>>>survival. It will become necessary when the current realities of doing
>>> business
>>>are modified by say, a drop in demand for the high-cost Internet they are
>>>supplying.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>As long we continue focusing on content such as blog posts, YouTube
>>>> videos and
>>>>entertainment applications, only those with disposable income or time
>>>> will be
>>>>consuming it. The real fortune for ISPs (like CK Prahalad said) lies at
>>>> the
>>>>bottom of the pyramid but until we generate content and applications that
>>>> make
>>>>meaning for the masses, we may have to live with a slow drop in prices
>>>> much
>>>>longer than we prefer to.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Don't expect ISPs to create the content either. They are in the
>>>> 'transport'
>>>>business. They are lousy at creating content.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Kind regards,
>>>>
>>>>Muchiri Nyaggah
>>>>Director
>>>>@muchiri
>>>>+254 722 506400
>>>>Semacraft.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>On Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 2:36 PM, robert yawe <
robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>Hi,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Your current ISP charges you $500 for a 1MB link from your location to
>>>>> his edge
>>>>>router, after that it is called best effort especially since most ISPs
>>>>> do not
>>>>>have bandwidth managers.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>I will take this seriously and do not back down when I come to you to
> signup.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Regards
>>>>> Robert Yawe
>>>>>KAY System Technologies Ltd
>>>>>Phoenix House, 6th Floor
>>>>>P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
>>>>>Kenya
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
> ________________________________
> From: Agosta Liko <
agostal@gmail.com>
>>>>>To: robert yawe <
robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk>
>>>>>Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <
kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>>>>>Sent: Fri, 24 September, 2010 10:01:06
>>>>>
>>>>>Subject: Re: [kictanet] ISPs slap Ndemo
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>no Robert
>>>>>
>>>>>1MB for 50USD ... to anywhere ... I dont get limitations from my
>>>>>current providers
>>>>>
>>>>>your thoughts ?
>>>>>
>>>>>On Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 10:00 AM, robert yawe <
robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk>
> wrote:
>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>> Fine, so long as it is local loop from your office to your collocation
>>>>>> centre where you will be providing SaaS solutions.
>>>>>> Regards
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Robert Yawe
>>>>>> KAY System Technologies Ltd
>>>>>> Phoenix House, 6th Floor
>>>>>> P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
>>>>>> Kenya
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ________________________________
>>>>>> From: Agosta Liko <
agostal@gmail.com>
>>>>>> To: robert yawe <
robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk>
>>>>>> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <
kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>>>>>> Sent: Fri, 24 September, 2010 9:50:23
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] ISPs slap Ndemo
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Robert
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Si you start an ISP ? ... with 1:1 @ USD50 per MB ... I will be a
>>>>>> customer
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Just thinking
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 9:44 AM, robert yawe <
robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk>
>>wrote:
>>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>>> When we talk about 1 MB for $500/- I believe we are referring to a
>>>>>>> dedicated
>>>>>>> connection with a contention ratio of 1:1 not shared provided by the
>>>>>>> ISPs
>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>> 1:∞. So the ISP buys the 1 MB at $500/- dollars and sells it to 20
>>>>>>> subscribers at $50/- a culture they developed during the good old
>>>>>>> days of
>>>>>>> satellite.
>>>>>>> In addition the 1 MB is not from your equipment to the ISP but should
>>>>>>> be
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> entire route into the Internet. Exploited we still are and as has
>>>>>>> been
>>>>>>> said
>>>>>>> by many the prices have still not come down sufficiently.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Robert Yawe
>>>>>>> KAY System Technologies Ltd
>>>>>>> Phoenix House, 6th Floor
>>>>>>> P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
>>>>>>> Kenya
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ________________________________
>>>>>>> From: Brian Munyao Longwe <
blongwe@gmail.com>
>>>>>>> To:
robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk
>>>>>>> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <
kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>>>>>>> Sent: Thu, 23 September, 2010 17:21:40
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] ISPs slap Ndemo
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm sorry to sound like a broken record but I don't know any ISP in
>>>>>>> Kenya
>>>>>>> selling 1Mb for >$500 - and anybody who is being extorted like this
> should
>>>>>>> go to a reputable ISP and get their service for tens of dollars, not
>>>>>>> hundreds....
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Brian
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 3:48 PM, Edwin Onchari
>>>>>>> <
eonchari@lynxbits.com>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> “naomba serikali” or not…government policies ultimately affect
>>>>>>>> demand
> and
>>>>>>>> supply laws in any market. While the call here is not to go the
>>>>>>>> Finish
>>>>>>>> way
>>>>>>>> of making it a right for all citizens to have access to 1Mb of
>>>>>>>> broadband
>>>>>>>> by
>>>>>>>> 2015, or UK’s 2Mb, GOK can move to create an environment that will
>>>>>>>> encourage
>>>>>>>> our good ISPs lower the current rates, currently >$500- remember,
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> potential bulk users in Kenya earn <$1/day!
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Edwin
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Sales without Customer Service........is like stuffing money into a
>>>>>>>> pocket
>>>>>>>> full of holes.
>>>>>>>> DAVID TOOMA
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> From: Brian Munyao Longwe [mailto:
blongwe@gmail.com]
>>>>>>>> Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2010 4:20 PM
>>>>>>>> To: Edwin Onchari
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] ISPs slap Ndemo
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Is this another case of "naomba serikali inisaidie" - which is to
> typical
>>>>>>>> of us Kenyans....
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> It is my firm belief that we have a free and open market for
>>>>>>>> internet
>>>>>>>> services in Kenya - with little or no barriers to entry for any
>>>>>>>> player.
>>>>>>>> Could it just be that the rules of supply and demand are applying
>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>> thereby preventing the "drastic" drops in pricing that it seems many
>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>> use
>>>>>>>> are dreaming about?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I think Walu is asking the right kinds of questions - how do we
>>>>>>>> adjust
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> supply/demand equation to bring about the desired results?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> In my honest opinion government has been doing a good job of staying
>>>>>>>> out
>>>>>>>> of business - let's keep it that way.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Brian
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 2:16 PM, Edwin Onchari
>>>>>>>> <
eonchari@lynxbits.com>
>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Better yet, GOK should slice up its 40% stake and sell to smaller
>>>>>>>> businesses that are willing to play ball, so that Kenyans are not at
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> mercy of a handful ISPs that cannot get their act together
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Edwin
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Sales without Customer Service........is like stuffing money into a
>>>>>>>> pocket
>>>>>>>> full of holes.
>>>>>>>> DAVID TOOMA
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> From: kictanet-bounces+eonchari=
lynxbits.com@
lists.kictanet.or.ke
>>>>>>>> [mailto:
kictanet-bounces+eonchari=
lynxbits.com@
lists.kictanet.or.ke]
>>>>>>>> On
>>>>>>>> Behalf Of Harry Hare
>>>>>>>> Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2010 2:35 PM
>>>>>>>> To: Edwin
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] ISPs slap Ndemo
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Hello All,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Who in this forum thought it possible to enjoy the new calling rates
>>>>>>>> which
>>>>>>>> are 50% of what we used to pay? My point, we need a disruptive force
>>>>>>>>
> that
>>>>>>>> will force the ISPs to lower their rates. The Government still hold
>>>>>>>> 40%
>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>> TEAMS, and I remember the PS once saying that he will use this if
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> operators fail to drop their costs. Probably this is the
>>>>>>>> time...this,
>>>>>>>> together with NOFBI, the ministry has capacity to roll out a
>>>>>>>> project
>>like
>>>>>>>> -
>>>>>>>> “free internet for all”, another first from Kenya.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Think about it.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Harry
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On 9/23/10 2:14 PM, "Walubengo J" <
jwalu@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Yes WHOLESALE prices are down by 80% but RETAIL prices remain
>>>>>>>> relatively
>>>>>>>> high. Are the ISP/Telco eating up the difference by way of
>>>>>>>> SUPER-PROFITS?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Not sure. There are multiple and intermediary variables that play
> between
>>>>>>>> the Wholesale Level and the Retail Level that includes, but not
>>>>>>>> limited
>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>> Cost of Local loops, Usage/Volume Levels, Local Content,
>>>>>>>> Regulatory&
>>>>>>>> Competition Environments, Charging Models, etc.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The challenge is to get a way in which to measure and establish
>>>>>>>> which of
>>>>>>>> the above variables will have the biggest, positive and sustainable
>>>>>>>> impact
>>>>>>>> on Retail Internet pricing. Worse still, a "wrong" distortion of
>>>>>>>> any of
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> above maybe counterproductive to the others in the long run. It
>>>>>>>> requires
>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>> delicate balance of the whole ecosystem.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> But perhaps I could be wrong..
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> walu.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> --- On Thu, 9/23/10, McTim <
dogwallah@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> From: McTim <
dogwallah@gmail.com>
>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] ISPs slap Ndemo
>>>>>>>> To:
jwalu@yahoo.com
>>>>>>>> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions"
>>>>>>>> <
kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>>>>>>>> Date: Thursday, September 23, 2010, 2:28 PM
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 11:19 AM, Edwin Onchari
>>>>>>>> <
eonchari@lynxbits.com
>>>>>>>> </mc/compose?to=
eonchari@lynxbits.com> > wrote:
>>>>>>>> > Yes Dennis,
>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>> > Take the case of the US for instance. 1 Mb (dedicated) is going
>>>>>>>> > for
>>>>>>>> > less
>>>>>>>> > than $50…
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Wholesale cost there is ~$2.50 for 1 Mb/sec
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> >in Kenya, it’s anything between $500-$800.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Wholesale price in Kenya? Around 50 USD per Mb/sec (in Mombasa) is
>>>>>>>> what I heard recently from an industry player. That is probably for
>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>> volume purchase of course.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> African eDevelopment Resource Centre
>>>>>>>> eDevelopment House : : 604 Limuru Road
>>>>>>>> Old Muthaiga : : P O Box 49475 00100
>>>>>>>> Nairobi : : Kenya
>>>>>>>> T +254 20 3741646/7 : : C +254 725 650044
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Training : : Research: :Consultancy: : Publishing
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Checked by AVG -
www.avg.com
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Version: 8.5.445 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3153 - Release Date:
>>>>>>>> 09/22/10
>>>>>>>> 18:40:00
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>> kictanet mailing list
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>
http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> This message was sent to:
blongwe@gmail.com
>>>>>>>> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>> Brian Munyao Longwe
>>>>>>>> e-mail:
blongwe@gmail.com
>>>>>>>> cell: + 254 722 518 744
>>>>>>>> blog :
http://zinjlog.blogspot.com
>>>>>>>> meta-blog:
http://mashilingi.blogspot.com
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>>>>>>>> Checked by AVG -
www.avg.com
>>>>>>>> Version: 8.5.445 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3153 - Release Date:
>>>>>>>> 09/22/10
>>>>>>>> 18:40:00
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Brian Munyao Longwe
>>>>>>> e-mail:
blongwe@gmail.com
>>>>>>> cell: + 254 722 518 744
>>>>>>> blog :
http://zinjlog.blogspot.com
>>>>>>> meta-blog:
http://mashilingi.blogspot.com
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> kictanet mailing list
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> This message was sent to:
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>>>>>>> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>>kictanet mailing list
>>>>>
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>>>>>
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>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>kictanet mailing list
>>>>
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>>>>
http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>This message was sent to:
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>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>Andrea Bohnstedt
>>>Publisher
>>>+254 720 960 322
>>>
www.ratio-magazine.com
>>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
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>>
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>
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Mark Mwangi
>
>
http://mwangy.posterous.com
>
> Skype : mark.mwangy
>
>
>