There is certainly a lot of movement in the right direction in Kenya, but a whole lot is yet to be done especially around policy. I had a discussion recently with a leading private network operator who believes that there is a lot hidden demand for broadband in the East African market and are prepared to invest a lot of money in a combination fiber optic access networks and Wi-Max to bring broadband to cities of the region. The operator is also making advance plans to tap into the planned East African Submarine System (EASSy) and connect some cities of the region to the world via cost effective and high bandwidth fiber. Their main frustration is that they are being denied the right to provide broadband access to certain public institutions and certaing metropolitan areas where the government favours the incumbent operator (who probably does not have the money).
A similar scenario prevails in most parts of Africa, including South Africa where the right to develop and own broadband networks is concentrated in Telkom (not withstanding the licensing of the SNO).
I believe that the best way to deal with some of these issues is to force a dialogue between the frustrated private operators and those who make the decisions. I am hoping that we may be able to achieve this at next year's ICTe Africa event in Nairobi: http://www.nepadcouncil.org/ICTeAfrica2006/
Jabulani Dhliwayo
Chifu <chifu2222@msn.com> wrote: Kenya Praised for Internet Growth The Nation (Nairobi)
December 14, 2005 Posted to the web December 14, 2005
Nation Reporter Nairobi
Kenya is among African countries where the broadband Internet is fast taking root, according to a new report.
The new system has grown rapidly in Africa over the past four years. Before then, only the slower bandwidth was available for Internet connections.
In a survey of 100 selected operators in Africa, the report, by the London-based Balancing Act, an Internet content advisory firm, says access to higher-speed downloads of, for instance, music and voice over Internet (VoIP) phone calling has intensified.
Between 2001, when the first broadband access was rolled out, and now, a wide range of both wireline and wireless broadband technologies have been deployed across Africa.
The pace started picking up in 2003. The technology has changed over time. The most recent trend has been implementation of networks which can deliver broadband over a 75-kilometre range.
According to Mr Paul Hamilton, one of the report's authors: "Broadband uptake is accelerating in the most developed Internet markets ... The survey indicates that there are four tiers."
The markets of Egypt, Madagascar, Re-union, and South Africa have tens or hundreds of thousands of broadband subscribers. There is a middle tier, such as Senegal, with between 1,000 and 10,000 subscribers.
In the third tier, the majority of other countries have deployed broadband in which operators report several hundred subscribers.
Behind this lies a fourth tier, where operators in about a half of African countries either have tens of broadband users or have not yet invested in the rollout of broadband networks.
The report says that if operators and Internet service providers (ISPs) do not achieve a critical mass of users and revenues sufficient to invest in new infrastructure, they will not do so.
But, as Mr Russell Southwood, the report's other author, observes: "If broadband access can't be supplied at lower prices than at present, it will remain a niche market for corporates and wealthy individuals.
"More competition is needed to lower prices for every element in delivering the service."
Monopolies in Internet provision keep international prices high for West Africa and there is not yet enough competition in the national backbone and local loop levels.
However, things are beginning to change quite quickly in countries like Kenya and South Africa and others are sure to follow, says the report.
One of the biggest drivers of broadband demand could prove to be customers wanting access to VoIP calling, which will allow them cheap international calling, enabling them to talk to friends and relatives abroad.
Although PC-to-PC calling requires users to have a computer, it is likely that a number of operators will offer VoIP-enabled handsets for use with a broadband connection, making it easier for consumers who want a simple option, either at home or in a cyber-cafe.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200512140395.html
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