@ Edwin, By saying ISPs/Telcos to "Open Up their Supply Chain" do you mean "Force down the Retail Cost in order to stimulate demand?" - Hoping to recoup cost through larger volume sales? Again, the ASSUMPTION here is that lower costs will automatically stimulate demand. Perhaps there's no demand because there's no local internet content and as such dropping cost may not really increas demand. Put differently, 90% of the Kenyans who are currently NOT using the internet, dont, simply because there's NOTHING in it for them (why would my Dad get online? or that farmer in Kirinyaga? to do facebook, yahoo, youtube?(.. the current hot content "locally" here)). In other words even giving them FREE internet will not get them online...but it might get the Operators broke, forcing some of them to close shop and eventually deny the few 10% of the current Kenyan Internet Users access to the 'Net...far fetched but possible. walu. --- On Thu, 9/23/10, Edwin Onchari <eonchari@lynxbits.com> wrote: From: Edwin Onchari <eonchari@lynxbits.com> Subject: RE: [kictanet] ISPs slap Ndemo-but who is to blame? To: "'Walubengo J'" <jwalu@yahoo.com> Cc: "'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'" <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Date: Thursday, September 23, 2010, 2:16 PM Walu, The ISPs/Telcos are to blame for the sheer lack of innovation on their part. The one asset that they have not leveraged on is the abundant; under-utilized IT human resource and entrepreneurial base inKenya. Open up their supply chain to include this group(s) will see the last mile issue sorted = more users= shared costs on the bandwidth procured by ISPs=lowered retail prices My take, Edwin From: kictanet-bounces+eonchari=lynxbits.com@lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+eonchari=lynxbits.com@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Walubengo J Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2010 1:04 PM To: Edwin Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] ISPs slap Ndemo-but who is to blame? Yawe, I think everyone (including ISPs) ASSUMED that the marine cable will automatically crash the RETAIL internet prices. But ofcourse that turned out to be false. At the same time, it DOES NOT mean the marine cable was a wasted effort. It simply means the marine cable is NECESSARY but NOT SUFFICIENT to bring down retail internet prices. I am not sure at this moment in time whom to blame for this. But I know its not Dr. Ndemo nor the ISPs/Telcos. I am investigating this phenomena, and perhaps, sometime future I could share the results... walu. @ Nnenna, your quotes from Senegal, Ivory Coast are juicy - but dig deeper - since at face value, the mobile internet prices in .Ke look cheap, but in long term reality(usage) they ARE NOT! --- On Thu, 9/23/10, robert yawe <robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: From: robert yawe <robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: [kictanet] ISPs slap Ndemo To: jwalu@yahoo.com Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Date: Thursday, September 23, 2010, 11:38 AM Hi, The ISPs have now teamed up and agreed that the cost of "International" Internet access will not be coming down soon because we have less than 2.6% penetration. Dr. Ndemo, this is a slap on you, wield your big stick, or sorry not possible you recently handed it over to Orange. There is only one solution to this issue lets concentrate in developing local content thereby reducing the dependence on the over hyped marine cable. But based on the discussions on the commodity exchange system this will be an up hill task as we question the credibility of everyone he tries to setup a local online application or service. I read an article on how Hon. Kilonzo is planning to setup green houses in all the schools in his constituency while the others are trying to provide computers to children who are not able to get a balanced diet. Again I repeat "I am ashamed to be a member of the ICT fraternity" but like was once said by a disgruntled KANU memebrr "I shall remain the opposition within" Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696 -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: jwalu@yahoo.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jwalu%40yahoo.com No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.445 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3152 - Release Date: 09/22/10 18:40:00