I think what a Ghanian told me got me thinking "BusyInternet does more than a cafe so the catch is i go to one place and do multiple things" I think that might the "catch"...."a suite of services" to survive. Would love to see this in action. Edith ________________ Edith Ofwona Adera Senior Program Specialist ICT4D Program and Climate Change & Water Program International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le développement international Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera eadera@idrc.or.ke<mailto:eadera@idrc.or.ke> | www.idrc.ca<http://www.idrc.ca/> | www.crdi.ca<http://www.crdi.ca/> ________________________________ From: Eric Kirimi [eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke] Sent: 02 March 2011 19:26 To: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions; Edith Adera Subject: Re: [kictanet] The Death of Cybercafes? edith i thought the government is implementing the PASHA centre's projects across the country. this will increase competition and eventually more cyber cafe. Regards, Eric ________________________________ From: "Edith Adera" <eadera@idrc.or.ke> To: "Eric.K" <eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Wednesday, March 2, 2011 7:12:16 PM Subject: [kictanet] The Death of Cybercafes? Listers Just back from Ghana where I was impressed to see that cybercafes are still alive (e.g. BusyInternet)...as my experience in Kenya is that it's hard to find a functional cybercafe within easy reach with cutting edge services and programs (PDF etc)....most are closing down with Internet available on the mobile (with aggressive competition). So outside the office set-up and with minimal home connections...one has almost no options for innovation. Is it a good thing that cybers are dying in Kenya and broadband is yet to reach homes? what needs to be done differently to inform our efforts on digital villages etc? Edith ________________ Edith Ofwona Adera Senior Program Specialist ICT4D Program and Climate Change & Water Program International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le développement international Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera eadera@idrc.or.ke<mailto:eadera@idrc.or.ke> | www.idrc.ca<http://www.idrc.ca/> | www.crdi.ca<http://www.crdi.ca/> _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/eric%40ictinfrastructur...

Dear Edith, Is it really the case that cybercafes are dying in Kenya? From my time here, one of the things that has astonished me is the virtual ubiquity of these places, particularly the growing mass of smaller cybercafes which one can find on every corner of downtown Nairobi, as well as many in supposed 'information poor' areas such as around Kibera or Kawangware, all run for profit by dynamic entrepreneurs, most of them young I might add. I take your point though that more 'cutting edge' cybercafes are less common. In Kenya perhaps we can say that so far some of the slack been taken up by various hubs/incubators, who offer various talks and social spaces in a similar way to what Andrea describes in Ghana. Best Chris -- Christopher Foster PhD Researcher, Centre for Development Informatics (CDI) University of Manchester, UK Mob: 0738 101 723 Mob (uk): +44 (0)7751 537350 Skype: cgfoster On 02/03/11 20:22, Andrea Bohnstedt wrote:

Busy had/has a bigger concept: They are also an ISP, have a bar in the building, used to have a Monday movie night, I think, had some ICT classes and talks, and they had initially set up Busy to also serve as an incubator, although I think that did not really work out as planned. I have been there a couple of times of the years and always met some really fun and interesting people. Recently, they set up some work stations in a new shopping mall.

Mark Davies, one of the founders, set up BusyLab who, if I remember correctly, built e-soko, an online/mobile commodity trading and information platform that has recently attracted some investment from the IFC to support their roll out across the continent.

Regarding the internet cafes in Kenya: are there any data to show that the numbers are shrinking? Also, this is a market, too: If there is no demand for internet cafes, then they'll go out of business.

On 2 March 2011 19:27, Edith Adera <eadera@idrc.or.ke <mailto:eadera@idrc.or.ke>> wrote:

I think what a Ghanian told me got me thinking "BusyInternet does more than a cafe so the catch is i go to one place and do multiple things" I think that might the "catch"...."a suite of services" to survive. Would love to see this in action. Edith

*________________ *

*Edith Ofwona Adera *

Senior Program Specialist

ICT4D Program and Climate Change & Water Program

International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le développement international

Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa

Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera

eadera@idrc.or.ke <mailto:eadera@idrc.or.ke> | www.idrc.ca <http://www.idrc.ca/>| www.crdi.ca <http://www.crdi.ca/>

------------------------------------------------------------------------ *From:* Eric Kirimi [eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke <mailto:eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke>] *Sent:* 02 March 2011 19:26 *To:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions; Edith Adera *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] The Death of Cybercafes?

edith

i thought the government is implementing the PASHA centre's projects across the country. this will increase competition and eventually more cyber cafe.

Regards,

Eric

------------------------------------------------------------------------ *From: *"Edith Adera" <eadera@idrc.or.ke <mailto:eadera@idrc.or.ke>> *To: *"Eric.K" <eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke <mailto:eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke>> *Cc: *"KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke <mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>> *Sent: *Wednesday, March 2, 2011 7:12:16 PM *Subject: *[kictanet] The Death of Cybercafes?

Listers Just back from Ghana where I was impressed to see that cybercafes are still alive (e.g. BusyInternet)...as my experience in Kenya is that it's hard to find a functional cybercafe within easy reach with cutting edge services and programs (PDF etc)....most are closing down with Internet available on the mobile (with aggressive competition). So outside the office set-up and with minimal home connections...one has almost no options for innovation. Is it a good thing that cybers are dying in Kenya and broadband is yet to reach homes? what needs to be done differently to inform our efforts on digital villages etc? Edith

*________________ *

*Edith Ofwona Adera *

Senior Program Specialist

ICT4D Program and Climate Change & Water Program

International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le développement international

Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa

Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera

eadera@idrc.or.ke <mailto:eadera@idrc.or.ke> | www.idrc.ca <http://www.idrc.ca/>| www.crdi.ca <http://www.crdi.ca/>

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Multimedia Univ College of Kenya (www.mmu.ac.ke)  is in urgent need of additional IT/CS/IS Lecturers.  If you know of potential applicants, please alert them to send their CVs+copies of Certs to vacancy@mmu.ac.ke BEFORE friday 11th March 2011. We are interested in those who have completed their PhDs in IS/IT/CS, though those registered for their PhDs with 5years and above teaching experience can also apply. regards, walu.

Thanks Daktari. I also see their role in extended government infrastructure and services if operators of such places can be vetted and licenced to avail various online services (log book application, birth certificates, land and MV searches, etc etc - you can include revenue collection if there is a revenue sharing model with government - I personally hate the long lines at KRA - if I can go to an accredited outlet in my vicinity to to all that, I will. On 4 March 2011 08:35, <bitange@jambo.co.ke> wrote:

Robert, You are right. Cyber Cafes may die in Nairobi CBD area but in low income neighbourhoods and rural centers they are still relevant. Go to Korogocho and see what Altawon is doing. At Mukuru Kwa Njenga the Cyber Cafe there provides more than what we traditionally knew cyber cafes for. If our definition of Cyber Cafe is the same, then some digital villages in Kangundo, Malindi, Kioge, Tsiekuru etc are basically Cyber Cafes.

The value proposition for such centers is increasingly becoming viable with such new concepts as impact outsourcing (those who may be interested to see model impact outsourcing centers can check with me next month). A bit of field visit would enhance our discussion in this list.

Regards

Ndemo.

...

Hi,

I disagree with your assertion that cybercafes are closing down if anything they are mushrooming and in more seats that before, in the building where our offices are we used to have a single cyber on the 2nd floor in the past 12 months 2 have opened on the ground floor replacing a bookshop and a pharmacy each with over 30 stations.

The availability of mobile on the phone is actually a plus for the cyber business as it creates a more aware market who end up spending more time and money as they need to download staff, print, cd burn etc.

Unless you have an iPad the experience of browsing on your phone is still not as good as on a large 17" screen.

Finally, many of thus opening cybers today have a better understanding of the business than the me too crowd that used to run them before. Any cyber cafe that does not charge automatically for printing is doomed to close soon.

As more knowledgeable investors come into the cyber cafe business expect to see more of them coming up and with the right tools for monitoring and generating revenue such as protocol based billing. I visited a cyber in Rongai where billing was bandwidth based as they where using a Safaricom 3G connection.

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

Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

________________________________ From: Edith Adera <eadera@idrc.or.ke> To: robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Wed, 2 March, 2011 19:12:16 Subject: [kictanet] The Death of Cybercafes?

Listers

Just back from Ghana where I was impressed to see that cybercafes are still alive (e.g. BusyInternet)...as my experience in Kenya is that it's hard to find a functional cybercafe within easy reach with cutting edge services and programs (PDF etc)....most are closing down with Internet available on the mobile (with aggressive competition). So outside the office set-up and with minimal home connections...one has almost no options for innovation.

Is it a good thing that cybers are dying in Kenya and broadband is yet to reach homes? what needs to be done differently to inform our efforts on digital villages etc?

Edith

________________ Edith Ofwona Adera Senior Program Specialist ICT4D Program and Climate Change & Water Program International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le développement international Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera eadera@idrc.or.ke | www.idrc.ca| www.crdi.ca

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-- Francis Hook +254 733 504561

Thanks McTim for sharing this article. I like the concept of 2nd generation cybercafé and telecentre...that was my point! I often drive around for hours looking for cybers and when you find them they don't have the latest packages and not all services (with very poor technical support/backup). Not sure the ones mentioned in the slums are any better. I think if we move to providing vital government services and other add-on services the demand and level of sophistication is likely to increase...but the question is when will these eGov services go live? Edith From: kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of McTim Sent: Friday, March 04, 2011 11:20 PM To: Edith Adera Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] The Death of Cybercafes? FYI, a related story: http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/en/issue-no-544/top-story/nice-pione... -- Cheers, McTim "A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A route indicates how we get there." Jon Postel On Fri, Mar 4, 2011 at 5:27 PM, Francis Hook <francis.hook@gmail.com<mailto:francis.hook@gmail.com>> wrote: Thanks Daktari. I also see their role in extended government infrastructure and services if operators of such places can be vetted and licenced to avail various online services (log book application, birth certificates, land and MV searches, etc etc - you can include revenue collection if there is a revenue sharing model with government - I personally hate the long lines at KRA - if I can go to an accredited outlet in my vicinity to to all that, I will. On 4 March 2011 08:35, <bitange@jambo.co.ke<mailto:bitange@jambo.co.ke>> wrote: Robert, You are right. Cyber Cafes may die in Nairobi CBD area but in low income neighbourhoods and rural centers they are still relevant. Go to Korogocho and see what Altawon is doing. At Mukuru Kwa Njenga the Cyber Cafe there provides more than what we traditionally knew cyber cafes for. If our definition of Cyber Cafe is the same, then some digital villages in Kangundo, Malindi, Kioge, Tsiekuru etc are basically Cyber Cafes. The value proposition for such centers is increasingly becoming viable with such new concepts as impact outsourcing (those who may be interested to see model impact outsourcing centers can check with me next month). A bit of field visit would enhance our discussion in this list. Regards Ndemo.

Hi,

I disagree with your assertion that cybercafes are closing down if anything they are mushrooming and in more seats that before, in the building where our offices are we used to have a single cyber on the 2nd floor in the past 12 months 2 have opened on the ground floor replacing a bookshop and a pharmacy each with over 30 stations.

The availability of mobile on the phone is actually a plus for the cyber business as it creates a more aware market who end up spending more time and money as they need to download staff, print, cd burn etc.

Unless you have an iPad the experience of browsing on your phone is still not as good as on a large 17" screen.

Finally, many of thus opening cybers today have a better understanding of the business than the me too crowd that used to run them before. Any cyber cafe that does not charge automatically for printing is doomed to close soon.

As more knowledgeable investors come into the cyber cafe business expect to see more of them coming up and with the right tools for monitoring and generating revenue such as protocol based billing. I visited a cyber in Rongai where billing was bandwidth based as they where using a Safaricom 3G connection.

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

Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

________________________________ From: Edith Adera <eadera@idrc.or.ke<mailto:eadera@idrc.or.ke>> To: robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk<mailto:robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke<mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>> Sent: Wed, 2 March, 2011 19:12:16 Subject: [kictanet] The Death of Cybercafes?

Listers

Just back from Ghana where I was impressed to see that cybercafes are still alive (e.g. BusyInternet)...as my experience in Kenya is that it's hard to find a functional cybercafe within easy reach with cutting edge services and programs (PDF etc)....most are closing down with Internet available on the mobile (with aggressive competition). So outside the office set-up and with minimal home connections...one has almost no options for innovation.

Is it a good thing that cybers are dying in Kenya and broadband is yet to reach homes? what needs to be done differently to inform our efforts on digital villages etc?

Edith

________________ Edith Ofwona Adera Senior Program Specialist ICT4D Program and Climate Change & Water Program International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le développement international Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera eadera@idrc.or.ke<mailto:eadera@idrc.or.ke> | www.idrc.ca<http://www.idrc.ca>| www.crdi.ca<http://www.crdi.ca>

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---------------------------------------------- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. --------------------------------------------- "easy access to the world" _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke<mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: francis.hook@gmail.com<mailto:francis.hook@gmail.com> Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/francis.hook%40gmail.co... -- Francis Hook +254 733 504561<tel:%2B254%20733%20504561> _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke<mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: dogwallah@gmail.com<mailto:dogwallah@gmail.com> Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/dogwallah%40gmail.com