Building an African Information Infrastructure : strategies for overcoming current limitations towards achieving Universal Internet Access

1
Building an African Information Infrastructure
strategies for overcoming current limitations
towards achieving Universal Internet Access

• Shola TAYLOR
• Principal Consultant/CEO
• Kemiliñks International
• Afrinet 2000
• 18-20 September 2000, Ecowas Secretariat, Abuja,
  Nigeria

2
The Internet Explosion

• Growth has been phenomenal
• 1981- 213 hosts several thousand users
• 1999 - 56m hosts 190 m users
• Virtually every country connected
• 74 years to reach 50 m telephone users
• 4 years to reach 50 m internet users
• Africa is still lagging behind

3
Internet Expansion - what next?

• Difficult to predict, BUT - multimedia is
  emerging with larger BW requirements that are
  scarce/expensive
• Can Africa catch up ? - Internet expansion
  requires good backbone networks- Africa can
  catch up IF the right policies and regulations
  are there

4
Limitations to growth of Internet in Africa

• Kemilinks study of Internet access in Africa
  indicates 4 main limitations
• Price of Internet Access- hardware/software- se
  rvice provision- telephone service charges
• Infrastructure
• Content source, language
• Regulations

5
Strategies for overcoming limitations(I)

• Define government policy towards Universal access
  and Universal Service with realistic goals and
  timeframe
• Ensure demonstrable commitment of governments at
  all levels - establish websites etc.
• Licensing must be relevant to developmental
  needs- network roll out and performance
  targets- define obligations including rural
  access- enforceable penalties if targets are not
  met

6
Strategies for overcoming limitations(II)

• Licence infrastructure providers
• Encourage more foreign investment with local
  partnership
• Clearly defined regulatory framework incumbent
  vs ISPs, international access etc.
• Special Tariffs to attract more users
• Encourage more Telecentres, particularly in
  underserved areas
• Promote competition in service provision
• Promote local development of content

7
THANK YOU

• Thank you for listening
• CONTACTS - tel [phone]- e-mail
  kemilinks_at_aol.com- fax [phone]