Universal Access: Definitions, Objectives

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ITU/BDT CTO Workshop on Universal Service
Policies and Funding Sanaa, Yemen, 07-09 Oct
2003

• Universal Access Definitions, Objectives
• David N. Townsend

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Universal Access Definitions, Objectives
Workshop Approach and Objectives

• Background
• ITU/CTO Model Universal Access Policy
• Initial focus on Africa, least developed
  countries
• Best practices for promoting access where
  little or no infrastructure/service
• Growing interest in these issues around the world
• Goal is to examine, adapt models to regional
  conditions

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Universal Access Definitions, Objectives
Workshop Approach and Objectives

• Workshop approach
• Interactive, participant-oriented discussions, to
  identify key concerns, ideas, options
• Presentations and discussion of each major Model
  topic, with focus on feedback and participant
  input
• Inclusive concentration cover different issues
  as they affect different countries, players

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Universal Access Definitions, Objectives
Traditional Telephony gtgt Information Society

• What are the goals of communication?
• economic, social, cultural, political
• Traditional measures of telephone service
• teledensity, payphones, etc.
• Transformation and Convergence
• explosive growth of mobile
• emergence of the Internet
• access to information and communication seen as a
  basic human right
• economic development critically depends upon
  advanced Info-structure

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Universal Access Definitions, Objectives
Definitions, Objectives

• Access to what?
• Voice telephone
• Internet, e-mail
• Advanced ICT services
• Television, multimedia, broadband
• What is universal?
• Community, location-based
• Homes, offices
• Affordability
• Quality, reliability, convenience

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Universal Access Definitions, Objectives
Participant Objectives

• BRIEF (2-3 min) participant introductions, and
  interests
• What are your highest priority goals for
  telecommunications development in your country?
• What are the main barriers or challenges to
  achieving these development goals?
• What initiatives have you taken already, or are
  you considering taking?
• What do you hope to gain from this workshop?

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DNTA

• Thank You
• For more information, please contact
• David N. Townsend
• President, DNTA
• DNT_at_dntownsend.com
• www.dntownsend.com/dnta/
• 1-781-477-9356 (tel)
• 1-781-593-4707 (fax)