1 National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (Saint Lucia) Presentation to World Telecommunications and Information Society Day Conference Theme.

National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (Saint Lucia) Presentation to World Telecommunications and Information Society

Day Conference

Theme

“Universal Service: Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide”

Ministry of Communications, Works, Transport & Public UtilitiesConference Room

UnionMay 17, 2011

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TITLE

Universal Service:

Bringing Telecommunications / ICT Services to the Rural and Underserved Areas.

Presentation by

Alvin Augustin

Universal Service Fund Administrator

[email protected]

National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission

Rajana Group of Companies Building

Bois D’Orange

Website: www.ntrc.org.lc

Tel 758-4582035

Fax 758-4532558

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Introduction to Universal Service/Access

Legal Framework establishing Universal Service/Access

Challenges to Bridging the Digital Divide

Overview of Global ICT Development

Overview of National ICT Development

General Observations

Approaches to Bridging the Digital Divide

Questions and Answers

Alvin AugustinUniversal Service Fund AdministratorNTRC-Saint [email protected]

STRUCTURE OF PRESENTATION

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The term Universal Access (UA) is used in a wide variety of contexts to describe or demonstrate objectives and policies that governments implement to ensure that all their citizens have access to the benefits of modern economic life.

Universal Service (US) is a term widely used in regulated industries, referring to the practice of providing a baseline level of services to every resident of a country.

OriginsThe concept of US has its origins in the British postal service; In reference to telecommunications, the term US was first established as policy under the Telecommunication Act of the USA (1934).

DefinitionsIn the context of telecom./ICT, UA is when everyone can access telecoms. & ICT services somewhere, at a public place.In the context of telecom./ICT, US describes when everyone or household can have telecoms. & Information Communications Technology (ICT) services available either personally or at home.

ImportanceImportance and value of Telecommunications and ICT to the socio-economic development of a country is critical. Telecom. & ICT play a vital role in diverse activities as finance, governance, education, health care, tourism, etc and are pillars of building a modern society.

Introduction

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Telecom. & ICTs have contributed to the transformation of economies in places like India, Singapore, Seychelles, etc. and if implemented correctly may impact the socio-economic development of Saint Lucia positively.

Telecom & ICTs are instrumental to meet the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals, as they provide a vehicle to inform and education the most vulnerable in our society. In the rural context, Telecom & ICTs combine will enhance opportunities to generate income and combat social ills i.e. poverty, illiteracy, etc.

Globally latest figures indicate that as many as 70% of the developing world’s population extremely poor people live in rural areas. They are also among the least connected to the benefits of ICTs.

One of the Goals of UA and US is to ensure that no one is ‘left behind’ in this digital age by focusing on three core areas or

the 3 As:

1. Availability: the service is available to inhabited parts of the country through public, community, shared or personal

devices;

2. Accessibility: all citizens can use the service, regardless of location, gender, disabilities and other personal characteristics;

3. Affordability: the service is affordable to all citizens.

Alvin AugustinUniversal Service Fund AdministratorNTRC-Saint [email protected]

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Universal Service includes the provision of-

(a) public voice telephony;

(b) internet access;

(c) telecommunications services to schools, hospitals and similar institutions, and the disabled and physically challenged; or

(d) other service by which people access efficient, affordable and modern telecommunications.

-Telecommunications Act [No. 27 0f 2000]

Universal Service Fund means the Fund established for the promotion of universal service by Section 44 of this Act;

-Telecommunications Act [No. 27 0f 2000]

Alvin AugustinUniversal Service Fund AdministratorNTRC-Saint [email protected]

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Defining Rural (Underserved) Areas

General features of rural and underserved areas may be summarized as follows:

Lack of basic infrastructure including telecom. electricity, road access, pipe borne water, sewer systems, etc.;

Low geographical population density (small village population in sparsely polluted communities);

Low economic activities, low per capita income, lack of disposable income, general poverty;

Lack of social and administrative facilities including public service institutions, health care centres, schools, libraries, etc;

Difficult geographical features e.g. mountainous regions, isolated by water, harsh environment, etc;

Higher degree of illiteracy than rest of population;

Alvin AugustinUniversal Service Fund AdministratorNTRC-Saint [email protected]

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Legal framework establishing Universal Service and facilitating provision for the management of the Universal Service Fund includes:

ECTEL Treaty;

Telecommunications Act [No. 27 0f 2000];

Telecommunications (Universal Service Fund) Regulations [S.I. No. 120 of 2008];

Telecommunications (Universal Service Fund Contribution) Order [No. 45 of 2009];

Telecommunications Universal Service Fund Guidelines [July 2008].

Legal Framework

Accessible at www.ntrc.org.lc

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ECTEL Treaty

The ECTEL Treaty establishes the legal framework for Member States to make provisions for Universal Service and manage the Fund to provide for Universal Service. The Treaty also specifies ECTEL’s role and functions when it comes to Universal Service and assisting the Member States in management of the Fund.The relevant Articles are Articles 4, 5 and 12 of the ECTEL Treaty.

Telecommunications Act [No. 27 0f 2000]

The Telecommunications Act establishes the NTRC and gives the NTRC the legal obligation to manage the Universal Service Fund (USF). It allows makes provision for the Minister to include US as a condition in the the telecom. licence of telecom. providers in a transparent, non-discriminatory manner.

Alvin AugustinUniversal Service Fund AdministratorNTRC-Saint [email protected]

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Telecommunications (Universal Service Fund) Regulations [S.I. No. 120 of 2008]:

The Universal Service Fund Regs. establishes the guidelines by which the NTRC is to manage the USF. It also establishes the nature of the contributions to the USF.

The USF Regs. also mandates the NTRC to

i. Encourage efficient access to and use of telecom. networks & services in rural areas, under-served and maritime areas with goal to foster social, economic and educational development;

ii. Ensure reasonable availability and affordability of basic & advanced telecom. services including voice telephony, internet access/broadband access particularly where it may not be economically viable as well as provide such services to physically challenged, elderly and indigent communities;

iii. Support the introduction and expansion of telecom. services to schools, health facilities and other organizations serving the public needs;

iv. Promote technological innovation;

Alvin AugustinUniversal Service Fund AdministratorNTRC-Saint [email protected]

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Telecommunications (Universal Service Fund Contribution) Order [No. 45 of 2009];

Telecommunications Universal Service Fund Guidelines [July 2008].

Alvin AugustinUniversal Service Fund AdministratorNTRC-Saint [email protected]

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Challenges to Bridging the Digital Divide

Rural communities generally have small, sparsely populated markets, which under normal circumstances are not economically feasible for deployment of telecom. & ICT services;

The income level of person living in rural areas are generally below the national mean, implying that disposable income are only for the essentials;

Rural communities due to the remoteness and other geographical challenges pose some issues to the deployment of telecom and ICT-based networks.

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Global ICT Development per telecom service (1998-2009)

Source: MONITORING THE WSIS TARGETS A mid-term review

http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/publications/wtdr_10/index.html

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Voice Telephony

Source: 2010 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Report

http://www.stats.gov.lc/

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Ownership of Computers by Districts

Source: 2010 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Report

http://www.stats.gov.lc/

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National Household with Access to Internet

Source: 2010 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Report

http://www.stats.gov.lc/

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Ownership of Computers

Source: 2010 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Report

http://www.stats.gov.lc/

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Method of Access to the Internet

Source: 2010 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Report

http://www.stats.gov.lc/

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General Observations

Voice telephony is available island-wide approximately 85% of household have access to voice telephony. Small deviation exist between urban and rural households.

Approximately 26.5% of household have internet connection. Noticeable deviation exist between urban and rural household.

About 61% of national household do not own a computer. Noticeable disparity between urban and rural household.

Approximately 59.7 % of individuals did not have access to the internet. Noticeable disparity between urban and rural areas.

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Approaches to Bridging the Digital Divide

USF alone cannot do it! Strategic national development policy is needed to ‘close’ the digital divide that exists between rural and urban areas.

Look to best practices! Learn the lessons from countries that have successfully implemented telecom and ICT development policies.

Mobile technologies may prove the most adaptable technology to increase telecom & ICT penetration rates in rural areas.

Community Access Points (Telecentres) may assist with adaption of ICT in rural communities.

Terminal devices/computers for persons in the rural communities (and other sector of society) will have to be subsidized in the short to medium term.

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QUESTIONS

???

Alvin AugustinUniversal Service Fund AdministratorNTRC-Saint [email protected]

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THE END

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND PARTICIPATION.

DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT OUR OFFICES IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.

Alvin Augustin

Universal Service Fund Administrator

[email protected]

National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission

Rajana Group of Companies Building

Bois D’Orange

Website: www.ntrc.org.lc

Tel 758-4582035/Fax 758-4532558