By Dr. Eng. Godfrey Kibuuka Director of Communications and Broadcasting Infrastructure

By

Dr. Eng. Godfrey Kibuuka

Director of Communications and Broadcasting Infrastructure Ministry of Information and Communications Technology,

Uganda

ICT EACO CONFERENCE ON BROADBAND ACCESS TO ALL IN EAST AFRICA

15TH -19TH APRIL 2013

The role of policy makers in the national broadband agenda

1) Coordination of all stakeholders2) Protection of interests of all

stakeholders 3) Creating an enabling environment4) Ensure Adequate National Broadband

Infrastructure & services5) National mobilization and awareness 6) Challenges7) Conclusion

Presentation outline

Basic Data about The East African member Countries

Broadband is a term used to describe a wide range of technologies that allow high speed data transmission or access to the internet and

other electronic services. They should be affordable, reliable,

seamless, ubiquitous.

Definition

4

1) Provision of leadership and vision under one political leadership

MINISTRY OF ICT

2) Clear separation of roles of Policy, regulation and service provision

MINISTRY OF ICT, UCC, NITA, OPERATORS

3) Spearheading representation of stakeholders at international fora

ITU, CTO, EACO, NEPAD

4) Liaison with stakeholders outside the ICT sector to create enabling environment for Broadband development

ENERGY SECTOR, SECURITY SECTOR, EDUCATIONS, HEALTH ETC. ROADS ETC.

Coordination of all stakeholders

1) Consideration of all marginalized groups in Policies, regulations and service delivery

WOMEN, DISABLED, YOUTH

2) Settling of disputes in the sector COMMUNICATIONS TRIBUNAL

3) Ensuring equitable service delivery to all parts of the country regardless of business casea. ADEQUATE COMPETETION b. RURAL COMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT FUND

Protection of interests of all stakeholders

1) Development of National ICT Policies and corresponding Subsector policies for Telecom, Information Technology, Postal, Broadcasting, Analogue to Digital Migration Policy etc.

2) Development of corresponding Strategies, Laws and Regulations.

3) Implementation, Monitoring and Reviewing

Remove any barriers to achieving national broadband connectivity objectives & harmonise efforts in EAC region.  

Creation of Enabling Environment

7

Development of main backbone and last/first mile broadband access infrastructure via a number of strategies:1) Promotion private investments;2) Govt. strategic investment in national

broad band backbones; 3) Govt. strategic interventions particularly in

rural and underserved areas (Rural Communications Dev. Funds);

4) Promotion satellite services & Ratification of Amendment of ITSO Agreement;

5) Ensure adequate spectrum for mobile broadband services.

Ensure Adequate National Broadband Infrastructure

8

Promotion private investments1) Uganda has wireless broadband

connectivity with state-of-art technologies such as; 2.5G,3G &4G.

2) Total of 3270 kilometres of optic fibre cables covering various parts of the country with two access routes to submarine cables.

Ensure Adequate National Infrastructure

9

Ensure Adequate National Broadband Infrastructure

National broadband & E-Govt. Infrastructure

10

Figure showing the current rollout of the NBI (Phase I: Kampala, Entebbe, Bombo, Mukono and Jinja. Phase II: Luwero, Nakasongola, Masindi, Gulu, Elegu, Lira, Soroti, Kumi, Mbale, Malaba, Tororo, Busia, Mbarara, Kasese, Fort Portal and Kyenjojo

1) The fundamental point is that money should not be made out of the cable;

2) money should instead be made out of services (Business Process Outsourcing, e-commerce, etc) that would arise from the presence of the cable.

3) Open Access model, foresees a low-cost, high volume business model for the cable. (Walubengo 2007)

Promote Open Access Model

11

Promotion satellite services and assurance of their non interrupted availability

1) Need to ratify the Amendment of

the ITSO agreement that assures protection of Common Heritage assets of the Parties.

2) Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda & Burundi are Member countries and have ratified the Amendment.

Ensure Adequate National Broadband Infrastructure

12

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) - service

• IT-enabled Services and BPO identified as key priorities for job creation especially for the youth

• BPO incubation centre established under the NITA-U

◦Computer labs

◦Training centres

◦Telemedicine

◦District health data points

◦Agriculture content

Implementing strategic interventions Rural Communications Development Fund

(RCDF)

MOBILE MONEY By December 2011, the number of

registered users had gone up to 2.8million from 1.8million in December 2010.

The number of transactions had reached 84.7million worth Shs.3.75trillion. Balances on customers’ mobile accounts totalled to Shs.43.8billion

Ensure Adequate National Broadband Infrastructure & Innovations

15

 NEW VALUE ADDED SERVICES

Payment of water, electricity and TV services using Mobile Money transfer platforms.

The challenge is to harmonise the policy and regulatory issues for mobile money platform under the financial sector regulatory framework.

Ensure Adequate National Broadband Infrastructure & Innovations

16

1) Shared access to broadband facilities, aimed at avoiding duplication of infrastructure and promoting timely access especially where the infrastructure may not be available.

2) Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania’s contribution to the East African Backhaul System (EABs) is complete and a good example and model of shared infrastructure.

Promote Sharing ICT Infrastructure

17

Limited awareness and understanding of the values of broadband/ICT services in the country as a key barrier to adoption.

1) Introduce fiscal incentives and subsidies to end users (particularly institutions);

2) Bulk procurement of Internet bandwidth for Govt. Ministries & institutions of learning;

3) A deliberate Government policy incorporating ICT in school curricula at all levels of education;

4) Establish regional ICT model schools or colleges as a key strategy in this regard.

National Mobilisation and Awareness

18

FUNDING MECHANISM

1) Govt. Treasury.

2) Development partners (China, USA, Europeans, Korea etc).

3) 2% Levy on GAR of operators. (USD8.0 M)

4) Tax on Mobile Money. (US$10 .0M)

5) Incoming International call traffic. (US$4.0M)

Challenges

1) Inadequate ICT complementary Infrastructure such as power

2) Vandalism and theft of ICT Infrastructure

3) Low affordability of ICT services

4) Limited local and relevant content

5) Low levels of ICT awareness

Conclusion

ICTs are essential for the socio-economic development of East Africa and the rest of the world. To achieve

this, we need to develop the necessary broadband infrastructure and services. Capacity building and

awareness are also necessary for the citizens to fully utilize the broadband

facilities.

22

I Thank you