ICT Forum 21th 22nd May 2002 Kairaba Beach Hotel

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ICT Forum21th - 22nd May 2002Kairaba Beach
Hotel

• The Gambia Internet Infrastructure Development

Alh. Lamin Jagne Director, Internet Business
Unit Gambia Telecommunications Company Ltd.
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Background

• First country to benefit from the Internet
  Initiative for Africa IIA Project.
• IIA (three year project) aims to provide Internet
  accessibility or enhance Internet facilities for
  12 African countries.
• Gambia Government (Gamtel) UNDP (Africa Bureau)
  each provide 50 of US1M.
• Facilities to be available to all sectors of
  society(public, private and civil society) and be
  private sector driven.

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Technical Facilities

• Fully fledged Internet gateway to include
  internal e-mail facilities countrywide
• 512Kbps bandwidth
• Landing point with first level ISP -
  Teleglobe(Canada)
• Points of Presence (PoPs) in Banjul and 11 towns
  (major growth centres)
• PoPs connected by 2Mbps links mainly by fibre
  optic cable.

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Internet Backbone
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Implementation

• April 1997 - Gambian delegation, led by the
  Secretary of State, attended Abuja Internet
  Awareness Seminar.
• May 1997 - The Gambia became the first
  beneficiary of the UNDP Internet Initiative for
  Africa (IIA).
• July 1997 - UNDP appraisal team sent to Banjul.
• 25 July 1997 - MOU between The Government of The
  Gambia and UNDP signed.

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Implementation

• December, 1997 - Bid proposals sent out by UNOPS
  (seven bidders from the US, UK, Africa).
• January 1998 Contractor selected by UNOPS and
  the Government of The Gambia (Gamtel).
• March 1998 Installation and training commenced.
• August 1998 Acceptance tests completed and
  handing over.
• September 25th 1998 Official inauguration of
  gateway by the Head of State.

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Cost of Access

• Unlimited monthly access US11 (at current
  rates).
• deliberate Government policy to encourage Private
  Sector participation.
• One-time installation charge US2.50
• no charge for basic customer premises services
• Telephone access charges - US0.60 (60 ) per
  hour

Government reduced tariffs on ICT equipment from
36 in 1998 to 0 presently (with effect from
January 2001)
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• Three commercial ISPs
• QaNet (Quantum Associates) 128kbps
• GamNet Telecommunications Company
• Womy - 128kbps
• Four major non-commercial ISPs(64kbps
• MRC, Maersk Line, America Embassy, Action Aid
• About 3000 Internet accounts
• 1500 GamNet
• 1500 QaNet
• Womy (just commenced operation)

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Internet

• Cafés in operation by Gamtel
• Brikama
• Senegambia
• Kairaba
• Churchillstown
• Cafés in development
• Dippakunda, Kanifing, Bakoteh Housing Estate,
  Barra, Lamin, Janjanbureh, Bansang, Bwiam
  farafenni, Kaur, Kanikla (Sindola), Kerewan

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Social Services Provided

• As per requirements of the MOU
• Educational Institutions
• Tertiary GTTI, MDI, RDI, GTMI, Gambia College,
  University of The Gambia
• 60 of secondary schools computers, dial-up
  access
• Encouraging access for rural primary schools
• National Assembly computer, dial-up access
• Major rural hospital computer, dial-up access
• Womens Bureau dial-up access
• Training on Internet provided for all above

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Further Developments

• Increase bandwidth to 1Mbps with Teleglobe
• Provided alternate access through Senegal at
  2Mbps.
• Increase access modems by 100.
• Provide access and equipment to all secondary
  schools (junior and senior).
• Working with DFID to provide access to Primary
  Schools
• Work with development partners and NGOs to
  provide access for rural communities.
• Provide IP-VPN and ISDN services.

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Telemedicine Pilot

• A pilot Telemedicine project is being financed by
  Gamtel (equipment on order).
• IP to be used for transmission
• Connectivity between two rural hospitals and the
  main referral hospital in Capital, Banjul
• real time interactive facilities to be provided
• a range of telemedicine equipment
• video-conferencing workstations
• patient cameras
• document cameras
• electronic stethoscope

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Concluding Remarks

• Mr. Chairman,
• I would like to state that The Gambia has an
  opportunity not only to make a major route into
  ICT, but also to take our rightful place in the
  global community.
• Due to the ardent desire for Gambians to attain
  full connectivity through new technologies, the
  Governments participation in this process cannot
  be over-emphasised.
• I hope this forum will serve as a beginning to
  the process of developing a framework for the use
  of ICT that will help make The Gambia a better
  place.