STAKEHOLDERS WORKSHOP ON NATIONAL ICT POLICY OF TANZANIA

1
STAKEHOLDERS WORKSHOP ON NATIONAL ICT POLICY OF
TANZANIA

• BY COL. A.N. NALINGIGWA
• 25 MAY 2002

2
INTRODUCTION

• A LIVING BODY WITHOUT A NERVOUS SYSTEM IS
  PARALYSED - NO MESSAGE CAN GET THROUGH
• A SOCIETY WITHOUT ICTs CANNOT EFFECTIVELY
  FUNCTION EITHER NATIONALLY OR GLOBALLY THERE IS
  NO MEANS FOR THE MESSAGE TO GET THROUGH

3
INTRODUCTION CONT...

• NO MATTER HOW FAR APART PEOPLE ARE,
  INFO-COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY IS BOUND TO BRING
  THEM TOGETHER
• AS WE BOARD THE DOT.COM BUS OUR DESIRE IS THE
  SAME
• THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US IS THE DESIRED SPEED
  AND TIME OF OF ARRIVAL

4
INTRODUCTION CONT..

• TANZANIA WAS ONE OF THE COUNTRIES IN AFRICA TO
  RESTRUCTURE THE COMMUNICATIONS SECTOR FOLLOWING
  ENACTMENT OF TANZANIA COMMUINICATIONS ACT OF 1993

5
INTRODUCTION CONT..

• THE ACT ESTABLISHED THE TANZANIA COMMUNICATIONS
  COMMISSION TO
• REGULATE THE POSTAL AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
  SERVICES
• MANAGE THE RADIO FREQUENCY SPECTRUM
• PROMOTION OF COMPETITION
• ADVISE THE GOVT ON POSTAL AND TELECOMS MATTERS

6
IINTRODUCTION CONT..

• MAJOR SHORTFALL - THE LEGISLATION WAS ENACTED
  BEFORE A POLICY WAS PUT IN PLACE
• NO POLICY GUIDANCE ON HOW TO DEVELOP THE SECTOR
• 1997 - NATIONAL TELECOMS POLICY FORMULATED
• DEFINED STAKEHOLDERS ROLES IN PROMOTION OF
  DEVELOPMENT

7
LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

• TCC HAS BEEN MONITORING ICT DEVELOPMENT
  WORLDWIDE
• TAKEN PART IN INTERNATIONAL FOR DEVELOPING
  POLICIES FOR TECHNOLOGICAL AND SERVICE
• TAKEN NOTE OF EFFECT OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES ON
  IT, TELECOMS AND BROADCASTING

8
LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ..

• NOTED THE POSSIBILITY OF RECEIVING TELEVISION,
  NEWS AND RADIO OVER INTERNET
• TECHNOLOGICAL CONVERGENCE IS THE MAJOR CHALLENGE
  TO EXISTING REGULATORY AUTHORITIES

9
LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK...

• TCC WITH ITU CARRIED A STUDY IN 1996/97 TO
  DETERMINE BEST WAY OF MANAGING SERVICES UNDER
  EXISTING REGULATORY REGIMES
• THE REPORT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNMENT IN
  JUNE 1997 AND ADVISED THAT

10
LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK..

• IN CONSIDERATION OF CONVERGENCE OF TECHNOLOGIE
  AND SIMILARITIES AND OVERLAP OF FUNCTIONS, ONE
  COMMISSION BE ESTABLISHED TO REGULATE TELECOMS,
  BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA

11
LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK...

• ADVANTAGES OF MERGER
• ECONOMIES OF SCALE
• HAVE BEST TECHNICAL ADVISE TO THE GOVERNMENT
• DEVELOP CAPACITY FOR EFFECTIVE FULFILMENT OF
  FUNCTIONS
• UNIFORMITY IN DECISION MAKING
• COORDINATE DEVELOPMENT AND SAVE RESOURCES

12
WAY FORWARD

• NEED FOR ICT POLICY AND REVIEW OF EXISTING LEGAL
  AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ARE MOST URGENT ISSUES
  THAT THE GOVERNMENT NEED TO ADDRESS URGENTLY
• NEED TO TRANFORM EXISTING LEGAL AND REGULATORY
  FRAMEWORK HAS BEN PROPOSED

13
LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

• REFORM PROCESS SHOULD TAKE NOTE THAT
• COMMUNICATIONS IS ONE OF THE UNION MATTERS -
  CONSULTATION WITH ALL PARTIES ESSENTIAL
• EXPLOIT EXISTING INFO-COMMUNICATIONS POLICIES,
  LEGISLATIONS AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK TO DEVELOP
  NEW ONES

14
LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK.

• BUILD ON THE EXISTING REGULATORY STRUCTURES
• COMPARATIVE STUDY ON NEW MERGERS UNDERTAKEN E.G.
  SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA, BOTSWANA ETC BE
  UNDERTAKEN
• REGIONAL INITIATIVES ON POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE
  DEVELOPMENT BE CONSIDERED

15
CONCLUSION

• ICT IS DEVELOPMENT DRIVER THAT TANZANIA CANNOT
  AFFORD LOSE
• ICT INCREASES EFFICIENCY, REDUCES COSTS AND LEADS
  TO INNOVATION OF NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
• BENEFITS REALISED WITH CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT
  POLICY AND LEGAL FRAMEWORKS.