THE CHALLENGE OF UNIVERSAL ACCESS AFRICAN SOLUTIONS FOR AFRICA 1ST 4TH MARCH 2005 COUNTRY CASE : UNI

1
THE CHALLENGE OF UNIVERSAL ACCESS AFRICAN
SOLUTIONS FOR AFRICA1ST 4TH MARCH
2005?????COUNTRY CASE UNIVERSAL ACCESS IN
UGANDA

• BY
• PATRICK F. MASAMBU
• e-mail patmas_at_ucc.co.ug

2
2. INTRODUCTION

• Ugandas policy reforms launched almost a decade
  ago
  
• Implemented in earnest starting in 1998 with
• ? Split of incumbent Uganda PT in Feb 98
  incorporation of successor entities (UTL,
  UPL)
  
• ? Licensing Second Network Operator, MTN
• ? Establishing regulatory agency, UCC
• ? Legalised (sector wide) competition
• Universal Access Fund provided for in
  Communications Act

3
3. POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

• Duopoly and Exclusivity to specified services for
  5 years effective mid 2000
  
• Targeted eightfold increase in teledensity
• Geographically nationwide coverage
• Vertical market and licensing structure
• Technologically neutral regulation
• Percentage Levy (1) contribution to Universal
  Fund

4
4. PROCESS AND KEY CONTENT OF UA POLICY AND
STRATEGY

• Policy formulation process based on 2 stage
  approach
  
• ? Country and sector review including baseline
  demand study on universal access
  
• ? Stakeholder consultation
• UA Policy objectives
• ? Achieving UA to basic communications services
  within a reasonable distance by 2005

5
Process key content.contd

• ? Support of establishment of local Internet
  Point of Presence (PoP) in every District of
  Uganda
  
• ? Promote ICT usage through variety of options
• ? Ensure effective utilisation of resources of
  RCDF
  
• Strategies
• ? Use of RCDF as the main tool of rural
  communications development
  

6
Process key content.contd

• ? Access to the funds to be on a
• competitive basis
• ? Employment of SMART subsidies
• (reverse auction based)
• ? Packaging of essential supported services to
  form basic access
  
• ? Strategic geographical zoning to balance
  various public and private interests

7
5. MOTIVATION AND RATIONALE FOR UA TARGETS

• The recognition of the role ICTs play in human
  development
  
• ? direct linkage between ICTs and development
• The desire to identify an innovative mechanism
  for addressing the access issues.
  
• The opportunity to leverage further sector
  investment through smart subsidies

8
Motivation and rationalecontd

• Inclusion of serve or lose clauses in main
  operator licences with respect to rural areas
  threat opportunity to new entrants
  
• The desire to achieve geographical spread
• ? targeting sub-counties as reference point
• New approach Targets aimed at enabling human
  development plans of various government delivery
  sectors
  

9
Motivation and rationalecontd

• ? Institutional access points
• ? Public Access Points
• ? Technology neutrality
• ? Pricing relying on competition
• incentives

10
6. MANAGEMENT ADMINI- STRATION OF PROGRAMME

• A Rural Communications Development Board
• RCDF Manual of procedures detailing
• ? Board functions
• ? Disbursement Procedures
• ? Operational guidelines
• ? Tendering principles

11
7. SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES ACHIEVEMENTS
TODATE

• Based on 1 envelope growing size of fund
• Permits contributions from government, donors,
  multilateral/bilateral agencies
  
• Comprehensive Monitoring Evaluation
• So far
• ? 20 Internets Points of Presence
• ? District Information Portals for each of the
  56 districts

12
Sustainability strategies.. contd

• ? 20 Internet Cafes established
• ? 30 ICT Training centres established
• ? 66 public payphones in place, 200
• more by July 2005
• Separately a major programme based on seed
  funding from World Bank, but principally in line
  with UA policy is ongoing

13
Sustainability strategies contd

• ? Financing 32 POPs
• ? Public Access points in 154 sub- counties

14
8. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE
POLICY/STRATEGY/ PROGRAMMES

• Strengths
• The holistic approach in solving the access gaps
• Involvement of Public/Private Partnerships
• The growing size of funding envelope
• The use of SMART subsidies

15

• Weaknesses
• Risk of distorting market dynamics
• Sustainability, in particular for telecetnres
• In the initial policy holisticity was not
  addressed adequately
  

16
9. SUCCESS AND FAILURES

• The geographical spread of infrastructure and
  penetration in general
  
• Prices have been significantly reduced
• The major operators have owned up and embraced
  the policy
  
• In certain parts of the country, progress has not
  been as good as anticipated.
  
• Affordability still remains a major challenge

17
10. CONCLUSION

• At the end of this process, we expect the
• following
• One public access point per 2,500 of population
• An Internet café/ICT training centre per
  district
  
• Information portals for all the districts
• One PoP at each District headquarter
• An MCT in the 20 pilot districts

18

• Thank you