Virtual Discussion 1 (02/03 - 05/03)

[Mangin]

Discussion on the "Issues in the implementation of Broadband Access in Developping" Countries

[Mangin]

First Question: We think that the large scale deployment of broadband access in developing countries is dependent on certain technological breakthroughs. Do you share this point of view?

[EL HADJI MAMAN LAMINOU]

The most important aspect to control should the price to get access to technology like radio systems such as Wimax. Radio systems can easely be used in developping countries. There is no problem of signal propagation du to buildings. Another issue to be takeen into account could be the interconnexion links between network nodes as the part of acces cost. Operators pay a lot for that. So, from my point view, Wimax could be a solution for the last mile in Afrique, where fibre could used for inter nodes links. However, the access cost is the big problem.

[Bruno]

I agree that cost is the central issue, whether talking about last mile access or backhaul. So it is necessary to find ways to drive costs down: this means we have to tackle problems such as energy scarcity, price of equipments, possible lack of well-trained professionals to maintain them, etc. This requires innovative routing protocols, energy-efficient technologies, self-managed equipments, etc.

[EL HADJI MAMAN LAMINOU]

Yes, regarding energy, solar could be one of the best way to tackle this issue. Indeed, it is important to get affordable equipment and insure the transfer of technology and know how in oder to achieve the goal of this initiative. We have to discuss about affordable prices because some time the price could be very low but not a lower as people can afforde it.

Bruno said:

I agree that cost is the central issue, whether talking about last mile access or backhaul. So it is necessary to find ways to drive costs down: this means we have to tackle problems such as energy scarcity, price of equipments, possible lack of well-trained professionals to maintain them, etc. This requires innovative routing protocols, energy-efficient technologies, self-managed equipments, etc.

[Bruno]

Definitely! Perhaps the best way to proceed would consist in establishing a typology of countries i.e. identifying a target cost for a given group of countries (put together on the basis of similar characteristics like GDP/inhabitant, topology of the country, regulation, etc.) and then extending the approach to the whole continent?

[Cleophas Dzinotyiweyi]

Technological Breakthroughs, yes, but such breakthroughs have to be accessible and inclusive if they have to have an impact on development. The breakthroughs must be accessible to the beneficieries of the envisaged development. That means they must be feasible of implementation in every respect including price, they must be suitable for the targeted populations, and they must be acceptable to those populations.


Mangin said:

First Question: We think that the large scale deployment of broadband access in developing countries is dependent on certain technological breakthroughs. Do you share this point of view?

[Jacob B. Odame]

Yes...I think the past few years has seen the emergence of smart solutions in the form of radio devices, WiMAX. Although some of these technologies are expensive, they still help get the right solutions at a relatively cost effective manner. Also there is already the deployment of Mesh Networking which is deployed at relatively lower cost and which have hardware running with Open Source firmware and in some cases locally build antennas (http://wirelessafrica.meraka.org.za/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Africa_...">http://wirelessafrica.meraka.org.za/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Africa_...

[Mangin]

Second Question: What are (or will be) the advantages of low cost broadband access for you, your organization or the people you are working for?

[EL HADJI MAMAN LAMINOU]

First, A huge advantage of many saving and easy access for organisation and even for individuals. As the most of time , people down load information from developped countries, so low cost broadband can help catching down the cost communication for organisation and individuals so that the operational cost of any activities could down. The working time also when down loading information.

[EL HADJI MAMAN LAMINOU]

First, A huge advantage of many saving and easy access for organisation and even for individuals. As the most of time , people down load information from developped countries, so low cost broadband can help catching down the cost communication for organisation and individuals so that the operational cost of any activities could down. The working time also when down loading information.

[EL HADJI MAMAN LAMINOU]

Firstly, A huge advantage of money saving and easy access for organisation and even for individuals. As the most of time , people down load information from developped countries, so low cost broadband can help catching down the cost of communication for organisation and individuals so that the operational cost of any activities could be down. Secondly; the working time also when down loading information could be shorted.

[Bruno]

Yes, I also think that broadband delivery is critical in compensating for part of international transit costs. Beyond that, the problem is that of too much dependency on contents produced in so-called developed countries. The increased generation of local contents is a key challenge, but of course this is another story...