Subject: Telecentre projects
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--On Thu, Mar 4, 1999 9:36 AM -0500 "Peter Benjamin" wrote:
Dear all,
Revisiting Theresa Pittman's theme on an inventory of telecentres,
here is a list put together for the BICA Conference. It is in a
longer paper (commissioned by IDRC) reviewing and summarising a
range of telecentre-related conferences (Guelph, AfriComm, MPCC,
NTCA, Budapest) and email lists (telecentres-l, GKD, Afrcomm,
Devel-l), and gives a (partial) list of websites, articles and
resources around telecnetres. I am happy to send the full paper to
anyone, but it is 184 Kb and so I'm not dumping it to the list. It's
not on the web yet, but will go up on the BICA and ITU sites.
Cheers,
Peter
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APPENDIX C: TELECENTRE CONTACTS & PROJECTS
This is a non-exhaustive list of some of the contacts and national
projects we came across in compiling this report.
BANGLADESH
Grameen Telecom, Village Phone
gtelecom@grameen.net
BENIN
Malanville Telecentre. ITU and partner supported.
(Details on http://www.itu.int/ITU-D-UniversalAccess/0303climatefaq.htmltml)
BHUTAN
Jakar Telecentres. ITU and partner supported.
(Details on http://www.itu.int/ITU-D-UniversalAccess/0303climatefaq.htmltml)
CANADA
Rich Fuchs, FUTUREWORKS Inc. rfuchs@futureworks.ca
http://www.futureworks.caUniversalAccess/0303climatefaq.htmltml
Michael Gurstein. Centre for Community and Enterprise Networking
(C\CEN) Mgurst@ccen.uccb.ns.ca Http://ccen.uccb.ns.ca
COLOMBIA
http://www.redes-comunitarias.apc.orgess/0303climatefaq.htmltml
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
http://www.sas.cornell.edu/cresp/ecopartners/ruralinet.htmlltml
ECUADOR
Roberto Roggiero, Ecuanex, APC roggiero@ecuanex.net.ec
Project of telecentres in rainforest indigenous communities in the
Ecuadorian Amazon, part of "Latinamerican Telecentres Projects", APC
and IDRC.) http://www.redes-comunitarias.apc.orgartners/ruralinet.htmlltml
EL SALVADOR
Clemente San Sebastian clemente@insatelsa.com
National network of franchised `InfoCentres, with 14 big Incubators
(one per province). Focus on local information creation.
ESTONIA
Endel Ervin, Telecottages Association, Estonia
(Contact through ITU, http://www.itu.int/ITU-D-UniversalAccestners/ruralinet.htmlltml)
GHANA
Tod Bruning
Rural telecenter in Wa, Ghana
GUATEMALA
Bob Adams bob@globaldevelopment.org
Global Development Center (a US NGO). Linking 200 Guatemalan NGOs.
HAITI
Yacine Khelladi yacine.exec@rehred-haiti.net
Project design of a "telecenter for development network" for Haiti.
HONDURAS
Valle de Angeles Telecentre. ITU and partners supported.
(Details on http://www.itu.int/ITU-D-UniversalAccessners/ruralinet.htmlltml)
INDIA
Rajkot District telecentres (12). ITU and partners supported.
(Details on http://www.itu.int/ITU-D-UniversalAccessners/ruralinet.htmlltml)
INDONESIA
Handoko Suwono h_suwono@sby.dnet.net.id
http://www.eGroups.com/list/datacom.cessners/ruralinet.htmlltml To join the list is very simple,
just send an 'empty' message to mailto:datacom-subscribe@eGroups.com.
IRELAND
Local Ireland http://www.loca.ie.com/list/datacom.cessners/ruralinet.htmlltml
KENYA
Muriuki Mureithi summit@africaonline.co.ke
IDRC Acacia Project officer.
MALI
Timbuktu telecentre. ITU and partners supported.
(Details on http://www.itu.int/ITU-D-UniversalAccessners/ruralinet.htmlltml)
MEXICO
Scott S. Robinson ssr@laneta.apc.org
Univ Metropolitana - Iztapalapa
MOZAMBIQUE
Polly Gaster polly@nambu.uem.mz
Eduardo Mondlana University, Establishing telecentres
PERU
Luis Bonifaz LBONIFAZ@osiptel.gob.pe
Peruvian Telecom Investment Fund in Universal Access in Peru.
Jose Soriano js@cahuide.rcp.net.pe
Peru telecentre activist, plans for 1,000. 190 Cabinas Publicas.
Karin Delgadillo Poepsel karin@apc.org
Association for Progressive Communication, Quito. Models and
strategies for Telecentres in small town and rural areas with limited
infrastructure.
PAKISTAN
http://www.idrc.ca/pan/tele04029.htmlessners/ruralinet.htmlltml
PHILIPPINES
In Zamboanga, Mindanao.
Contact through Don Richardson, drichard@uoguelph.ca
SOUTH AFRICA
Fikile Khumalo fikile@icon.co.za
Head of the Universal Service Agency. http://www.usa.org.zan/tele04029.htmlessners/ruralinet.htmlltml
Lauren Fok lauren@sn.apc.org
SangoNet (APC node in South Africa). Much work on telecentres.
Peter Benjamin peter@sn.apc.org
Academic / practitioner on telecentres
SA Multi-Purpose Community Centre work:
http://www.sn.apc.org/nitf/mpcc9.htmlessners/ruralinet.htmlltml
SURINAME
Brownsweg, Suriname Community Telecentres. ITU and partners
supported.
http://www.itu.int/ITU-D-UniversalAccess/photos/suriname/suriname.htm
SWEDEN
Lennarth Bernhardsson Lennarth@metis.se
Telecottage in Färgelanda has 13 local centres.
http://www.fyrbodal.net/OmRIV/OmRIVeng.htmhotos/suriname/suriname.htm
TANZANIA
Maneno Mengi maneno@africaonline.co.tz
ICT and telecentre work in Tanzania
Sengerema telecentre. ITU and partners supported.
(Details on http://www.itu.int/ITU-D-UniversalAccesstmhotos/suriname/suriname.htm)
UGANDA
Dr Zerubabel Mijumbi Nyiira uncst@starcom.co.ug
Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST).
Project Leader for the community basedmultipurpose telecentres. Two
out of 5 community telecentres are being established
http://www.acacia.or.ug/-UniversalAccesstmhotos/suriname/suriname.htm
Nakeseki telecentre. ITU and partners supported.
(Details on http://www.itu.int/ITU-D-UniversalAccesstmhotos/suriname/suriname.htm)
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Steve Ronan ctcnet@edc.org
Community Technology Centers' Network (CTCNet), is a network of more
than 250 organizations http://www.ctcnet.orgU-D-UniversalAccesstmhotos/suriname/suriname.htm
UNITED KINGDOM
http://www.telecottages.orgiversalAccesstmhotos/suriname/suriname.htm
http://www.tca.org.ukes.orgiversalAccesstmhotos/suriname/suriname.htm
Paddy Moindrot paddy@cymru.net
Telecottages, Wales
VIET NAM
Dak Lak telecentre. ITU and partners supported.
(Details on http://www.itu.int/ITU-D-UniversalAccesstmhotos/suriname/suriname.htm)
ZIMBABWE
Anthony Bloome abloome@africaonline.co.zw
World Links for Development Program www.worldbank.org/worldlinks)
Establishing ICT centers in schools/community centers
Other projects:
Glen Farrell glenf@col.org
Commonwealth of Learning (Vancouver) pilot ICT projects in India,
Bangladesh and Zambia.
=====================
Peter Benjamin
Wits University
Tel: +27 11 488 5905
Fax: +27 11 484 2729
Email: Peter@sn.apc.org
The message below (cross-posted from the telecentres-l List) continues the
discussion on viable funding alternatives for the establishment of
telecenters.
The Moderators
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Hello all,
You've not heard from me before but I'd like to jump into the fray. I work
for IDRC in Johannesburg on Small and Micro-Enterprise sector programming
issues. I am also 'on the fringes' of 'ICT and telecentres' matters in
South Africa and am trying to an eye on what the private sector is doing
whilst the public sector grapples with telecentres, universal access, etc.
I don't know whether people may be already thinking about what I am about
to say, so please forgive me if this is 'old hat'. I'd like to address what
I see as one or two of the strategic issues underlying any definitional
debate about market-driven versus supply-driven 'telecentre things' and
what these are or are not to various people.
1 If I may make a sweeping generalization, Jose/Don and
Gilles/Steve's
recent comments respectively represent 'market-driven' and 'supply-driven'
paths towards achieving universal access (UA). As noted by Jose, there are
- as in the case of small business support service models - are likely to
be as many useful and valid models to achieving UA as there are different
'special publics' (to borrow a term from Korten) to be served.
From a financial sustainability point of view, some of these models
may be entirely market driven and highly profitable, some may generate a
partial revenue base but depend on a partial subsidy, and others may be
wholly subsidized. Self evident.
The choice of 'which model' is dependent upon a range of factors,
financial affordability being one of many considerations.
The affordability question can't be avoided and from a strategic
perspective (ie: achieving UA to basic telcomms services, achieving larger
Information Society (IS) visions - people accessing and using information
to advantage, etc), it may be helpful to 'unbundle' and separate questions
about rolling out and paying for points of access (POAs) such as
telecentres, phoneshops and internet kiosks, from questions about how
value-added tele-services content is developed, delivered - ie: into these
POAs - and paid for.
2 Individual POAs (call them telecentres if you prefer), by
definition,
offer access to local markets with varied needs that both vary over time
and vary dynamically (ie: creation of new opportunities creates new needs
and demand for new services). It is difficult to think in terms of a single
POA acquiring the full range of competencies likely to be needed to develop
and supply a varying mix of services to meet local market needs, needs
which shift over time. Indeed, 'good people' - not-for-profit telecentre
champions, for example - once skilled often end up migrating to more
lucrative endeavours in the 'market' often undermining the institution they
leave behind.
Beyond offering basic on site services (ie: word processing,
photocopy,
computer training, etc) it seems more likely to me that POAs will become
'franchisees', 'resellers' or agents of various tele-services designed,
packaged and managed by others which the POAs will 'mix and match' (not
quite so simple as that, I know!) to satisfy identified local market needs
- virtual agricultural trading markets
- agricultural extension information services
- local tourism destination marketing
- local small business - to urban business - transactions
facilities
- distance education on line
- government information access
- banking and e-commerce facilities, municiple rates
payments
- on line shopping
- POP communications services (voicemail, email, internet
telephony, website design and hosting, wireless local loop, etc)
- inputs into local/municiple planning processes
- voter, births, deaths registration ?
etc
etc
3 By conceptually unbundling the financing and roll out of POAs from
that of tele-services, perhaps one can more strategically and easily
contend with competency, roll out and financial sustainability questions?
Let me indulge in a little scenario to illustrate. As selected
tele-services are developed (ie: by tertiary educational institutions,
banking industry, IT companies, government , etc - and this is happening
now here in SA) POAs will be set up or otherwise targeted and contracted to
offer such tele-services in local markets. Whether the POA is an existing
subsidized telecentre or a privately owned affair is moot as long as (a) a
local market exists to be served and (b) performance of the POA can be
assured. The 'franchisor' in each case will determine local POA competency
requirements, train accordingly and provide backup as required. Thus,
- the viability (financial, competence) of a POA is enhanced thru
each tele-service franchising arrangement it elects to enter into
- the POA is 'plugged into' a series of such arrangements which
expands the bounds of POA learning opportunity, creates synergies,
increases reliability and reduces risk, etc
- progress towards achieving the wider IS goal is accelerated
because
each tele-service can conceivably be offered via a wide range of POAs (ie:
not just via telecentres) .. hence cybercafes in well-to-do urban locales
become as equally legitimate as are rural telecentres (there are zillions
of young rural people staying with urban relatives in cramped conditions
whilst they get an education, look for a job, etc) since the tele-service
and who it is targeting is what counts and not the particular location or
modality of the POA through which such tele-service is accessed per se
- the opportunity is created for governments and IS promotion
agencies
to leverage private sector investment in tele-servicee design/delivery to
accelerate progress towards UA and IS goals because the private sector can,
in turn, access a wider market via supply-driven POAs that it doesn't have
to create and still remain free to also use, or create its own,
market-driven POAs
- scarce public and donor funds might be freed up from funding a
potentially huge number of POAs and more efficiently deployed to
'subsidize' access to such disadvantaged special publics as may be
identified using other mechanisms.
4 There is a larger strategic issue emerging that I think public
agencies like IDRC should perhaps be addressing. Given advances in
technology, the 'market' is beginning to look for opportunities to design
and roll out commercially driven POAs and tele-services to presently
underserved publics (I think that this process will accelerate quickly as
high speed/high bandwidth IT infrastructure backbones become established in
places like Zambia since this, in effect, lowers the capital and running
costs of accessing and servicing remote markets and increases the potential
profitability of extending services to those markets).To give you several,
amongst undoubtably many examples of private sector activity:
- here in South Africa, an Cyberhost, an IT firm has just raised
14,000,000 Rands (USD $2,340,000) thru listing on the JSE. It plans to use
these funds to finance setting up a network of rural internet kiosks,
provision of internet access for farmers, and provision of web TV services
in rural areas. The POAs that Cyberhost plans to set up will also give the
firm access to new markets for its other existing services (web-design and
hosting, for example). Once they've got a POA network in place, you can be
sure that, like Zamnet below, they'll be looking for ways to generage as
much value out of it as they possibly can by pumping in value adding
services.
- the African Communications Group (ACG), has raised some USD $37
Million to finance a roll out of wireless pay phones in rural areas in
Tanzania, Ghana and Sri Lanka. The firm is also developing wireless kiosks
for Internet Access. Like Cyberhost and Zamnet, you can be sure that ACG
won't stop at offering basic communications facilities and will go the
value adding route as well to leverage their investment returns.
- Zamnet, the main ISP in Zambia has realized that its ability to
expand its user base for basis comms is quickly becoming saturated. It is
now looking for joint venture partners to develop tele-services for
targeted markets (ie: legal profession, e-commerce, tourism destination
marketing, etc) to add value into its network and its marketability.
The implication of these trends for the more supply-driven
initiatives and for government UA/IS policy is clear enough.
As private sector activity gains momentum, supply-driven
initiatives
may quickly become eclipsed and marginalized by private sector initiatives
as it looks for ways to supply the market (be it the consumer, farmer,
student, medical practitioner, or govenment in need of making information
available, collecting rates or registering voters) with innovative and cost
effective value added solutions.
(NB: it may well be that Jose's ISP is already doing this as well??)
One can debate the extent to which this may happen and how quickly
or not, or whether supply-driven efforts are necessary to serve special
publics that the market isn't interested in, etc.
But questions of the performance and sustainability of
supply-driven efforts are strategic issues that can't be ignored.
The more that market-driven POA and tele-service efforts tap and
'capture' local revenue generating opportunities and are able to do so to
consumer satisfaction (ie: consumers are willing to pay for services that
are efficient and give them what they need), the more difficult it will
become for supply-driven efforts to find and maintain revenue generating
niches (unless by government preference or reserve) with which to pay their
way as donor fatigue and government fiscal constraint sets in.
And, the more efficient and effective the market-driven efforts
become,the more likely it is that governments will favour using the market
to
achieve its UA/IS objectives for affordability reasons.
5 This reasoning then raises the question of how supply-side
agencies
like IDRC should perhaps respond (it would be embarrassing to one day find
that we are promoting solutions that have become outdated!). I am not at
all sure myself, but sense that one ought to be:
- systematically scanning what each national market is doing, or
planning to do and seeing how this relates to agendas on the public/supply
side
- looking for and supporting ways to 'engage' the market place on
market terms (rather than, for example, inviting the market to buy into a
supply-driven agenda)
- supporting the evolution of national UA/IS roll out vision and
strategy that harness markets and employ scarce public/donor resources to
'fill in service gaps', address access equity concerns, etc.
- these activities can't be achieved without fostering and
supporting dialogue and colloboration between government and market players
6 The future 'game plan' to achieving US/IS might perhaps be
comparable
to experience in many other public service delivery sectors. To give but
two examples:
- privatization of postal POA services in Canada, South Africa and
elswhere is resulting in better service quality, wider availability of
postal services, lower burden on the public fiscus, etc
- major new roads infrastructures in SA are increasingly being
financed, built and operated on a '20 year then hand over to state in good
repair' basis by the private sector.
Some food for thought anyway!
Nigel
Nigel Motts
Senior Program Officer
IDRC, Johannesburg
eml: NMotts@idrc.org.za
tel: +27 11 403 3952
fax: +27 11 403 1417
web: http://www.idrc.org.za-D-UniversalAccesstmhotos/suriname/suriname.htm
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Original Text
From: "Jose Soriano" , on 2/14/99 7:30 PM:
Steve, In general as always I agree with you but...
When i was a young student we used to say: what is in fact
the work of a sociologist?, and some of us
ianswered "is a guy who study the better way to discuss
definitions in order to be payed for that and not have
to work... I am a sociologist by the way.
My own definition of telecentres is as extensive as all
our diversitie is. The main definition is the telecentres
project must be in the hands and control of the civil society,
and over all other definition, must be self sustainable.
In real terms this means must be profitable in a long term
bussiness case (10 years). The definition about what this
projets do with this profits (they reivest in the same
or other similar projets ) give the definition of the
institution who manage the project as a for no profit
purposes.
We cannot talk about telecenters as the reality of somewhere
could be cut and paste to other reality. We are talking
about a bunch of diferent countries, cultures, languages
and situations... We must not try to asimilate what we
know or the realitie of our country to others...
In our case we developp the model, we install by
ourselves some of this telecentres( 20), and the civil
society emulates and make their own developement
installing 170 additional all around the
country.
This was the first steps. Now we are ready to
begin with the second phase, install in 3 countrys in
the region more than 1000 telecentres. This second fase
is based in create an scale model to have more impact,
and services in a distribute basis sistem but using
the advantages of "market of scale" but always over
the control of the civil society. Is very important
to remark at the first phase and this second phase the
model don't receive any money from multilateral international
organizations or gouvernements. In both phases we have
very clear some priciples:
we don't give the priority to the technology, we give
priority to have solutions to the real people, even
mixing differents technologys more used or difussed.
we don't sub-estimate the needs and capabilities of
the real people to create their own solutions and
ways to pay a service if it is a real solution and
usefull for them. We don't want to be the unique
solution, we share all what we learn, and we learn
a lot from the real people..
we don't base our developement in technology,
we are based in aplication of apropiate technology,
training and (sobre todo )over all giving one example
showing this is posible.
we don't make any projects or application without
"profit" in a middle and long term in order to
be sure this will be self sustainable.
All our projects are based in a very large scale
to be sure we can have affordable and little
prices and almost all the new fases of the
projects and developpement in Peru and other
countrys are financed by "comertial " investment
of big companys or venture capital, even some
national gouvernement, but always the management
and control of the projets are in the hands of
civil society non profit institutions. We are
talking about more than 40 million dollars of
investement and almost the 30 % of the dividends
this money will generate will be used to
the empowerment, creation of "becas" or
paying the conectivity or equipment for the
communities with less resources.
The future is possible only in the hands of
the people who dare to imagine it.
Sorry for my nasty english, but as always
maybe we must make this list multilingual...
js
Jose Soriano M.
General Manager
Red Cientifica Peruana