Monthly Archives: January, 2009
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How the Internet can help a policy research organization
As part of IDRC’s announcement of the extension of the think tank initiative to South Asia, a policy research roundtable was organized in Galle on January 21st, 2009. I was asked to speak about innovations related to the research infrastructure. This is what I came up with.
The most interesting stuff, in my [...]
India: The Impact of Mobile Phones
A recent report of the same title, published by Vodafone and ICRIER, India, reveal that Indian states with high mobile penetration can be expected to grow faster than those states with lower mobile penetration rates, namely, 1.2% points for every 10% increase in the penetration rate.
The research also highlights the role of mobile along with complementary [...]
Sri Lanka: Finally, calls to India are cheaper than to the US
In August 2008, LIRNEasia made a big push to eliminate the anomaly of intra-SAARC calls that were more expensive than calls to Singapore, UK, USA and other liberalized markets. This bore fruit in the form of para 6 of the SAARC Summit Declaration:
The Heads of State or Government observed that an effective and economical regional [...]
Mobile companies to Obama fans: Don’t hang on the phone
There are many who think telecom networks should be congestion free, always, like during or just before a disaster. It is practically impossible because no network can be economically designed and run for unusual peak loads. The report that mobile companies in the US are asking their customers to go easy on calls and MMS, [...]
Indonesia: Qatar Tel to begin Indosat shares tender
Qatar Telecommunications Co QTEL said on Saturday it would begin tender offers for shares in Indonesian telecoms firm PT Indosat on Tuesday to lift its stake to 65 percent, the maximum allowed.
Indonesia limits foreign ownership in the telecommunication sector to a maximum of 65 percent for mobile phone operators and 49 percent for fixed-line operators.
Two [...]
Asian regulators talk quality of broadband services
It is good to see that quality of service (QoS) is coming under the Asian regulatory microscopes. The Philippines regulator has called for improved service quality of broadband while India’s TRAI has initiated a public consultation. The region may be exploding with growth but it is also infested with adulterated services. Precisely, the Asian service [...]
Harsha De Silva: Reaching out to new audiences
As our regular readers know, LIRNEasia is normally modest about our achievements. We see no reason blowing our own horn when we have others to do so.
Still when International Research Development Center (IDRC) profiles Harsha De Silva, we see no reason not reproduce the same – particularly, when it refers to our research.
Extract:
After his studies, [...]
A contribution to the discussion on India-Sri Lanka economic relations
Update: Media coverage – ‘Prudent Trade and Policy Strategies with India will benefit Sri Lanka‘, The Island, 15.01.09
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This work was outside LIRNEasia’s core research program, but is still relevant because it addresses questions on services trade and investment between two countries LIRNEasia works in. The forum was Sanvada, a policy dialogue run by the Pathfinder [...]
Dangers of facebook hyped?
The Internet may not be such a dangerous place for children after all.
A task force created by 49 state attorneys general to look into the problem of sexual solicitation of children online has concluded that there really is not a significant problem.
The findings ran counter to popular perceptions of online dangers as reinforced by depictions [...]
Does a websearch kill a tree?
According to this research finding, Google is warming the planet by giving us fast websearches.
Performing two Google searches from a desktop computer can generate about the same amount of carbon dioxide as boiling a kettle for a cup of tea, according to new research.
While millions of people tap into Google without considering the environment, a [...]
Setback to One Laptop per Child
Global economic downturn spares none and its latest victim is the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) Foundation. The OLPC is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachussetts and the organisation’s laudable aim is to provide free “basic” laptop computers to deprived children in poor countries. However, as MIT professor Nicholas Negroponte, the OLPC’s founder admits, “We’re no longer the [...]
Sri Lanka: Bharti Airtel rates out
It looks pretty simple. Incoming free. Outgoing Rs. 2 per minute (to any phone) Local SMS Rs. 1.00 (to any) International SMS Rs. 5.
Phone charges are same for prepaid and post paid. Cannot figure out why one should go for post-paid.
There is also a broadband package for Rs. 300. (Minimum commitment)
Download the rate sheet for more [...]
More than 40 towers a month in the small Sri Lanka market
Sri Lanka is a small and densely populated country. When the oldest mobile operator (started business in 1989) says that it is adding 40 towers a month, it shows a real hard push to increase coverage in rural Sri Lanka. The reward is reaching 2 million customers and high customer satisfaction ratings, according to the [...]
Vietnam: IT, telecoms revenue up 38%
IT and telecom businesses in Vietnam achieved a revenue of more than US$5.4 billion in 2008, a 38 percent increase over 2007.
The IT industry’s revenue alone increased by 20 percent to US$3 billion, and its export turnover from electronic and telecom products reached US$2.4 billion, according to Information and Communications Minister Le Doan Hop.
Speaking at [...]
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