The Aspen Institute has published a report entitled, ‘m-Powering India: Mobile Communications for Inclusive Growth’ co-authored by Mahesh Uppal and Richard P. Adler, which documents the discussions from the Aspen Institute India/ C & S Joint Roundtable on Communication Policy held in Kovalam, India in February, 2008. LIRNEasia’s Executive Director, Rohan Samarajiva, participated at the event, which brought together senior representatives from the telecommunications industry, government and academia.
The objective of the meeting was to develop policy proposals that would contribute to the development of low-cost and high-quality telecom infrastructure needed to facilitate seamless transactions of mobile commerce.
A summary of the main recommendation (as documented in the report) is given below. An online version of the report is also available HERE.
Key recommendations
Infrastructure
•All carriers should be granted easy access to essential infrastructure at a…
Tags: Aspen Institute, Aspen Institute India, Department of Telecommunications, e-government services, India, Kovalam, Mahesh Uppal, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Richard P. Adler, Rohan Samarajiva, telecom infrastructure, telecommunications industry, wireless broadband.
This colloquium was led by Dilani Hirimuthugodage and Indika Siriwardena from the Institute of Policy Studies, Sri Lanka.
Milestones in the telecom regulatory landscape between 1980 and2006:
- Bifurcation of post and telecommunication in 1980
- Corporatization of the incumbent in 1991
- Issued licences for two WLL operators (Suntel and Lanka Bell)
- Partial privatization of the incumbent in 1997
- Incumbent’s monopoly on international telephony ended in 2003
- CDMA licences were issued in 2005
- 1st commercial 3G mobile licence issued in 2006
One of the more significant changes during 2006-07 was the introduction of the tax: a 10% tax on call charges was introduced instead of 2.5% and 50 rupee fixed monthly tax removed.
At present, Sri Lanka has 4 fixed access telephone operators, 5 cellular mobile operators, 6 data communications (facility – based) and 19 data communications…
Lakbima News, 10 August 2008:
An article published in the Lakbima News documents an interview held with Prof. Rohan Samarajiva on the proposed mobile phone taxes in Sri Lanka:
“Economic incentives are used to help the environment. The objective of such measures is not to make money - the sole objective should be to prevent people from doing things harmful to the environment. But if we take the two per cent envy levy on mobiles - for this to qualify as an incentive, it should modify certain behaviour…the behaviour that is modified is the use of mobile phones.”
(Opening Panel, from left: Hernan Galperin (DIRSI, speaking); Bill Melody, Rohan Samarajiva (LIRNEasia), Alison Gillwald (RIA!), Anders Henten (LIRNE European network) and Amy Mahan (Comunica/LIRNE coordination))
It is not that we had never met, but this was a sustained full-day engagement. The last time all the LIRNE.NET entities and their primary funder IDRC were in the same room, it was amidst the cacophony of WSIS in Tunis in November 2005. People talked but listening was not always possible.
The setting was radically different this time; it was peaceful Ottawa, the meeting had been in planning for months, and almost all the key players were there (Ben Petrazzinni was missed). IDRC had been funding the African, Asia-Pacific and Latin America & Caribbean entities for varying lengths of time under the pro-market, pro-poor…
Report on the 12th Executive Course on Telecom Reform, 10 - 14 June 2008, conducted by LIRNEasia and CONNECTasia Forum (Pte.) Ltd.
Rohan Samarajiva, Course Director
The 12th Executive Course on “Telecom Reform: Strategies to achieve connectivity and convergence,” co-organized by LIRNEasia and Connectasia, and funded by the IDRC, was successfully completed by 21 persons from 13 countries, ranging from Brazil to Fiji and from Kenya to Kyrgyzstan. It was held from June 10th – 14th, 2008 at the Changi Village Hotel, Singapore.
Participants consisted of 12 persons from research organizations, four from Public-interest organizations, three from the management of telecom operators and two from regulatory agencies. In particular, 57 per cent of the participants were women.
The course consisted of two components: a conventional lecture and assignment-based model of four-and-a-half days…
LIRNEasia researchers participated at the International Telecommunications Society (ITS) 17th Biennial Conference in Montreal, Canada, from June 24-27 2008. The theme of the conference was on, ‘The Changing Structure of the Telecommunications Industry and the New Role of Regulation’.
The picture above shows Professor Sudharma Yoonaidharma, Commissioner, National Telecommunciations Commission of Thailand commenting on the presentations made at the second of the two LIRNE.NET sessions, watched by (from left) Rohan Samarajiva and Payal Malik from LIRNEasia, Roxana Barrentes from DIRSI and Anders Henten from LIRNE Europe. The session was chaired by Hank Intven, Partner at the leading Canadian firm of McCarthy Tetrault (not in the picture).
At a double LIRNE.NET panel, entitled, ‘New regulatory approaches in the face of rapidly changing demand: Research from four continents presented by LIRNE.NET’,…
Tags: Asia, Canada, India, Information Society, International Telecommunications Society, LIRNE.NET, Montreal, Payal, Rohan Samarajiva, sister-networks, telecommunications lessons.
An article, co-written by Anu Samarajiva, and LIRNEasia researchers Ayesha Zainudeen and Harsha de Silva, has been published in the Information for Development (i4d) magazine, on the efficacy of telephones in expediting socio-economic development and buttressing accessibility.
Based on findings from the Teleuse@BOP study conducted in 2006, the article illustrates that while previous studies have provided strong evidence for the connection between phone access and development at a macro level, the link is less clearly visible at a micro-level, with low income users at the BOP failing to perceive the potential financial and economic benefits arising from access to telephony.
The PDF version of the article can be accessed HERE.
Results from the survey responses of 8,660 households do not manifest a strong correlation with the macroeconomic evidence…
The New York Times documents a recent study conducted by Nielsen Mobile among 30, 000 wireless customers, that estimates over 3.6% of all mobile phone users in the United States have used their phones to pay for goods and services. This figure is expected to grow in the future, with nearly half of all users of text messages and mobile internet, stating that they hope to make a mobile phone purchase in the future.
However, security concerns remain. 41 percent of the consumers who transmit data said security was the reason they didn’t buy things via their mobile phone. And 21 percent said they did not trust that the transaction would be completed.
LIRNEasia’s study on Mobile2.0@BOP intends to address such issues relating to M-payments, particularly exploring in detail the case of…
An interesting article on the use of ICTs among those at the BOP, has been written by Syed Mohammed Ali, a participant at the 12th Executive Course on Telecom Reform, held recently in Singapore. The article explores the potential benefits users at the BOP can enjoy from the use of mobile telephony, as well as the current gender divide that exists in some developing countries.
Development through mobiles | Daily Times, Pakistan
Unless the prevailing range of gender-related hurdles in availing the opportunities being provided by communication technologies, it is likely that women may become further marginalised from the economic, social, and political mainstream of their countries.
Citing LIRNEasia research, he argues that that the simplicity and affordability of mobile technology has allowed it to penetrate developing markets fairly…
An Expert Forum on ICT Sector Indicators and Benchmarks Regulation for SAARC Regulatory Authorities, co-organized by LIRNEasia and Connectasia, and funded by the IDRC, was held from June 14 – 15, 2008 at the Changi Village Hotel, Singapore. The forum brought together representatives from National Regulatory Agencies (NRAs), in addition to participants attending the 12th Executive Course on Telecom Reform, held prior to the event, at the same venue.
Photos taken of the event can be viewed HERE.
The presentations made are available for download below; a report outlining the day’s proceedings will follow shortly.
14 June 2008
- Setting the Stage: Intelligent Regulation - Rohan Samarajiva (Dinner speaker)
15 June 2008
- Collecting & Reporting Indicators: Problems & Potential - Helani Galpaya
- Broadband Quality of Service - Rajamanickam Thirumurthy
- Broadband QoS Test Results Illustration - Chanuka Wattegama
- NRA Website Survey: Asia- Pacific -…
Grace Mirandilla, ICT4D researcher from the Philippines, has been a frequent face at LIRNEasia’s capacity building programs since 2005.
Currently an Economic Policy Associate at the Policy Reform Program (PRP) of The Asia Foundation – Philippines, Grace’s research interests include community telecenters, ICT applications for rural areas, and policy reform in general. Her commitment to making an impact on the policy process has paid off significantly. Through consistent effort, she has established herself as a high-quality policy researcher.
Grace exemplifies the success of LIRNEasia’s capacity building efforts. She too feels that the interactions with LIRNEasia have contributed to her personal and professional development.
Her first interactions with LIRNEasia were at the 10th LIRNE.NET Course on Telecom Reform, ‘Catalyzing Change: Strategies to Achieve Connectivity and Convergence’, conducted by LIRNEasia…
The 12th Executive Course on Telecom reform organised by LIRNEasia and CONNECTasia FORUM gets underway in Singapore. The course will be held at Changi Village Hotel from 10-14 June, 2008. This year’s participants will have the added benefit of being part of the Expert Forum for SAARC region regulatory agencies on sector and regulatory performance indicators. The Expert Forum will be on 14-15 June, 2008.
In addition to Dr. Rohan Samarajiva who designed and led the recent Telecom Reform courses, Mr. Muhammed Aslam Hayat (Regulatory Consultant to Grameen Phone), Dr John Ure (Telecom Research Project, University of Hong Kong); Dr. Harsha de Silva (Lead Economist, LIRNEasia) and Ms. Helani Galpaya (Director of Strategic Development, LIRNEasia) have agreed to share their expertise. In addition, there will be…
Yesterday, LIRNEasia successfully concluded 1.5 day Knowledge sharing workshop on methods for ICT user research in emerging markets in Negombo, Sri Lanka. The workshop brought together researchers from the region to share methods (quantitative as well as qualitative) for accurately capturing the teleuse experience of those at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) or in emerging markets.
In conducting its previous research (Teleuse@BOP1 and Teleuse@BOP2), LIRNEasia has found that this kind of research requires a different approach to that in more mature markets. Experience with research in developed markets has involved (in addition to sample surveys, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions) the analysis of telephone bills as well as call logs on mobile phones, and even the deployment of real time technologies such as Interactive Voice Response…
Rohan Samarajiva and Tahani Iqbal will participate at an International Workshop on ICTs and Development: Experiences in Asia, held at the Faculy of Arts and Sciences (Communications & New Media Programme Science, Technology and Society (STS) Cluster), National University of Singapore from 24th - 25th April 2008.
Samarajiva will chair a session, where papers will be presented on the Development of Web 2.0 and Social Networking Websites in Thailand, Internet Adoption and Usage among Farmers in China and the Use of ICTs in Rural India.
Iqbal will present a paper entitled, “Gender Inequalities in Access and Use of Telecom at the Bottom of the Pyramid?: Findings from a Five Country Study”, based on research findings from the Teleuse@BOP2 study.
More information is available here.
EU Allows Mobile Phones on Airplanes, ABC News
The European Union on Monday opened the way for air travelers to use mobile phones to talk, text or send e-mails on planes throughout Europe’s airspace.
Under the plan approved Monday, cell phone users could make and receive calls through an onboard base station. They will be allowed to turn their phones on after the plane reaches 10,000 feet, when other electronic devices such as portable music players and laptops are permitted.
But a host of issues remain, from the cost of mid-flight phone service, to backlash from those who dread the thought of being trapped for hours listening to one-sided conversations.
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