http://lirneasia.net LIRNEasia Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:16:53 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Politicians are not known for strict adherence to truth, but I personally thought the Minister of Science and Technology Tissa Vitarana being a man of science was cut from different cloth. The first time he stated that the original telecenters set up under e Sri Lanka (Vishva Gnana Kendra ... http://lirneasia.net/2009/07/were-the-original-e-sri-lanka-telecenters-urban-or-rural/ Talk in the Bangladesh telecom sector has been focused on taxes these days because the government had proposed a 25% tax on handsets and the retention of the controversial TK 800 tax on SIMs. These are counterproductive taxes both in terms of improving government revenues and connecting people electronically; ... http://lirneasia.net/2009/07/bangladesh-budget-retains-some-barriers-to-connectivity/ It appears that the India-Sri Lanka joint venture in business process outsourcing is having a hard time because Sri Lankans are difficult to train. The LBO article is worth a read, but here is a key quote. Revenues had fallen as the US recession took its toll on the auto ... http://lirneasia.net/2009/07/how-to-succeed-in-the-bpo-business-or-not/ A recently released World Bank report states that mobile prices in Sri Lanka dropped by 43%, the world's highest, in 2004-06. Next were Uzbekistan and Chad at -37% and -31% respectively. http://lirneasia.net/2009/07/sri-lanka-steepest-drop-in-mobile-prices-in-2004-06/ In an informal interview with well-known journalist and blogger Frederick Noronha at the 3rd PAN ALL Partners' Conference held in June, Rohan Samarajiva explains the importance of wireless technology, particularly for business-related purposes, based on T@BOP findings for 2008. He emphasizes that when comparing the effectiveness of different communication telephonies, ... http://lirneasia.net/2009/07/interview-with-rohan-samarajiva-is-one-call-the-same-as-another/ LIRNEasia’s most recent colloquium, Mobile 2.0: m-money for the unbanked was held via Skype.  Erwin Alampay (PhD) , LIRNEasia research fellow, presented his working paper  mobile 2.0 on m-money, from Manila, Philippines, via Skype to participants in three separate locations: Colombo, Sri Lanka (at LIRNEasia’s office), Yunnan, China and Bangkok, ... http://lirneasia.net/2009/07/call-clarity-has-skype-or-broadband-quality-improved/ In other countries, government are focusing on removing electronic equipment from the waste stream, basically requiring the equipment vendors to take the unwanted equipment back. Since January, Washington State residents and small businesses have been allowed to drop off their televisions, computers and computer monitors free of charge to ... http://lirneasia.net/2009/06/sri-lanka-what-is-the-environment-ministry-doing-with-the-envi-levy/ Colloquium conducted by Dr. Erwin Alampay of NCPAG, Philippines. Presentation began by looking at the potential for M-money. Why should we use m-money? Improving efficiency: Improve services, financial services. BOP a target. BOP (migrants) relies on various forms of remittances Looking at Filipinos, 9% of BOP had a relative living abroad, and 13% in another ... http://lirneasia.net/2009/06/colloquium-mobile-20-m-money-for-the-unbanked/ Findings on public phone use from the Teleuse@BOP3 study have been published in the Indian media. An excerpt of one, published by Yahoo, India follows: A new study says public telephones are the most frequently used method of making calls by Indian women at the bottom of the social pyramid compared ... http://lirneasia.net/2009/06/findings-on-public-phone-use-from-tbop3-study-in-indian-media/ The results of the migrant study that was conducted along with the teleuse@BOP 3 study were released in Dhaka today. The first of the news coverage: Expatriate Bangladeshis called home more frequently than their Pakistani, Indian, Sri Lankan and Filipino counterparts, spending $48 a month to stay in touch, a survey says. The ... http://lirneasia.net/2009/06/media-coverage-of-dhaka-release-of-migrant-study-results/ The main problem, identified by India and Sri Lanka health workers, with the Rural technology and Business Incubator (RTBI) developed m-HealthSurvey mobile application, was in the look up content. The application allows for the user to search for a disease name by typing a few characters of the name. Upon ... http://lirneasia.net/2009/06/gow-visit-june-2009/ LIRNEasia's recent research on ICT use and remittances among migrant workers was released in Dhaka on 28 June 2009. The study of over 1,500 domestic and overseas migrant workers in six Asian countries (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and Sri Lanka) has yielded some interesting insights in Bangladesh, with important ... http://lirneasia.net/2009/06/teleusebop-migrant-study-findings-to-be-released-in-dhaka/ The Shining Path did it; the JVP in Sri Lanka did it; the Taliban have made it a habit, and now the Maoists are on the job. What is this telephone envy? Concerned over frequent setback to telecommunication, hampering operations against the Naxals, the Home Ministry has offered that the ... http://lirneasia.net/2009/06/who-hates-mobiles/ AT Kearny has issued the 2009 Global Services Index. The good news for South Asia is that Sri Lanka has moved up from 29 to 16 and Pakistan from 30 to 20. India, of course, sits at the top, no change from 2007. The advances of Sri ... http://lirneasia.net/2009/06/sri-lanka-and-pakistan-rise-in-bpo-rankings-headed-by-india-but-by-enough-where-is-bangladesh/ LIRNEasia Lead Economist Harsha de Silva was recently appointed to a five-member Scientific Advisory committee for a two-year multi-country African research project, eAgriculture Network for Africa (eARN Africa): Effectiveness of Electronic-Based Interventions in Linking African Farmers to Markets. The project aims study the effectiveness of ICT-based intervention in linking African ... http://lirneasia.net/2009/06/lirneasia-lead-economist-appointed-to-scientific-advisory-committee-earn-africa/