2016 forecast: A4AI highlights affordability as key to broadband access

ITRealms:

The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) has highlighted affordability as a key to broadband access in its seven-point prediction in 2016, reports ITRealms.

According to A4AI, the debate on what constitutes ‘affordable internet’ will heat up the industry in 2016, and governments will develop new plans for expanding access and will set ambitious targets to work toward the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals.

A4AI also underscored the essence of efforts to achieve universal access which will push the development of public access initiatives and USAFs to centre stage.

“As lower cost smartphones become available, consumers will demand more affordable data plans, putting pressure on providers to reduce costs and ensuring that competition works for users,” official statement from A4AI read.

The availability of alternative data access plans, A4AI said, will continue to grow, whereas the governments will renew efforts to develop and implement gender-sensitive policy and targets in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.

A4AI officials in forecasting that increased focus around affordability as a key to access, pointed out that the attention paid to affordability as a key pathway to expanded broadband access and global development has grown by leaps and bounds since A4AI launched in 2013. 

“We believe this energy will increase even more significantly in 2016, driven, in large part, by new global initiatives and agreements that focus on the importance of expanding access and the need to tackle the affordability barrier,” A4AI declared.

Stressing that the new UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the World Bank’s 2016 World Development Report, and the ITU’s Connect 2020 Agenda all underlined the need to ensure that broadband services are available to and affordable for the world’s poorest; they also underline the urgency of working to close the digital divide, laying out tight deadlines that should compel governments, private sector actors, and civil society to act. 

A4AI opined that governments will respond to this challenge by developing appropriate policies and regulations and A4AI will work on the ground with its National Coalitions to drive this trend.

On the debate on what constitutes ‘affordable Internet’ heating up the sector, A4AI noted that this believe was spurred by the ambitious targets set out by the SDGs and other development initiatives noted above, stakeholders will recognise that broadband prices need to move well below the UN target price of 5% of GNI per capita if they are to be considered affordable. Income inequality, which is most acute in developing countries, is just one reason why the current target is simply too high. 

A4AI further said that a more in-depth look at affordability will reveal that economic and gender inequality skew the true affordability picture, and that a new affordability goal and framework for achieving this goal must take these inequalities into consideration, among others.

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Breaking News: A4AI names Omobola Johnson honourary chairperson

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The immediate-past Nigerian Minister of Communication Technology, Dr. (Mrs) Omobola Johnson has been named the honourary chairperson of the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), reports ITRealms.

This appointment which took effect from Tuesday, September 1, 2015, ITRealms gathered would entail that Dr. Johnson provides the A4AI with strategic policy guidance, in addition to leading a high-level international advocacy efforts, designed to deepen Alliance as it works to drive down unacceptably high broadband prices, and bring billions more online, fast.

Dr. Johnson replaces Dr. Bitange Ndemo, former Permanent Secretary of Kenya’s Ministry of Information and Communication, who served as A4AI Honorary Chair from the Alliance’s creation in October 2013 until 2014.

Affirming this development, Communications Manager, Alliance for Affordable Internet, Lauran Potter noted that A4AI is the world’s broadest technology sector coalition, with over 70 diverse members and working closely with governments, companies and civil societies.

A4AI, Potter said in a press statement sighted by ITRealms that the Alliance uses a blend of research, advocacy and on-the-ground engagement to create policy and regulatory change that pushes broadband prices down.

“In under two years, A4AI has doubled membership and started work in five countries on three continents - Dominican Republic, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, Myanmar; meaning over 300 million people stand to benefit from the Alliance’s work. A4AI’s global sponsors are Google, UK DFID and USAID, and the World Wide Web Foundation serves as the secretariat. Other high-profile members include the Internet Society, MainOne, Microsoft, and UN Women,” Potter highlighted.

Potter equally described Dr. Johnson as a consummated ICT policy professional, who tends to bring to the role over 30 years of experience across both the private and public sectors.

“Between 2011 and 2015, she served as Nigeria’s Minister of Communication Technology, where she oversaw the creation and implementation of policy to enable affordable Internet, including the development and presentation of the country’s 2013-2018 National Broadband Plan. During her time as Minister, the percentage of Internet users in the country nearly doubled from 24 per cent (2010) to 43 per cent (2014), and Nigeria became the first African country to join A4AI in 2013. Prior to 2011, she spent over two decades at Accenture, including a five-year stint as country managing director for Nigeria. Dr. Johnson holds a DBA from Cranfield University in the UK, and from 2014 to 2015 served as the Chair of the 18th session of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD),” A4AI spokesperson said. 

Reacting to her new post, Dr. Johnson noted that at this era of technological innovation, it is simply unacceptable that policies and regulations still conspire to keep Internet access unaffordable for billions.

“Today, an entry-level mobile broadband package costs the average African over 15 per cent of their monthly earnings, while an average European would pay just 1 per cent. That affordability gap helps to explain why over 80 per cent of European households are online, compared to just 11 per cent of African households,” she said.

Dr. Johnson pointed out that she has seen firsthand the incredible power of the web to improve health, education, economic and development outcomes, particularly for women and rural populations.

“I’ve also seen how smart, collaborative policymaking can drive prices down fast. Now, I’m excited to be able to use my experience and networks to accelerate the progress A4AI is already making,” she said.

For the Executive Director, A4AI, Ms Sonia Jorge, the appointment of Dr. Johnson was thrilling to the A4AI team. Describing her as a long-time advocate of universal and affordable Internet access and active supporter of the Alliance’s work since the launch in 2013, hence, Dr. Johnson brings with her a wealth of experience and knowledge in the ICT field.

“As Minister of Communication Technology in Nigeria, she achieved great success in developing the policy framework for the extension of broadband infrastructure, increasing competition and focusing on reaching the most marginalised, women and rural dwellers. These policy steps allowed prices to drop and more Nigerians to come online. We look forward to working together with Dr. Johnson to advance our work and goal of making affordable broadband for all a reality, and have no doubt she will make a significant contribution,” Jorge said.

+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) 

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2014 A4AI affordability index says women yet to afford internet access

ITRealms:

The Alliance For Affordable Internet’s (A4AI) 2014 Affordability Index has shown that women are still far less likely to afford access to the Internet globally, reports ITRealms.

The Affordability Index in its executive summary made available to ITRealms indicated that across the board, “women are far less likely to be able to access the Internet affordably than men.”

According to Index, research has also shown that women, on average, earn between 30 per cent – 50 per cent less than men. 

This income disparity, ITRealms gathered, diminishes the ability of women to afford to access, adopt, and benefit from a broadband connection.

“The Internet access gender gap is apparent throughout the world, although the extent of the gap varies from region to region,” A4AI stated in the Index.

They also noted that in the 51 countries surveyed, there are approximately two billion people earning less than $2 a day ($60 per month) according to World Bank data.

But depending on the country in which they live, these individuals have to spend anywhere between 5.5 per cent and 114.5 per cent of their average monthly income in order to access an entry-level broadband package.

“At present, not a single emerging or developing country can claim to meet the affordability benchmark set by the United Nations (UN) Broadband Commission of broadband priced at less than 5 per cent of monthly income for those potential users surviving on less than $2 a day,” the report decried.

Those living in rural areas, A4AI Index added, are often unable to secure affordable access to the Internet with two primary reasons to buttress its point, namely that incomes tend to be lower in rural areas, resulting in a higher real cost to connect; and secondly, challenges associated with infrastructure deployment in rural areas result in limited opportunities for access which particularly under current regulatory environments or in access prices that are significantly more expensive than those in urban areas.

Using statistical tools, A4AI has it analysed the relationships between policies and regulations, and the affordability environment in each country, and has identified five common success factors.

These are, A4AI said include effective broadband strategies, enhancing competition, efficient spectrum allocation, infrastructure sharing models and universal access to affordable internet services.

A4AI in its Executive Summary of the Affordability Index, pointed out that effective broadband strategies shows that clear and comprehensive national broadband plans, which allow for increased private investment, remove barriers to infrastructure deployment, and encourages public-private partnerships.

 On enhancing competition, A4AI said a level playing field that encourages innovation and gives consumers a range of choices as to their service provider; a unified licencing framework is of particular value here.

Just as efficient spectrum allocation in a fair and competitive way, with innovative spectrum tools considered, could spur infrastructure sharing models, even as laws and partnerships will be designed to embed open access methods and reduce sunk infrastructure costs.

In addition, A4AI said that universal access to affordable Internet services inspires development of shared services, available at community centres, schools, libraries and other anchor institutions; especially important in rural areas.

A4AI further stated that given the transformative potential that affordable access to the Internet holds, recommend that affordable access to broadband Internet is enshrined as a sustainable development goal (SDG) by the United Nations General Assembly when it meets later this year. 

Emphasising that close collaboration between key players including government decision makers, international development partners, private sector, academia and civil society — on the five areas identified above will be essential to making this a reality.

 
+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) 
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Ndukwe named national coordinator of Affordable Internet Nigeria Coalition

ITRealms:

The former chief executive officer and Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and co-chair of the Presidential Committee that produced Nigeria's National Broadband Plan, Dr. Ernest Chukwuka Anene Ndukwe has been named the National Coordinator of the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) Nigeria Coalition, reports ITRealms.

Communications Officer, Alliance for Affordable Internet, Lauran Potter confirmed this to ITRealms last night, saying that Dr. Ndukwe’s role as National Coordinator, will traverse working with the A4AI Nigeria Coalition to lead advocacy efforts at the highest levels of government, championing the policy and regulatory reforms needed to reduce the cost of a broadband connection and increase access to affordable Internet.

Dr. Ndukwe, who also the group chairman of OpenMedia had previously served as Managing Director/CEO of General Telecom Plc and represented Nigeria as a Vice Chairman of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom Development Advisory Group (TDAG), assumed his new role on June 1, 2015. 

Reacting on his appointment, Dr. Ndukwe commended A4AI for achieving a lot within a short period of two years of stepping into Nigeria via advocacy, which he promised to strengthen with his new position. 

“A4AI has been working to increase access to affordable Internet in Nigeria only since October 2013, yet in that short time, has managed to make significant contributions toward making Internet for all Nigerians a reality. I am excited to join the Alliance as National Coordinator for A4AI’s Nigeria Coalition, and to further the great efforts that have been made to develop and put into place the policies and regulations needed to reduce the price of a basic broadband connection. Working with the Federal Government of Nigeria and other stakeholders, I am confident we can make great strides toward ensuring that more Nigerians than ever before can afford to come online and take advantage of the amazing opportunities that Internet access provides” Ndukwe said.

Dr. Ndukwe is known for extensive experience and strong leadership will increase A4AI’s impact in Nigeria and will further access to affordable Internet for all Nigerians.

For more information about Dr. Ndukwe’s appointment and A4AI's work in Nigeria, please see: http://a4ai.org/dr-ernest-ndukwe-appointed-as-national-coordinator-of-a4ai-nigeria-coalitions.

 +Remmy Nweke (ITRealms)
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Pix: Dr. Ndukwe, courtesy A4AI