DEVELOPMENT

Private sector issues

Interview with Walda Roseman

Chief Executive Officer and founder of CompassRose International, Inc.

Ms Roseman, you were appointed recently as Chairman of the TDAG Subgroup dealing with private sector issues. What are your priorities and expectations for the Subgroup?

The Subgroup provides an opportunity for the private sector to find a clear voice within the ITU's Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D). At our last meeting in February this year, I was pleased to see the enthusiasm of the private sector and government representatives to create opportunities for development partnerships among the private sector, with governments and with the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT). I would like to see that enthusiasm grow into active engagement by companies in working with BDT to achieve sustainable development and give a boost to an expanding crop of new information and communication technology (ICT) enterprises that hope to establish a foothold in many developing markets.

"What the ITU refers to as the private sector is actually a variety of entities — monopoly carriers, dominant information technology (IT) companies in transition, private companies with international commercial ambitions, new market entrants, emerging enterprises and non-governmental organizations. While their individual interests might differ, there is one view that they clearly have in common — they will increasingly insist on a quick return of value for their investments in the ITU."

A yawning digital divide exists in the world today. What are the plans of the ITU-D private sector membership in helping to bridge this divide?

We are fortunate to be at a point where the private sector will have a number of opportunities to answer that very question. The Director of the BDT invited us at the Subgroup meeting to consider adding a private sector session to the agendas of the next Development Regulatory Symposium and the World Telecommunication Development Conference, scheduled to take place in 2002 (WTDC-2002). I intend to begin an on-line preparatory process soon, and to follow this up with a meeting of Subgroup members in order to plan the agenda for the private sector session at WTDC-2002. Subgroup members were quite clear that they wanted their session to be relevant and useful to the Sector's development activities. 

The Subgroup members were also encouraging of the efforts of the ITU regional offices and of the BDT to develop incubator and training programmes for new entrepreneurs in developing countries. They offered ideas to the BDT about potential programmes and themes for the Digital Opportunities Task Force (Dot Force), the initiative by the G8 countries to seek solutions to bridging the digital divide. The ITU was encouraged to inform the Dot Force of a number of its programmes, including the Regulatory Development Symposium and website organized by the BDT and the efforts to facilitate the growth of young enterprises and human resources. They emphasized the need to match the Dot Force proposals with such practical considerations as equipment, business training and capital. I am sure that the private sector members of the Subgroup will also be interested in participating in the World Summit on the Information Society in 2003.

What do you see as the key issues for the private sector in the on-going debate to reform ITU?

What the ITU refers to as the private sector is actually a variety of entities — monopoly carriers, dominant information technology (IT) companies in transition, private companies with international commercial ambitions, new market entrants, emerging enterprises and non-governmental organizations. While their individual interests might differ, there is one view that they clearly have in common — they will increasingly insist on a quick return of value for their investments in the ITU. In my view, it is critical to both the private sector and the ITU that the reform process find means to cut through the uncertainty and protracted decision-making that many associate with the ITU; that the private sector have a strong voice in decisions relevant to them; and that the programmes that the ITU implements be responsive to private sector requirements.

As Chairman of the Subgroup, you are one of a small group of women to be at the helm of key ITU activities. How do you perceive your new role?

At a key level I perceive the new role the way I expect most new ITU chairmen do. I hope to uphold a long ITU tradition of chairmen operating with professionalism, fairness and competence. Those feelings are intensified by my hope that if I do a good job, it might help more women throughout the ITU community to be recognized and accorded greater consideration for positions of responsibility and leadership. The Task Force on Gender Issues has made a compelling case that engaging the talents of women both within and outside the ITU is essential to advancing commercial and public policy goals in ICT specifically and in social and economic development more broadly. I want to compliment the Director of the BDT and the Members of the ITU-D for taking a lead in continually seeking gender balance in their programmes and activities.

Telekiosks in Mali

A year later

It is already one year since the WorldSpace "mobile telekiosk" left the ITU telecom 99 Exhibition grounds in Geneva for its starting point in Bamako (Mali).The main objective of the mobile telekiosk is to explore, in rural areas and villages, the market potential for information and communication technologies (ICT).

When launching the telekiosks initiative at Telecom 99, WorldSpace's idea was to combine, under one roof, its own entertainment and multimedia services with traditional telecommunication services and take them to the people. The van (mobile telekiosk) has:

- four multimedia workplaces (a WorldSpace radio, personal computers, printer, Internet and Web cameras);

- three outside telephone cabins and a fax;

- one small radio studio and a social and entertainment area. The disc jockey (DJ) can interview people, record local performances or tune into local radio stations.

The telekiosk is equipped with an air conditioning unit and a power generator.

Once the needs and opportunities of a given rural area have been identified and a fixed telekiosk installed, the van moves to the next location.

In every village, the van supervisor kept statistics of users by age, profession and interest, as well as of revenues from different services. By far, the telephone service was the most in demand. The radio service was in second place, with high demand for French African programmes, Pop, Rock, and Afro music

Practical experience

The pilot test was fully agreed by the country's Ministry of Communications, the Société des télécommunications du Mali (SOTELMA) and WorldSpace. It was carried out with the full support of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT). SOTELMA, which received the mandate from the Ministry to operate the telekiosk, provided a crew of one driver and one technician. This company also established the itinerary for the mobile telekiosk and its period of stationing in selected locations in the country: Bamako, Sikasso, Bougouni, Segou, Bla, Koulikoro, Mopti and Keti.

The telekiosk operates commercially, offering telephone calls, fax, Internet access, courses on Internet usage and radio productions. Statistics from SOTELMA indicate a revenue of around USD 11 194, most of which is generated from the sales of prepaid telephone and chip cards.

In most rural areas the radio service was the first choice, but telecommunication services (telephone and fax) were in high demand in textile and agricultural business communities, for example in Segou and Sikasso. Power supply was a major challenge. The local network has problems with stability — low voltage or peaks being a normal situation. Of course, the power generator could have offered a solution, but was rarely used due to the high cost of gasoline.

Another problem was the air conditioning, which was not powerful enough to cope with high temperatures. This was exacerbated by the van operating with all doors open.

In places with no telephone connection, very small aperture terminal (VSAT) telephony was used as an experiment. There were also problems with Internet connectivity in some areas. The reception of WorldSpace programmes was good everywhere, the patch antennas worked perfectly. The national broadcasting corporation, ORTM, and DJs from rural radio stations used the telekiosk radio studio for local radio shows and for advertising the services. A lot of people were interested in buying WorldSpace receivers.

Users point of view

In every village, the van supervisor kept statistics of users by age, profession and interest, as well as of revenues from different services. By far, the telephone service was the most in demand. The radio service was in second place, with high demand for French African programmes, Pop, Rock, and Afro music.

Basic computer and Internet usage courses were in third place. Employees, students and housewives, in that order, were the users of this service. SOTELMA reduced the tariff for access to the Internet for young people. One serious demand on WorldSpace multimedia was the stock market for rice and cotton: two important export products in Mali. There were also questions about television and the upcoming African Football Cup, but the van is not equipped for television.

Fixed telekiosks for education and community affairs

Based on the experience and survey in different rural areas, WorldSpace discussed with the Malian Government the opportunity to install fixed telekiosks. This new project coincided with a governmental initiative called "701 Community Project" — a programme which aims to decentralize and reform institutions, and to modernize the administration by introducing information technologies in local governance. WorldSpace receivers and services will be available in all 701 communities.

WorldSpace sponsored, built and installed the first four fixed telekiosks or community telecentres not only in places designated by the government but also where the survey indicated the best commercial interest, for example in Sevaré, Segou, Makala and Koulikani. The telecentres are run by women from the local community. Some of the services at these centres are free, and activities are spread across education, information and entertainment.

WorldSpace plans to transfer the mobile telekiosk to Senegal in April 2001, and will continue sharing this "convergence of broadcasting and telecommunications" experience with other partners.

 

For further information on telekiosks, please contact: "Roxana Dunnette, Senior Business Advisor, WorldSpace Corporation. Tel./fax: +41 22 738 25 45. E-mail: rdunnette@worldspace.com."