SMIT – Studies on Media, Information and TelecommunicationPleinlaan 2 – 1050 Brussels – Belgium – T. +32 2 629 24 18 – F. +32 2 629 28 61 - [email protected] – http://smit.vub.ac.be
ICTs and Information Dessiminationin Developing Countries. The use of Telecentres and MPCCs in South Africa.
SMIT – IBBTLeo Van Audenhove
STIMULATE5-6 October 2004Brussels
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Introduction
• Rise of ICTs and Internet 1990s Strong believe in role of ICTs for development Telecom infrastructure underlying network for access But: Major disparities and differences
West: • Near universal service• Relatively high PC penetration
South:• Very low access to telecommunication• Even lower individual ownership of ICTS
• Policies for e-inclusion must be different West: measures to stimulate individual adoption South: measures to stimulate community access
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Access disparityAccess to communication technologies
Flanders SSAfrica
2003 2001 2001
Radio NA NA 25,12%
Television 99% 99% 7,60%
Mobile 75% 55% 2.94%
Landline 83% NA 2,45%
PC 63% 53% 0,72%
Internet 47% 33% 0,61%Source: VRIND, 2003 & Mike Jensen, African Internet Status, 2001
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Telecentres: To broad a concept
• Publicly accessible places giving access to ICT services Stimulating socio-economic development Especially for rural development
• Three main categories Phoneshops: small-scale
Basic telecommunication facilities Telecentres: medium-scale
Computer and Internet facilities Multi-Purpose Community Centres: medium- to large-
scale Computer and Internet facilities Embedded in broader socio-econ. support programmes
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Relation to socio-economic development• Threefold relation:
Telecentres provide access to ICTs and information Contribute to economic development
• Enhances effectiveness and efficiency Contribute to socio-econ. development
• Provide access to governmental, educational, agricultural, information
Telecentre enhance the platform for the use of services Stimulates the local content and service industry
Telecentres are an important industry in their own Providing local employment and economic activity
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Outline of the presentation
• Discussion of the three types of telecentres Characteristics of the Model Advantages Disadvantages & Problems Policy & Regulation
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Phoneshop
• Model: Small scale Mostly privately owned
As a result of private initiative (local shopkeepers) Often under franchises
Equipment: basic telecommunication facilities Telephone, fax (sometimes photocopy and Internet)
• Advantages Easy to spread in terms of number
E.g. Senegal 10.000 in (1998) & South Africa 1.700 (1999) Important indirect socio-economic impact: employment
• South Africa: 2.500 jobs in rural or semi-rural areas
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• Disadvantage & Problems Difficult to spread in geographic terms
Often not profitable in poor rural areasStops at boundaries of existing networkDifficult to use for socio-ec. Development in very poor
areas
Only basic services No platform for service industryWeaker impact in terms of socio-ec. Development
• In comparison to Internet access
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• Policy & Regulation Extending network into rural areas
Precondition for success in rural areas
Pricing of high importance for successPrices needs to be low enough to allow profit E.g. South-Africa Vodacom Phoneshops
• Prices rather low for franchises• Pricing part of licence for mobile operator
Possible extension of services (e.g. Internet)Micro-loans for upgrading to Internet
• Could be based on Universal Service Fund
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Telecentre
• Model: Medium scale Community, NGO or privately based Often supported by national or international donor
At least for initial investment Often even in terms of daily working
Equipment: well equiped Telephone, fax, photocopy, computer, Internet
• Advantages As subsidised: More easy to spread into rural areas
Due to financing, profitability not directly necessary Possible important socio-economic impact
Better services through Internet
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• Disadvantage & Problems Difficult to spread in terms of numbers
Due to large investment needed South Africa
• after three years only 60 operational• 3 to 5000 needed for geographic coverage
Use of computer and internet-services weak South Africa: barely used - 6% uses computers Peru
• Used by the poor, but with certain education• Large groups not reached
Needs to be stimulated (training) - Long term process• But local expertise and funds often not available
Local content lacking: no use for peoples specific context
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• Policy & Regulation Difficult to implement
Many constraining factors• Lack of education, local resources, high-level TC infrastructure
(broadband access) Makes that government has to formulate policy in different
areas (education, content, etc.) Pricing also important
When phoneshops also present: prices have to be nearly equal (e.g. Problem in South Africa)
Stimulating network roll-out in rural areas Search for alternative means of roll-out (satellite)
Problems of funding
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MPCC: MultiplePurposeCommunityCentres
• Model: Medium (to large) scale Characteristics of telecentre BUT embedded in broader developmental
workingWelfare organisations, educational projects,
agricultural programmes, etc. Both state, private and civil society
As totally new project not been implemented often
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• Advantages Use of ICTs better imbedded in social practice
Integrates with other initiatives (intermediaries) Can be supported by better training Location becomes focal point of administrative and
economic activity
• Disadvantage & Problems If totally new difficult to spread in terms of numbers
Due to very large investment needed Financing needs to come from different sources
Telecentre-part often remains add on Not integrated with other initiatives
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• Policy & Regulation Same issues as Telecentres Very difficult to implement
Needs overall supporting policy in different areas Need to align different governmental departments,
private sector and civil society• In terms of programmes • In terms of financing
Experience shows: needs to be driven at top level• Universal Service Agency (1996-1999): failure
• Part of regulatory system• Gov. Com. and Information Services (1999-): success
• Directly under Presidential Office• Full political support
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The Way Forward 1
• Telecentres & MPCC: Top-down: long term governmental support Potential of large socio-ec. impact (Internet)
Many constraining factors Needs multi-sectorial approach (= broader than telecom)
Difficult to implement Policy level (different departments involved) High investment level: problems of coverage
Experience up til now mixed Those reached have certain educational level Education seems to be central Think of ways of mixing both
• Invest in ICTs in school and use them as telecentres
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• Phoneshops: Bottom-up: might have more direct impact Certainty of socio-ec. impact (basic services) Stimulates rural ec. activity and employment Possible platform for access to Internet Policy and regulation
Stimulated by regulatory measures• Pricing• Obligations to support initiatives in rural areas• Licensing
Provision of micro-loans • Investment in computers and peripherals • Upgrading to Internet
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South Africa’s Information Society Policy
• Why is South Africa special? Since early 1990s realisation that ICTs are important After democratic elections 1994 unique position
Necessary to rethink and reformulate all policy Coincides with rising international discussion on ICTsopportunity to fomulate innovative & coherent IS policy
Since middel 90s ICTs important in many policy areasmakes SA interesting case for research and analysis
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South Africa’s Information Society Policy
• Two main goals ICTs alternative way of providing services
Important in highly dual society after Apartheid Lack of administration and state in many areas Believe that ICTs can contribute in contact with citizens
• Information• Services
Access to telecommunications and basic ICTs• Restructuring of Telecommunications Sector
Emphasis on MPCCs and telecentres• Implementation by different departments
Make SA part of the global information economy Performant telecommunications infrastructure
• Restructuring of Telecommunications SectorStimulate new innovative branches of economyStimulate integration of economy in global structures
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Implementing the policy: Telecom
• Access to telecom indispensable for Large disparity in terms of access (household)
1994: 31 % households with a telephone 1994: 87,4 % white - 11,6% black
Large disparity in terms of access (institutions) (see next page)
Universal service and access: high priority Universal service: each household access at reasonable
price Universal access: access within reasonable access
Bridging bridge between info-poor and info-rich
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Telephones in institutionsTelephones in institutions
Total Available Absent
Schools 31.596 12.326 19.270
Hospitals 3.388 2.761 627
Library 1.198 930 268
Local Auth. 855 774 81
Total priority 37.037 16.791 20.246
Villages° 3.767 563 3.204Source: Rep. Of SA (7 May 1997), schedule D. °Underserviced area 100-1999 inhabitants
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Implementing the policy: Services
• South Africa reformulates policy in all areas Strong attention for ICTs in:
EducationInformation PolicyPublic service and administration
Realization that integration of policy importantBut integration difficultLittle horizontal and vertical integration
• Horizontal: between different departments• Vertical: imbedded within broader developmental policy
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Universal access
• South Africa’s goal is universal access Realizes universal service not possible In short term universal access in telecom possible
• Broad interpretation of universal access Not only access to telephone services Access to broader set of services
• Strategy Universal access to telephony (individual and villages) All institutions connected schools, hospitals, etc. Access to broader set of ICTS through Telecentres
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Telecentres in SA: Vision
• Broader set of services on community basis telephone, fax, photocopy, projector, PCs with
Internet 3.000 to 4.000 for geographic coverage
• Linked to existing projects Multi-purpose community centres Expected to be an additional source of income Managed and owned by the community
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Implementation: First Phase
• 1996 Universal Service Agency grounded by 2001 only 60 operational Problem 1: capacity of the USA
USA political construction Personal hired on basis of political background (labour) Lacks specific skills (management) Strongly against private sector
Problem 2: Conceptualization of telecentres Have to be self sufficient - But placed in rural areas Link with other and local initiatives often weak Little governmental support
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Use of telecentres
• Not very often used photocopy and fax are used most PCs and Internet not used that often
• Reasons To expensive - not supported by government Not relevant:
Content not appropriate nor adapted People don’t see the relevance Lack of support for unacquainted users Large part of population illiterate
Problems with personal - flee from rural areas
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Implementation: Second Phase
• 1999 Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) Starts its MPPC initiative
57 operational by July 2004 Goal 284 municipal areas by 2014
Broadening public access to services of government Wide range of information services under one roof
• Access to TV, video, Internet and other AV facilities• Audiovisual material for education and development• Staff to reach out to the people e.g. road shows
Wide range of other services• Support for housing, education, health, welfare, bursaries, arts
and culture• Availability of online and offline forms and papers
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Implementation: Second Phase
Supported by sound research on needs and use Strongly government driven
Focus on integration of service delivery• Intersectoral national, regional and local steering committees
Highly professional management• Use
Seems to be a success But little information on use available
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Stakeholders
Sector Number Nature of Involvement
Government SpheresProvincialLocal
209
20+
Service provision
ManagementInfrastructure
Parastatals 8 Service Provision
NGOs 3 Technical advice and expertise
Tertiary institutions
3 ResearchTechnical advice
Services
Business sector 24 Technical advice and expertisePotential for funding
International agencies
1 Technical advice and expertiseResearch
Source:GCIS
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Conclusion on SA• Extension of broader set of ICTs as such not really
useful Needs integration in life of people Needs to be supported by contextualized information,
services and training• Implementation
Needs strong governmental support Professional approach with emphasis on sound
management both national and local Strong attention for integration and cooperation of
efforts
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Contact
• Leo Van Audenhove [email protected]
• Website SMIT http://smit.vub.ac.be
• Website Information Society in South Africa http://smit.vub.ac.be/ispsa/