Ibrahim Riyaz

1
Promoting Private Sector Investment for Rural
ICT Development.

• Ibrahim Riyaz
• Product Manager IP Data -Dhiraagu

SATRC, Bandos, Maldives - 14 Dec, 2005
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Dhiraagu Overview

• Dhiraagu Provides PSTN, Mobile and various IP
  data services to all parts of Maldives using its
  nation-wide broadband microwave network.

• Every inhabited island has at least 2 payphones
  installed, (approx. 5-minute walking distance).

• Every government administrative office in each
  inhabited island has fixed line services
  available.

• 11 most populous rural islands have residential
  telephone service available (22 of the rural
  island population Approx.)

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Deploying Telecoms networks in the rural
communities

• Main challenges.

• Smaller islands in remote areas being separated
  by seas and have no regular transportations
• Very low PC penetration and low technology
  awareness.
• Very few or no commercial activity within these
  smaller group of islands
• Limited or no reliable source of electricity
  available.
• Use of potential Wi-Fi technologies to provide
  public access restricted to Dhiraagu by the
  regulator.
• Use of new enterprise radio technologies mature
  and available in the market brings spectrum
  conflicts with the authorities.

4
Rural ICT development ideal option - promoting
private sector investment in the region.
Dhiraagu Initiatives.

• Special-Discount Dial-up line scheme for private
  Cyber café operators.

• One phone line provided to each island
• Over 85 discount on installation charge.
• 20 Discount on Internet usage charges.
• Dial-up lines under the scheme provided at over
  65 islands to date.

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Rural ICT development ideal option - promoting
private sector investment in the region.

• Scheme Terms and Conditions.

• Cyber café service accessible to public
  regularly.
• No price markup above 20 dhiraagu charges
  allowed.
• Other services such as fax voice calls are
  encouraged.

• Challenges.

• Radio capacity issues in most rural areas
• Monitoring the levels of cyber café services to
  the public against Dhiraagu Terms and conditions.
• Awarding the phone lines to appropriate parties
  and withdrawal of services at conflicts.
• Genuine public feedback and verification.

6
Rural ICT development ideal option - promoting
private sector investment in the region.

• Government and Regulatory involvement

• Island administrative office verifies the
  applicant before the phone line is provided.
• Regulator issues cyber café license to the party
  the line is provided.

• Other initiatives

• Assist small local CableTV operators to deliver
  basic internet service to the island community.
• Promote local investment to deploy PABX based
  voice connectivity to the small community homes.

7
Presentation on Promoting Private Sector
Investment for Rural ICT Development.
Thank you!

• By Ibrahim Riyaz, Product Manager IP Data -
  Dhiraagu