Leveraging Postal Network to expand ICT Access

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Leveraging Postal Network to expand ICT Access
V. Calindi Administrator, Projects
Unit Telecommunication Development Bureau
UPU The Postal Sector and the Information
Society, Bern, 8 June 2007
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Current Projects

• Bhutan
• Afghanistan
• Southern Africa

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Universal Access to ICT Services

• Leverage the communication presence of post
  offices
• Provide ICT access to the general public
• E-services that are appropriate (epost, money
  transfer)

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Partnerships

• Bhutan
• Bhutan Post Telecom,India, ITU,UPU
• AfghanistanAfghanistan, India, ITU, UPU
• Southern Africa
• South Africa,
• ITU, UPU

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Partnership of ITU, UPU, India and Bhutan

• Connect 38 post offices (out of 110)
• Equip the post offices with computers and LAN at
  Thimpu
• Train the post masters
• VSAT connectivity to six locations currently
  served by postal runners
• Development of ICT awareness in rural and remote
  areas

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VSAT Network provided by India Six remote
locations connected to Hub in Thimpu
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What is the Impact

• Reduction of delivery times
• Digital Access
• Benefits of connectivity
• "So far we were cut off from other parts of the
  country. We had to walk for days to the dzongkhag
  district headquarters for official work. Now,
  with telephone connections and Internet services,
  we are saved from all these trouble. We feel
  connected." The gup headman of Sombeykha, 23
  March 2006

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ICT Services at Post Offices in Afghanistan

• Work has begun, as of today 5 post offices have
  been equipped
• Objectives
• Use Post Offices to provide ICT access, money
  transfer and salary payments
• Partnership of ITU, UPU, India and Afghanistan
• India provided equipment and software for 11
  provincial towns plus Kabul

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Project locations and synergies with other
projects
11 towns plus Kabul Connectivity from the World
Banks Government Communication Network Indias
Emergencyrestoration of telecommunications
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Rural Telecoms, ICT Services and Entrepreneurship
Development

• South Africa, ITU and UPU project document signed
• South African contribution will be used as seed
  money for mobilize further resources
• THREE COMPONENTS
• Aims to mobilize partnerships and resources for
  the emergence of rural telecom operators
• Public-Private partnership for content
  development - SMEs
• Promote of small/very small entrepreneurs for
  providing ICT services to general public incl
  postal services

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Constraints
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Major activities

• Elaboration of investment projects for rural
  telecommunication operators
• -      Strategy focusing on public private
  partnership for content development in specific
  areas
• -       Elaboration of procedures for encouraging
  individual entrepreneurs to provide services to
  general public with capital raised from
  micro-finance institutions/banks

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• Thank you for your attention

V. Calindi Calindi_at_itu.int
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Factors for success
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Location of projects
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Computerized post offices
THIMPHU REGION
SAMDRUPJONGKHAR REGION
GELEPHU REGION
PHUNTSHOLING REGION
Kanglung
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VSAT Locations
Lunana
Laya
Merak
Sombeykha
Shingkhar Lauri