This document discusses increasing access and interconnectivity within and across African governments through open data and open internet policies. It notes that Africa has great potential for internet growth given its population and economic growth. However, barriers like high costs and lack of infrastructure need to be addressed. The document advocates for more internet exchange points to reduce costs and improve local internet speeds by keeping traffic local. It also argues that net neutrality principles are important to allow open access to content and ensure consumers' choice. Developing smart, interconnected infrastructure across Africa through open internet policies could help liberate the internet economy and boost growth.

1. Edwin Opare
Technical Lead & Open Data Evangelist
Data.gov.gh
Nairobi , Kenya – 30th September 2013

2. 
Increasing Access & Interconnectivity within
and across Governments

Ensuring Open & Free flow of Information
across Governments (The Open Internet)

The Internet - the fabric to achieving a smart,
interconnected Government: Contributions
to GDP

4. Access & Interconnectivity

5. 
One of the richest and promising continents
 54 economies
 11 countries out of the 20 fastest growing
economies in the world are in Africa
 More than 1 Billion inhabitants


Internet users growth more than 1000% over
the past 4 years.
ICT contribution GDP in the region growing
rapidly
Source: World Bank, AFRINIC

7. 


Instrumented
Interconnected
Intelligent
Source: IBM

8. The Africa Internet Evolution

9. SAT3 – 2001 TO 2008
SEACOM, TEAMS - 2009

10. MAINONE, GLO-1, EASSY - 2010
WACS - 2011

11. ACE - 2012

12. 2014 OUTLOOK

14. Source: Analysys Mason

15. Source: http://www.itu.int/net4/itu-d/icteye/

16. Average price per GB of traffic for low, medium & high usage Internet access bundles.
(Source: Analysys Mason, Google, Telegeography)

17. What is wrong?

18. 
Too many roadblocks





Lack of liberalization(lack of competition)
High cost of licenses
High taxes on equipment & services
Rights of way challenges
Lack of investment & services (PPP)
 Promote investment in & use of exchange
points(IXPs)

Political Leadership

19. 
An Internet exchange point (IX or IXP) is a
physical infrastructure through
which Internet service providers (ISPs)
exchange Internet traffic between their
networks.

20. 27 EXCHANGE POINTS IN AFRICA
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South Africa – 5
Kenya – 2
Egypt – 2
Tanzania – 2
Nigeria – 1
Ghana – 1
Rwanda – 1
Congo-Brazzaville – 1
Congo-Kinshasa – 1
Angola – 1



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
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Malawi – 1
Mauritius – 1
Mozambique – 1
Swaziland – 1
Tunisia – 1
Zambia – 1
Uganda – 1
Zimbabwe – 1
Cote D'Ivoire – 1
Botswana – 1
Source: https://prefix.pch.net/applications/ixpdir/

21. Typical Internet Connection in one
region, province, state, district

22. Example IXP(Peering) Connection in one region, province, state,
district
Source: Analysys Mason

23. 



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Keeps local traffic local(reduces tromboning)
Lowers bandwidth cost for the end user
Lowers operating costs for local ISPs
Reduces latency of local traffic, improving
connection speeds
Provides better quality of service for local
content

24. The Open Internet

25. Start
What if you woke
up one day and…
could NOT access
Bandwidth
End
Traffic
Management
NN is all about
b
e
c
a
u
s
e
your ISP or Government
says so ?!!
25

26. The principle that Internet service providers and governments
should treat all data on the Internet equally, not discriminating
or charging differentially by user, content, site, platform,
application, type of attached equipment, and modes of
communication.

27. 
Consumers deserve access to the lawful Internet content
of their choice.

Consumers should be allowed to run applications and use
services of their choice, subject to the needs of law
enforcement.

Consumers should be able to connect their choice of legal
devices that do not harm the network.

Consumers deserve to choose their network
providers, application and service providers, and content
providers of choice.

28. The Internet & GDP

30. 


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Liberate the Africa Internet Economy
Adopt local Open Internet regulations &
Africa-wide Open Internet Policy
Create the Africa IXP Association (AfrIXPA)
Promote growth & development in Africa via
a smart interconnected Africa

31. Think Smart! Think Africa!

32. - aeopare