National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (Saint Lucia)
Presentation to World Telecommunications and Information Society
Day Conference
Theme
“Universal Service: Bridging the Rural-Urban
Divide”
Ministry of Communications, Works, Transport & Public Utilities
Conference Room
Union
May 17, 2011
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TITLE
Universal Service:
Bringing Telecommunications / ICT Services to the Rural and
Underserved Areas.
Presentation by
Alvin Augustin
Universal Service Fund Administrator
aaugustin@ectel.int
National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission
Rajana Group of Companies Building
Bois D’Orange
Website: www.ntrc.org.lc
Tel 758-4582035
Fax 758-4532558
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STRUCTURE OF PRESENTATION
 Introduction to Universal Service/Access
 Legal Framework establishing Universal Service/Access
 Challenges to Bridging the Digital Divide
 Overview of Global ICT Development
 Overview of National ICT Development
 General Observations
 Approaches to Bridging the Digital Divide
 Questions and Answers
Alvin Augustin
Universal Service Fund Administrator
NTRC-Saint Lucia
aaugustin@ectel.int
3
Introduction

The term Universal Access (UA) is used in a wide variety of contexts to describe or
demonstrate objectives and policies that governments implement to ensure that all their
citizens have access to the benefits of modern economic life.

Universal Service (US) is a term widely used in regulated industries, referring to the
practice of providing a baseline level of services to every resident of a country.

Origins
The concept of US has its origins in the British postal service;
In reference to telecommunications, the term US was first established as policy under the
Telecommunication Act of the USA (1934).

Definitions
In the context of telecom./ICT, UA is when everyone can access telecoms. & ICT services
somewhere, at a public place.
In the context of telecom./ICT, US describes when everyone or household can have
telecoms. & Information Communications Technology (ICT) services available either
personally or at home.

Importance
Importance and value of Telecommunications and ICT to the socio-economic development
of a country is critical. Telecom. & ICT play a vital role in diverse activities as finance,
governance, education, health care, tourism, etc and are pillars of building a modern
society.
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 Telecom. & ICTs have contributed to the transformation of economies in places like
India, Singapore, Seychelles, etc. and if implemented correctly may impact the socioeconomic development of Saint Lucia positively.
 Telecom & ICTs are instrumental to meet the United Nation’s Millennium
Development Goals, as they provide a vehicle to inform and education the most
vulnerable in our society. In the rural context, Telecom & ICTs combine will enhance
opportunities to generate income and combat social ills i.e. poverty, illiteracy, etc.
 Globally latest figures indicate that as many as 70% of the developing world’s
population extremely poor people live in rural areas. They are also among the least
connected to the benefits of ICTs.
 One of the Goals of UA and US is to ensure that no one is ‘left behind’ in this digital
age by focusing on three core areas or
the 3 As:
1. Availability:
the service is available to inhabited parts of the country
through public, community, shared or personal devices;
2. Accessibility:
all citizens can use the service, regardless of location, gender,
disabilities and other personal characteristics;
3. Affordability:
the service is affordable to all citizens.
Alvin Augustin
Universal Service Fund Administrator
NTRC-Saint Lucia
aaugustin@ectel.int
5
Universal Service includes the provision of(a) public voice telephony;
(b) internet access;
(c) telecommunications services to schools, hospitals and similar
institutions, and the disabled and physically challenged; or
(d) other service by which people access efficient, affordable and
modern telecommunications.
-Telecommunications Act [No. 27 0f 2000]
Universal Service Fund means the Fund established for the promotion of
universal service by Section 44 of this Act;
-Telecommunications Act [No. 27 0f 2000]
Alvin Augustin
Universal Service Fund Administrator
NTRC-Saint Lucia
aaugustin@ectel.int
6
Defining Rural (Underserved) Areas
General features of rural and underserved areas may be summarized as
follows:
 Lack of basic infrastructure including telecom. electricity, road access,
pipe borne water, sewer systems, etc.;
 Low geographical population density (small village population in
sparsely polluted communities);
 Low economic activities, low per capita income, lack of disposable
income, general poverty;
 Lack of social and administrative facilities including public service
institutions, health care centres, schools, libraries, etc;
 Difficult geographical features e.g. mountainous regions, isolated by
water, harsh environment, etc;
 Higher degree of illiteracy than rest of population;
Alvin Augustin
Universal Service Fund Administrator
NTRC-Saint Lucia
aaugustin@ectel.int
7
Legal Framework
Legal framework establishing Universal Service and facilitating provision for
the management of the Universal Service Fund includes:
ECTEL Treaty;
Telecommunications Act [No. 27 0f 2000];
Telecommunications (Universal Service Fund) Regulations [S.I. No. 120 of
2008];
Telecommunications (Universal Service Fund Contribution)
[No. 45 of 2009];
Order
Telecommunications Universal Service Fund Guidelines [July
2008].
Accessible at www.ntrc.org.lc
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ECTEL Treaty
The ECTEL Treaty establishes the legal framework for Member States to make
provisions for Universal Service and manage the Fund to provide for Universal
Service. The Treaty also specifies ECTEL’s role and functions when it comes
to Universal Service and assisting the Member States in management of the
Fund.The relevant Articles are Articles 4, 5 and 12 of the ECTEL Treaty.
Telecommunications Act [No. 27 0f 2000]
The Telecommunications Act establishes the NTRC and gives the NTRC the
legal obligation to manage the Universal Service Fund (USF). It allows makes
provision for the Minister to include US as a condition in the the telecom.
licence of telecom. providers in a transparent, non-discriminatory manner.
Alvin Augustin
Universal Service Fund Administrator
NTRC-Saint Lucia
aaugustin@ectel.int
9
 Telecommunications (Universal Service Fund) Regulations [S.I.
No. 120 of 2008]:
The Universal Service Fund Regs. establishes the guidelines by which the
NTRC is to manage the USF. It also establishes the nature of the contributions
to the USF.
The USF Regs. also mandates the NTRC to
i. Encourage efficient access to and use of telecom. networks &
services in
rural areas, under-served and maritime areas with goal to
foster
social,
economic and educational development;
ii. Ensure reasonable availability and affordability of basic & advanced telecom.
services including voice telephony, internet access/broadband access
particularly where it may not be economically viable as well as provide such
services to physically challenged, elderly and indigent communities;
iii. Support the introduction and expansion of telecom. services to schools,
health facilities and other organizations serving the public needs;
iv. Promote technological innovation;
Alvin Augustin
Universal Service Fund Administrator
NTRC-Saint Lucia
aaugustin@ectel.int
10
Telecommunications (Universal Service
Fund Contribution) Order [No. 45 of
2009];
Telecommunications Universal Service
Fund Guidelines [July 2008].
Alvin Augustin
Universal Service Fund Administrator
NTRC-Saint Lucia
aaugustin@ectel.int
11
Challenges to Bridging the Digital Divide
 Rural communities generally have small, sparsely
populated
markets,
which
under
normal
circumstances are not economically feasible for
deployment of telecom. & ICT services;
 The income level of person living in rural areas are
generally below the national mean, implying that
disposable income are only for the essentials;
 Rural communities due to the remoteness and other
geographical challenges pose some issues to the
deployment of telecom and ICT-based networks.
12
Global ICT Development per telecom
service (1998-2009)
Source: MONITORING THE WSIS TARGETS A mid-term review
http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/publications/wtdr_10/index.html
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Voice Telephony
Source: 2010 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Report
http://www.stats.gov.lc/
14
Ownership of Computers by Districts
Source: 2010 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Report
http://www.stats.gov.lc/
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National Household with Access to Internet
Source: 2010 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Report
http://www.stats.gov.lc/
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Ownership of Computers
Source: 2010 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Report
http://www.stats.gov.lc/
17
Method of Access to the Internet
Source: 2010 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Report
http://www.stats.gov.lc/
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General Observations
 Voice
telephony
is
available
island-wide
approximately 85% of household have access to
voice telephony. Small deviation exist between urban
and rural households.
 Approximately 26.5% of household have internet
connection.
Noticeable deviation exist between
urban and rural household.
 About 61% of national household do not own a
computer. Noticeable disparity between urban and
rural household.
 Approximately 59.7 % of individuals did not have
access to the internet. Noticeable disparity between
urban and rural areas.
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Approaches to Bridging the Digital Divide
 USF alone cannot do it!
Strategic national
development policy is needed to ‘close’ the digital
divide that exists between rural and urban areas.
 Look to best practices! Learn the lessons from
countries that have successfully implemented
telecom and ICT development policies.
 Mobile technologies may prove the most adaptable
technology to increase telecom & ICT penetration
rates in rural areas.
 Community Access Points (Telecentres) may assist
with adaption of ICT in rural communities.
 Terminal devices/computers for persons in the rural
communities (and other sector of society) will have
to be subsidized in the short to medium term.
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QUESTIONS
???
Alvin Augustin
Universal Service Fund Administrator
NTRC-Saint Lucia
aaugustin@ectel.int
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THE END
THANK YOU FOR
PARTICIPATION.
YOUR
DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT
QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
ATTENTION
AND
OUR OFFICES IF YOU HAVE
Alvin Augustin
Universal Service Fund Administrator
aaugustin@ectel.int
National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission
Rajana Group of Companies Building
Bois D’Orange
Website: www.ntrc.org.lc
Tel 758-4582035/Fax 758-4532558
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