Workshop on Regulatory Policies on Universal Access to Broadband Services Edwin San Roman Independent Consultant Indotel Geneva September 8th, 2008 Broadband changing lives (video). From public phones to broadband Some statistics about Dominican Republic. Model 1: Public- Private Partnership. Model 2: Private. Model 3: Private-Private Partnership. Model 4: Using Universal Service Funds. What a Grand Mother says when telecom arrives (video). Our project is for them… to have a better future and be able to join the information and communications society. Video Video From public phones to broadband Year Number of fixed lines Number of mobile lines Fixed and mobile lines Internet users Internet subscribers Internet penetration Fixed teledensity Mobile teledensity Fixed and mobile teledensity Population (thousands) GDP (millions of US$) GDP per cápita Area (km2) 2000 2004 May 2008 1/ 894,164 705,431 1,599,595 211,044 52,761 2.4% 10.2% 8.1% 18.3% 8,263 23,673 2,865 936,155 2,534,063 3,470,218 839,904 106,296 9.0% 10.0% 27.2% 37.2% 8,873 21,817 2,459 48,730 920,009 5,780,028 6,700,037 2,028,314 296,529 21.6% 9.3% 58.4% 67.7% 9,361 41,246 4,406 Change 2000 / 2008 3% 719% 319% 861% 462% 800% -9% 621% 270% 13% 74% 54% 1/ Population and GDP information correspond to 2007 data. Source: INDOTEL, Dominican Republic Central Bank By July 2007, in only in 62 of the 383 districts of the country the citizens were able to contract broadband and home phones. Showed that there is demand in the rural areas. Demonstrated that there is willingness to pay. Demonstrated that it is possible to use low cost NGN infrastructure to provide services. We started bringing broadband in Los Botados overcoming hills, even with helicopters, climbing towers. We had the support of the City Mayor Ramon and the company Centennial Dominicana . Foto 6626 Young people assembled by themselves computers for the Informatics Training Center - ITC (CCI). Foto 3109 Foto 3132 Foto 3130 Foto 3365 Now children, young people and adults receive training at the ITC. Foto 2971 Foto 5204 Foto 2973 Foto 1541 Thanks to broadband, hundreds of kids, young people and adults have gained expertise in computer usage and have graduated from training courses. Foto 3462 Foto 3466 Foto 3469 Foto 3529 Creative and enthusiastic young people are now using broadband Internet even using “pots” placed on top of coconut trees as antennas. Foto 3 Foto 56 Foto 55 Public- Private Partnership ◦ Indotel promoted the project. ◦ Los Botados City Council supported the project. ◦ Centennial Dominicana (now Viva) executed it. With the support of Estrelatel, a small telecom company, broadband and home phones arrived to Hato Damas. Foto 6544 Foto 6691 Foto 329 Foto 9912 Today in Hato Damas kids can access the knowledge and information society at the Centre of Education Daughters of Mary. Sister Eugenia can also speak by phone with her family in Canada. Foto 6626 Foto 9495 Foto 9548 Foto 6408 Private ◦ Indotel was the "facilitator". Estrelatel implemented the project. Nadia wants to have access to the Internet to do homework and be able to connect with the world. Nilson needs the Internet to find out weather conditions and plan his fishing operations. Ramoncito needs to have a phone at home to communicate with his family in the world. Indotel promoted the project and was supported by Estrelatel, a Dominican telecom company that installed the service. Ciramar, a company located in the area, as part of its Social Responsibility program is providing funds for the project. Private Private Partnerships Responsibility programs) (Social ◦ Indotel was the "facilitator“. ◦ Estrelatel run the project. ◦ Naval Shipyard (Ciramar) is funding the project . Select a broadband provider and all other services that can be provided over it, such as residential phones. The project will be implemented initially in 503 localities that, by the time the tender documents were being developed, did not have broadband or residential telephony coverage. Residential telephony. Broadband from 256/128 to 1.5 Mb/256 (similar conditions than those offered in big cities such as Santo Domingo and Santiago). Internet cafés and call centerss. Web pages of all the municipalities and districts. Internet access centers and call centers should be managed by small local entrepreneurs. Twelve months for the 503 localities. The project includes an awareness and training program to final users and to local entrepreneurs for the usage of phones and computers and for the management of internet and call centers. The successful tender will develop a portal at least 100MB capacity for each of the localities of the project. Each site should include relevant information of the community. The value estimated by the INDOTEL for the full implementation of the project was US$ 4 649 737.87, including all applicable taxes. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Telecable del Nordeste Cerronet. Brightstar Dominicana. Soluciones Estratégicas Globales. Tecno Easy CxA. Codetel. Wind Telecom. Centennial Dominicana. ETG Telecomunicaciones. Spielcom Cable TV. Mundo 1 Telecom. 12. Skymax. 13. SLV Soluv. 14. Pacific Telecom Dominicana. 15. Baratz y Asociados. 16. Estrela Telecom. 17. Bec-Tel. 18. TQ Telecommunications Group 19. Compusoluciones 20. Rural Telecom 11. Of 20 firms that were interested in the project. 5 firms (20%) completed the initial requirements. 2 companies (10%) prequalified. 1 enterprise (5%) presented a technical – economical proposal. Economic offer: Zero dollars. Deployment period: 345 days. The company awarded, after his market and field studies decided to deploy a 3G (UMTS) infrastructure throughout the country. In the last 15 years, the company had deployed , 534 base stations. Within this project it is deploying 250 3G base stations and is upgrading former stations to 3G.( 285 already) By the end of October 2008, 103 localities By the end of January 2009. 103 localities By the end of April 2009,148 localities By the end of Julio 2009,148 localities will have broadband and home phone services. Video esanrz@gmail.com