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ISPs and consumer protection in West Africa

ISPs and consumer protection in West Africa. Archibald Worwui. ISPs are doing very good job in providing internet access. Don’t be carried away please!!!!!!!!. Areas of interest. Effect of Internet on socio-economic activities ISPs (Internet Service Providers)

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ISPs and consumer protection in West Africa

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  1. ISPs and consumer protection in West Africa Archibald Worwui

  2. ISPs are doing very good job in providing internet access Don’t be carried away please!!!!!!!!

  3. Areas of interest • Effect of Internet on socio-economic activities • ISPs (Internet Service Providers) • Arrival of ISPs into the region • Contributions of ISPs • Challenges facing ISPs in west Africa • Consumer Issues with ISPs • Rising to the Issues • Discussion

  4. Arrival of ISPs in the West Africa • 1st Stage mid 90s – 2000 • Dial-up • Lease lines • 2nd stage 2000 – 2008 • DSL • SHDSL, etc • 3rd stage 2008- Till • Wireless • Broadband • Rapid increase in laying of undersea cable • Forming regional service providers • Telecom deregulation

  5. Effects of internet on socio-economic activities in West Africa • New economic activities (new industry) • New business model • Lower cost of communication • Increase interactions between social grouping • All aspect of life in West Africa • In short revolution and life changing

  6. ISPs Connectivity An Overview Culled from wikimedia

  7. Contributions of ISPs • Africa 560 public ISPs covering all major towns http://www.afrispa.org/dpages/PositionPapers/Content.pdf • ISPs + Technology = Access to Internet • Internet + Education = Great Opportunity

  8. Challenges facing ISPs in west Africa • High cost of bandwith • Rapid changing of technology and it associate continuous investment • Competition in the ISP market • Telcom monopoly (backbone provider and ISP) • Delay is supply line of necessary equipment • Lack trust among local ISPs • High cost of imported equipments • Foreign exchange restriction and fluctuations • High taxes

  9. Challenges facing ISPs -2 • Lack of local IXPs in the region • Lack of education (high illiteracy rate) • Low target market • Few highly qualified technical personnel • Limited technical capacity • High level of brain-drain

  10. Looking forward • Number initiative to overcome this challenges • AfrISPA (ISPs Association in Africa) • ATU (Africa Telecom Union) • PAVIX • ISPs coming together to provide undersea cables • More linearization of the Telecom industry • Training • Introduction of ICT in to the primary education system

  11. Characteristics ISPs Industry • Internet access market is primary consumer market • It is important to have effective consumer protection • ISPs are mostly self- regulating industry • Consumer do not have much control on sensitive personal information

  12. Consumer Issues with ISPs • Poor service quality • Billing problems • Poor technical supports • Dodgy adverts with so much technical terms which consumer do not understand • Pre-dispute mandatory arbitration clauses • Long time to resolve connectivity problems • Inadequate explanation of interruption problem • Weak signal

  13. Consumer Issues with ISPs -2 • Poor customer relationship • Control over information provider by the consumer after it life period • Ethical issues • More……………………………………..

  14. Rising to the Issues • Legislation- government set of the roles of the game • Develop user policy • ISPs services policies • Formation of public services regulatory bodies • PURA • Consumer parliaments • Formation of consumer association • CAFON, GNAC, CPAG • Organizing interaction between consumers and ISPs

  15. Discussions • ?? • ??? • ????

  16. Still Asking? What is the promise and the danger of the Internet? – Hubert Dreyfus, Professor of Philosophy Thanks

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