The objective of the Bandwidth Capacity Support is to enable the 63 Digital villages to purchase high quality and affordable connectivity for their centres to enable information sharing and offer affordable access in rural areas. Speaking during a workshop in Nairobi with Pasha Managers, The Kenya ICT Board CEO, Paul Kukubo said, "We have recognized that the major challenges surrounding internet access for Pashas centres are connectivity and affordability. As a solution we have decided to subsidise the internet costs."
The government will pay 90 per cent of the internet access costs while Pasha Managers will pay the remaining 10 per cent. The Initial support will last 18 months and will cover internet connection costs but exclude the purchase of connectivity equipment. To qualify for the Internet access subsidy Pasha managers will first identify the Internet Service Providers (ISP's) that they will work with. They will then submit prescribed documents in order to take advantage of the support. ISPs will have to be registered by the Communications Commission of Kenya as a provider of the services.
"Pasha centers are strategically placed to bring ICT services to their communities. To succeed they need to take advantage of devolution opportunities and respond to the government agenda of delivering digital education in remote areas," said Kukubo.
The workshop brought together heads of digital villages and leading ISP companies to agree on the modalities that will be applicable on the subsidy.
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Quelle/Source: AllAfrica, 30.04.2013
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