Connecting the #NextBillion . Connecting the #NextBillion GLORIA KATUUKU | @gkatwine

. ‘In less than thirty years, the Internet has become an indispensable guarantor of economic growth, social renewal and cultural enrichment’ – value of the web

Value of #Internet Number of global internet users = 3.2Billion 2 billion smartphone users worldwide where by 83% of the global internet users prefer their mobile devices to go online 4 billion in the developing country remain offline compared to 200 million from developed nations Only 1 in 10 people from the least developing countries (LDCs) have access to the internet Global internet penetration between 2000 and 2015 jumped almost 7 times from 6.5% to 43% We are increasingly connected

The #NextBillion

#Uganda Status Access and utilization of ICT infrastructure and services Telephone subscriptions: 19.5 million (June 2014) Number of active internet subscriptions stands at 4.2 million by June 2014 compared to 3.6 million by Dec. 2013. The number of internet users stands at 8.5 million as of June 2014 compared to 6.2 million in June 2013.

What #Uganda is doing ICT Governance, Policy Legal and Regulatory Framework National Backbone Infrastructure National Broadband Strategy – Strategy to promote development of Local content (stimulate demand and usage) Regional initiatives to promote Broadband infrastructure and regional connectivity e.g the EAC-BIN, One area network in EAC, enhancing capacity of Uganda Internet Exchange Point under the EAIXP project to enhance speed and affordability Review of National curriculum to include secondary schools and promote eLearning RCDF fund – rural areas, schools and hospitals

The Constraints Low pace at which government and agencies have taken to adopted ICTs in their operations Cost of bandwidth and broadband access Inadequate Local content Research and development Low connection the Power Grid Low ICT Skills and high computer literacy Cost of end-user devices

‘This is the era of the Internet of opportunity and everyone should be included in the promise and possibilities created by the Internet’ – Kathy Brown, ISOC President& CEO

#ThankYou