1. Multimedia Training Kit www.itrainonline.org
Universal Access
Tuesday, 23 April 2019Tuesday, 23 April 2019
Multimedia Training Kit

2. By the end of this session you should
Be able to define universal access and universal service
Be aware of the potential role of policy and regulation in providing for universal access
Be aware of the potential role of telecentres as an option for supporting universal access
Understand the roles of different stakeholders in supporting universal access provision
It would be useful to get a sense of how much your audience knows about these concepts and whether their involvement/knowledge is in the implementation side (e.g. implementing telecentres), policy aspect or both. This will help you to focus your presentation in the areas where there is less knowledge/experience and also to draw out some of the existing experiences of the audience.
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3. Why is access important?
To facilitate participation of all in the “information age”
To promote national economic, political and social cohesion
To support information and communications rights for all
To promote economic development
To reduce urban-rural disparity
To help eliminate poverty
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4. Defining universal access and service
UNIVERSAL SERVICE: Telecommunication services to each household (owned by individual subscriber)
UNIVERSAL ACCESS: Population having access to telecommunication services (often through public provision) Definition has expanded from fixed line telephone to internet and other newer ICTs
Note that these concepts look at the issue of need as distinct from the ability to pay.
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5. Targets for universal access
POPULATION – Ghana: A phone for every settlement with over 500 people
DISTANCE – Costa Rica: A phone within 1km of population
TIME – South Africa: a phone within 30 minutes walk
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6. Universal access issues
Availability – is it there?
Accessibility – can everyone use it?
Affordability – can everyone afford it?
You may want to ask the audience what factors they think affect the availability, accessibility and affordability of ICT in their countries/areas (see handhout for more information on each). This can help to the participants to understand and prioritize some of the key issues that policies which support universal access must address.
Tuesday, 23 April 2019Tuesday, 23 April 2019
Multimedia Training Kit

7. Why policy is important
Leaving it to market forces not enough
Need enabling policy and regulatory environment to:
Support market efficiency
Ensure services reach disadvantaged (not-for-profit) groups
Need to consider:
National/international policies
Both policy development and implementation
Emphasize the importance of an open and inclusive public debate on this issue and for follow up on the implementation and impact of these policies.
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8. Some universal access mechanisms
Universal access funds
Mandatory service obligation
Cross-subsidies
Telecentres
If possible, supplement with specific examples you are familiar with. Compare these and solicit from the participants their knowledge/experiences of these mechanisms.
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Multimedia Training Kit

9. Universal access funds
Offer range of programs e.g. licences, subsidies for access and projects
Funding sources:
Direct funding from general government
Contribution from telecommunications operators
Subscriber levy
These have had varying degrees of success with some of the most successful funds in Latin America. If possible, supplement with examples you are familiar with and solicit from the participants their knowledge/experiences of these funds and their activities. The additional resource “An introduction to universal access funds for telecom development “ ( ) provides information about some of the national universal access funds that exist.
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10. Multimedia Training Kit www.itrainonline.org
What is a telecentre?
A physical location where community members have access to:
ICT equipment and training
Learning systems and information
Services (e.g. government)
Support systems
Aim to provide access to ICTs and services to promote social and economic development
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11. Opportunities provided
Education and training
Employment
Income generation
Health
Information and knowledge
Social mobilization and organization
Reaching out to and supporting socially excluded
Communication and cultural expression
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12. Multimedia Training Kit www.itrainonline.org
Types of telecentres
Commercial – privately run, for profit; focus on urban areas
Government owned or operated
NGO telecentres – good at targeting marginalized, offer range of services, usually need subsidies
Community telecentres – run by community, good at targeting marginalized, tend not to be very sustainable
If possible, supplement with examples you are familiar with and solicit from the participants their knowledge/experiences. It is best if an example can be provided of each as well as any information on the impact/success it has had. Examples can also be found through the additional resources provided as part of this unit (particularly “Telecentres: Case Studies and Key Issues” and the publication “Information and communication Technology for Africa: The experiences of community telecentres” on the IDRC site ) .
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13. Potential impact of services
Lower cost; Restricted number of services
Dependent on market forces
Medium
Low
Universities
Good/Excellent
Community Telecentre
Municipal
Good
Schools
Excellent
NGOs
Commercial
Sustainability
Replicability
Impact on Poor
Type of Telecentre
This can be a controversial slide and can be used to stimulate debate. Do participants agree with what Proenza is saying? Why might or might not be true in their experiences?
Source Francisco Proenza, Inter-American Development Bank
IADB/ITU/FAO report available from:
Greater cost; Wide variety of services
Likely to need some (initial) funding
Source: Francisco Proenza, IADB
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14. Telecentres: issues for consideration
Who is using them? Are they really reaching and benefiting the marginalized?
Is there a supportive environment?
Is there an understanding of the context in which they are being deployed (social, political, economic context)?
Has there been a needs assessment connecting local need to equipment and services provided?
It is important to emphasize that there have been varying degrees of success with telecentres with many struggling to be sustainable and to actually draw in meaningful usage by disadvantaged groups. These two slides provides a number of questions need to be considered when looking at telecentres as a potential option for the provision of universal access. Many have failed because the answer to one or more of these questions is negative.
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Multimedia Training Kit

15. Telecentres: issues for consideration
What services do they offer?
Technology alone will not address development issues: is there an availability of content and services?
Is there the appropriate technical and management capacity?
Can they be sustained? Socially, technically, financially
Can they be a model for others (replicable)?
You may wish to ask participants whether there are successful/unsuccessful examples of telecentres in their country?
Discussions on telecentres can often get focussed on operational details. However, it is important to keep in mind that the focus of this module is on policy and so to keep the discussion focused on the policy issues related to telecentres rather than telecentre management issues. To keep this focus you might want to ask a question such as: What can be done to help create a policy environment which helps to better ensure the success of telecentres and address some of these issues?
Tuesday, 23 April 2019Tuesday, 23 April 2019
Multimedia Training Kit

16. Role of stakeholders in supporting universal access
Private sector – key partner in rollout of services and infrastructure and policy reform advocacy
Government – establishing enabling policy and regulatory environment
Civil society – partner in delivering community access and policy reform advocacy
Media – supporting lobbying efforts and public awareness of key issues
At this point it may be good to get feedback from the participants in terms of suggestions for how they could potentially take forward some of these items in their countries.
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17. Concluding considerations
What are the opportunities in the policy processes in your country for raising universal access issues?
How can you help increase awareness and understanding of these issues?
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18. Multimedia Training Kit www.itrainonline.org
Universal Access
Tuesday, 23 April 2019Tuesday, 23 April 2019
Multimedia Training Kit