Rural telecom overview Asia-Pacific

Rural telecommunications overview for Asia-Pacific : 

Rural telecommunications overview for Asia-Pacific Pan-Asian Rural Communications Summit Hongkong 24-26 October 1994 Michael Minges Telecommunications Development Bureau (BDT)

Regional rural population : 

Regional rural population Source: World Bank.

Asia rural population : 

Asia rural population Source: ESCAP.

Rural population : 

Rural population Source: ESCAP.

Rural employment : 

Rural employment Source: ESCAP.

Rural economy : 

Rural economy Source: World Bank.

Measurements of rural telecommunications : 

Measurements of rural telecommunications Largest city telephones Rural telephones Localities with telephone service

Telephone distribution : 

Telephone distribution Source: ITU. Developing Asia-Pacific, 1992

Largest city telephones : 

Largest city telephones Source: ITU. Developing Asia-Pacific, 1992

Localities with telephones : 

Localities with telephones % with Country Type telephones India (92) Villages (580’000) 17% Philippines (92) Municipalities (1’600) 20% Thailand (92) Tambons (4’000) 25% Viet Nam (90) Villages (9’000) 24%

Why poor rural communications? : 

Why poor rural communications? Other priorities No money Not profitable

Rural revenues : 

Rural revenues Public Call Office $116 Institution $135 Business $69 Residence $17 DON’T FORGET THE INCOMING! Pakistan Average Outgoing Monthly Revenues Source: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

Rural telephone usage : 

Rural telephone usage Thailand, national long distance calls Source: TOT.

What the manufacturers say : 

What the manufacturers say “We have developed systems for emerging countries...can be installed in approximately half the time and at half the cost of traditional wireline systems”—Hughes Network Systems “New switching now available...rapid economic return...reducing project costs”—MITEL

What the governments say : 

What the governments say “...extend areas of basic telecommunications services to all those underprivileged living in rural and remote areas” — ITU/ASRDC, Singapore 1993 “...seek solutions for network expansion, particularly in rural areas...provide at least the basic telephone services within easy reach of the people” — Asia-Pacific Declaration, Singapore 1992

Organizational policies : 

Organizational policies Incumbent operators Revenue sharing Rural operators Carrot & Stick

Incumbent operators : 

Incumbent operators Telekom Malaysia Decentralized 6 regional operations Malaysia

Revenue sharing : 

Revenue sharing Thai Telephone & Telecommunications Co., Ltd. 25 year concession to install one million lines in provinces Contract signed 2-7-92 Thailand

Rural operators : 

Rural operators Bangladesh Rural Telecommunications Authority 50% private Licensed to operate in 199 thanas (out of 402) for 25 years Bangladesh

Carrot & stick : 

Carrot & stick Executive Order 109 13/7/93 Existing and prospective international gateway operators to provide 300’000 lines in 3 years Nationwide cellular operators provide 400’000 lines in 5 years Philippines

Universal Service : 

Universal Service Provision of a basic level of telephone service to all, at affordable rates

Telecommunications Development Bureau (BDT) : 

Telecommunications Development Bureau (BDT) Integrated rural development programme Study Group: Communications for rural and remote areas

Rural multimedia heaven : 

Rural multimedia heaven