I’ve been covering the Telecom industry for a period of about 3 years now, spotting with resounding accuracy the direction which the industry is taking. For instance, i wrote a post on the rise of IP-based messaging services like Whatsapp, Gtalk, Twitter, BBM and how they continue to shrink Telecom SMS revenues. Then i also wrote about the convergence of Voice, Messaging and Video into one single stream rather than usage of discrete channels(to the advantage of Telecoms) delivered through smartphone “Apps” like Skype and Viber. As it appears, the PURA seems to be fighting against the tide rather than gliding with it. On i-Network emailing list, Simon Vass, Managing Director at E-Tech Uganda Ltd and the Ag. Public/Private Communications Director at Uganda Internet eXchange Point says; It’s absolutely absurd for the authority to remain stiff-necked against new technological innovations in preference for old and dying technologies and business models. The 2012 ITU (International Telecommunication Union) report urges Telecoms not to fight new disruptive technologies, but rather to build new business models coupled with innovative network designs; In this report, Telecoms ought to separate ” services and the network” if they’re to remain competitive in the new markets. In other words each party in the Telecom eco-system should stick to what they do best. As i stated in this post, Telecoms can concentrate on the network aspect of the Telecom spectrum — routing internet traffic between different nodes, utilizing and optimizing the frequency spectrum, keeping the network up and running so that mobile subscribers can do what matters to them the most while other service providers concentrate on developing the most innovative solutions that make communication absolutely adorable to the end users like say Skype or Apple’s Facetime. Again, Voice as we knew is dead — atleast according to the ITU — but the network isn’t! It’s therefore against all conceivable logic that the Gambian government chooses this direction! Telecoms can still remain profitable despite all sorts of disruption if the right steps are taken. When the Telecoms separate the network from services, they can still charge users for accessing the network without which users aren’t able to use the services like Skype, Viber that the Government is trying to block.
UPDATE: Gambian Gov’t says Skype, Viber not banned
Following a press release issued by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) prohibiting companies and/or individuals operating through Internet Cafes and offering Dating services and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, The Government of The Gambia has shed more light on the issue.The government has called on its citizens to continue to enjoy Skype to reach their loved ones at home and abroad. This was contained in a press release sent from the Ministry of Information and Communication Infrastructure.
