“When consumers understand how they We need to prog-
can increase their productivity and earn
more money when using the internet, they
will be willing to pay for their own IP con-
nected device and personal internet access.
“
ressively build
competence and
motivation in
We need to progressively build competence
consumers,” says
and motivation in consumers,” believes Mr.
Frank Oehler.
photo by Lehtikuva
Frank Oehler, Head of Business Development
at Nokia Siemens Networks. “It will take
time for users to become familiar with new
Briefly stated: technologies. Information services will have
to be intuitive to match the level of compe-
•
Shared and assisted tence that can reasonably be expected from enabling an operator to provide internet
internet access provides new users.” access easily and cost-effectively with a sus-
rural dwellers in emerging Engaging with people by offering them tainable business model.
markets with the tools need- shared access at the village level is an in- An Internet Kiosk is easy to operate via
ed to access the internet. terim step and a viable short-term goal for a shared computer in the village, and the
•
operators. entrepreneur has a valuable role in tutoring
Shared access at the vil-
villagers on how to use the internet to ac-
lage level is an interim step
Promotion by example
cess relevant information services.
and a viable short-term goal
“Villagers tend to trust their community Tanzania’s leading operator Vodacom
for operators who wish to
peers, so once someone in the village has has elected to trial Village Connection to
increase their subscriber
enjoyed a particular benefit, word of mouth develop its mobile communications net-
base.
will spread rapidly. This basic form of viral work. The main beneficiaries of the project
•
Internet kiosks provide marketing is of the utmost importance in will be the millions of villagers in Tanzania,
jobs to local employees who helping people to identify the personal value who only have up to five euros to spend on
help manage the service to and improved efficiency that information telecommunication services per household
village dwellers. Alterna- services can bring, and we need to support per month.
tively, local entrepreneurs this,” says Oehler. “The low OPEX and operational simplicity
can operate the service on a One solution being assessed by several that the solution presents provides us with
franchise basis. operators is the Nokia Siemens Networks the necessary arsenal to maintain our cover-
Village Connection, which provides personal age and quality leadership,” comments Mr.
voice and SMS services and Internet Kiosk Peter Correia, Vodacom’s Chief Operational
for shared internet access. Village-based Officer. ■
GSM Access Points can be operated by local
A
s personal voice services become a re- employees, or run as a franchise by entre- For more information, please visit:
ality in emerging markets, the focus of preneurs. Internet Kiosk uses the existing www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com/new-
operators will shift towards providing Village Connection IP backhaul connection, growthmarkets
internet access. While new technologies and
innovative business models are bringing the
cost of internet access within reach of more
and more consumers, other challenges need

to be addressed, particularly in rural areas.
VILLAGE CONNECTION
Many rural dwellers have limited or no INNOVATION GAINS RECOGNITION
experience of information technologies. Nor
do they have any concept of how they can Nokia Siemens Networks Village Connec- in Technology award in the telecommuni-
benefit from using content and services of- tion picked up an Excellence in Innovation cations market in Africa. The nomination
fered on the internet. They need to be taken award in May 2008 from the Indian Tel- cites Village Connection as being: “likely
on a journey of discovery, to learn how to ecom Equipment Manufacturers Associa- to become a market standard in the de-
use services and explore the rewards for tion (TEMA). ployment of mobile voice and SMS and
themselves. The most practical way to do More recently, Frost & Sullivan nomi- Internet services to rural communities in
this is through shared and assisted internet nated Village Connection for its Excellence Africa.”
access.
3/2008 Expanding Horizons 13
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