[afnog] Re: Request for input: The Working Group on InternetGovernance

[Robert.Shaw at itu.int]

> ** Coming back to ITU and Internet, if in Africa (case I know well)
> we relied on ITU (back to the earlier stage - 1995) I think Internet
> will not be what it is today in ou region! Just look at what Telco
> Internet Infrastructure and Service look like compare to private
> ISP's one (despite their day to day struggle).

All new communications technologies, of which the Internet is just
the latest, were disruptive to previous communications technologies.
You're just restating history...

That may be the current state in Africa but clear trend is that 
there is less and less discernable difference between telcos and
ISPs. Most argue there is no future in a pure telco or ISP play 
- only a broadband play with a bundled palette of services (of 
which voice is just one). If you look at this as an "us versus 
them crusade" (as some of you seem to want to make it), I think 
you're missing the point as industry, particularly the equipment 
manufacturers are already far down the convergence path. 

And if one thinks that the policy makers and regulators aren't 
going to be involved in the public interest issues related to this
convergence, that's a very nice dream but I'd suggest you take a
look at slide 13 at
http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/presentations/2004/enum-ftra-uganda-rs.pdf
and prepare carefully your arguments...

Hint: read carefully the individual separate statements of the FCC 
Commissioners in their commentary on the recent US VoIP ruling at 
http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/newslog/2004/11/10.html#a746

--RS