Launch / Award Event #223 Affordable Access for Education and Health Aa4edu

Summary

This IGF session focused on presenting an award to the first telecom operator providing affordable access for education, health, and empowerment, with particular emphasis on connectivity challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. Josef Noll opened the discussion by highlighting that while 75% of people in sub-Saharan Africa remain unconnected, the coverage gap is only 15%, but the usage gap is a significant 59%, indicating that many people have access to mobile broadband but don’t use it.

Claire Sibthorpe from GSMA Mobile for Development explained that the biggest barriers to mobile technology adoption include lack of affordability, digital literacy and skills, relevant content and services, and safety concerns. She emphasized that unconnected populations are disproportionately rural women, poor communities, those with lower education, and persons with disabilities. Sudhir Dixit from IEEE discussed the organization’s Rural Communication Standards Activities Program, which evaluates proposals for rural broadband infrastructure standards, noting that standards are crucial for manufacturers to justify investment in products.

George Pereira from the EU Commission outlined Europe’s 5G action plan and digital compass initiatives, including 5G corridors for cross-border connectivity and 5G communities focusing on strategic development entities like schools and hospitals. Representatives from Tanzania and Ethiopia described their respective connectivity challenges, with Tanzania experiencing significant infrastructure investment costs and Ethiopia facing similar rural connectivity issues requiring multi-stakeholder approaches.

The session concluded with Vodacom Tanzania Foundation receiving recognition for their work connecting over 250 schools across Tanzania at approximately $22 per school for unlimited 10 Mbps connectivity. This initiative demonstrates how public-private partnerships and community-driven approaches can successfully bridge the digital divide in underserved areas.

Keypoints

## Major Discussion Points:

– **The Digital Divide Challenge**: The session highlighted the significant connectivity gap in Sub-Saharan Africa, where 75% of people remain unconnected. While the coverage gap is relatively small at 15%, the usage gap is much larger at 59%, indicating that many people have potential access to mobile broadband but don’t use it due to barriers like affordability, digital literacy, and lack of relevant content.

– **Multi-stakeholder Collaboration for Connectivity**: The discussion emphasized the critical importance of partnerships between various organizations (GSMA, IEEE, EU Commission, Internet Society, telecom operators, universities, and development agencies) to address connectivity challenges. The collaborative approach involves connecting schools and communities through research networks and community learning labs.

– **Standards and Infrastructure Development**: IEEE’s role in developing rural communication standards was highlighted, including the Rural Communication Standards Activities Program that evaluates proposals for new standards. The discussion covered how standards are essential for manufacturers to build products at scale and for successful infrastructure deployment.

– **Policy Frameworks and Investment Challenges**: Speakers addressed the need for supportive policy environments, including tax breaks, universal service funds, and public-private partnerships. The high cost of infrastructure investment, particularly in rural areas where return on investment is challenging, was identified as a major barrier requiring innovative financing models.

– **Practical Success Stories and Scalability**: The session showcased Vodacom Tanzania’s achievement in connecting 250 schools at an affordable rate of $22 for unlimited 10 Mbps connectivity, demonstrating that affordable access is possible. The discussion emphasized the need for digital literacy training, local ownership, and community engagement for sustainable scaling.

## Overall Purpose:

The discussion aimed to present an award to the first telecom operator providing affordable access for education, health, and empowerment, while exploring strategies and collaborative approaches to bridge the digital divide in Africa. The session sought to share best practices, identify challenges, and promote partnerships that can scale affordable connectivity solutions.

## Overall Tone:

The discussion maintained a consistently positive and collaborative tone throughout. Speakers were enthusiastic about partnerships and shared achievements, while also being realistic about challenges. The tone was professional yet optimistic, with participants expressing genuine commitment to addressing digital inequality. The atmosphere remained constructive and solution-focused, with speakers building on each other’s points and emphasizing the importance of working together to achieve meaningful connectivity for underserved communities.

Speakers

– **Josef Noll** – Session moderator, works with Basic Internet Foundation on school connectivity projects

– **Clair Sibthorpe** – Co-founder of M4D (Mobile for Development), works on digital inclusion and gender in the mobile development department at GSMA

– **Sudhir Dixit** – IEEE Connecting the Unconnected, works on standardization of technologies for rural communication at IEEE Standards Association

– **Josh Perrera** – EU Commission, responsible for DG Connect, 5G, 6G connectivity initiatives

– **Nazar Nicholas** – Dr. Nazar Nicholas Kirama, works for Internet Society, Community Networks Champion in Tanzania

– **Asrat Mulatu** – Internet Society Ethiopia

– **Asim Adeel** – Program coordinator at GIZ (German Development Corporation), works on digital solutions and infrastructure

– **Suveina Farah** – Vodacom Foundation Tanzania, guest of honor

– **Catherine Kimbambo** – Online moderator, works with African Child Program

– **Audience** – Barack Cotiano, chairs the association of community networks in Kenya, partners with Basic Internet Foundation

**Additional speakers:**

– **Claire Sittop** – GSMA Mobile for Development (mentioned in introduction but appears to be the same person as Clair Sibthorpe)

– **George Pereira** – EU Commission responsible for DG Connect, 5G, 6G (mentioned in introduction, appears to be the same person as Josh Perrera)

– **Nicholas Nazar** – Internet Society Tanzania (mentioned in introduction, appears to be the same person as Nazar Nicholas)

– **Jonathan Moringani** – Basic Internet Foundation, rapporteur (mentioned in introduction but did not speak)

– **n.n. from GIZ** – Representative from GIZ (mentioned in introduction, appears to be Asim Adeel)

# Comprehensive Summary: IGF Session on Affordable Access for Education, Health, and Empowerment

## Introduction and Context

This Internet Governance Forum (IGF) session 2-3, moderated by Josef Noll from the Basic Internet Foundation, was specifically focused on presenting an award to the first telecom operator providing affordable access for education, health, and empowerment. The discussion brought together representatives from major international organisations, including GSMA, IEEE, the EU Commission, Internet Society, and various development agencies, to address connectivity challenges in sub-Saharan Africa and explore collaborative solutions for bridging the digital divide.

Catherine Kimambo served as online moderator and Jonathan Moringani as rapporteur for the session, which maintained a collaborative and celebratory tone throughout as participants shared experiences and recognised concrete achievements in connectivity provision.

The session opened with a stark statistic that framed the entire discussion: whilst 75% of people in sub-Saharan Africa remain unconnected, the coverage gap represents only 15% of the population, whilst the usage gap accounts for a significant 59%. This fundamental insight established that the primary challenge is not merely about building infrastructure, but rather about enabling people to use existing connectivity options effectively.

## The Digital Divide: Understanding the Usage Gap

Josef Noll’s opening remarks highlighted the critical distinction between coverage and usage gaps, explaining his methodology of working with universities to build research and education networks, enabling universities to connect, getting students to connect schools, and building community learning and living labs. He mentioned achieving coverage of “20 to 25 kilometre” through this approach.

Claire Sibthorpe from GSMA Mobile for Development expanded on this theme, explaining that the biggest barriers to mobile technology adoption include lack of affordability, digital literacy and skills, relevant content and services, and safety concerns. She emphasised that unconnected populations are disproportionately rural women, poor communities, those with lower education levels, and persons with disabilities.

## Standards and Technology Development

Sudhir Dixit from IEEE brought a crucial perspective on the role of standardisation in scaling connectivity solutions. He outlined IEEE’s Rural Communication Standards Activities Program, which evaluates proposals for rural broadband infrastructure standards. His key insight was that “without standards, no manufacturer will build products because they are looking for volume to justify investment in any manufacturing process.”

Dixit explained that out of 15 proposals received, only one was selected for standardisation – the P1962 project focusing on utilising solar panels as optical communication receivers for rural broadband infrastructure, with a kickoff meeting scheduled for 1st of July 2025.

## European Connectivity Initiatives

George Pereira from the EU Commission outlined Europe’s comprehensive approach to connectivity through the 5G action plan launched in 2016 and the digital compass initiative from 2021, which targets 5G coverage everywhere by 2030. He described two key components: 5G corridors for cross-border connectivity and 5G communities focusing on strategic development entities such as schools, hospitals, and emergency services.

Pereira acknowledged that whilst Europe has made significant progress in urban connectivity, “the challenge remains in return on investment for sparsely populated rural areas.” The European approach of focusing on anchor institutions like schools and hospitals as connectivity hubs offered a strategic framework that resonated with other speakers’ experiences in African contexts.

## African Perspectives: Tanzania and Ethiopia

Nazar Nicholas from Internet Society Tanzania painted a vivid picture of the connectivity landscape, explaining that “as you move maybe like 15, 20, 30 kilometres away from the commercial capital, you start experiencing, instead of 5G, you start experiencing 3G, 2G and sometimes no G.”

Nicholas highlighted that infrastructure costs are extremely high, making investment difficult for telecom operators in rural areas. However, he also noted positive developments, including Tanzania’s regulatory frameworks that accept smaller operators and the digital economy framework for 2024-2034, which recognises the importance of rural connectivity.

Asrat Mulatu from Internet Society Ethiopia described similar challenges, noting that most of Ethiopia’s population lives in rural areas facing under-connectivity issues. He emphasised the need for a multi-stakeholder approach that aligns policies, showcases impact, and mobilises mixed funding mechanisms. The Ethiopian Communications Authority is creating supportive policies including tax breaks, universal service funds, and public-private partnerships.

## The Success Story: Vodacom Tanzania Foundation

The session’s centrepiece was the recognition of Vodacom Tanzania Foundation’s achievement in connecting over 250 schools across Tanzania. Suveina Farah, representing the foundation, provided specific details about their success: connecting schools at a cost of 60,000 Tanzanian shillings (approximately $22) for unlimited 10 Mbps connectivity.

Farah explained that the foundation, with its 20-year history and impact on 10 million lives, provided comprehensive support including ICT hardware, computer labs, tablets, and routers. The initiative involved deploying 700 towers in rural areas through the Digital Tanzania Project and zero-rating the Tanzania Institute of Education platform with 184 centers.

However, Farah also acknowledged ongoing challenges, including significant hurdles with energy and power in rural areas, accessible roads for tower maintenance, and low smartphone penetration that limits usage despite improved access. The foundation’s response included shifting focus to digital skills and teacher training to address gaps in digital literacy.

## Community Networks and Development Perspectives

Barack Cotiano, representing the association of community networks in Kenya, brought important insights about evidence-based research and community-driven approaches. He emphasised that “evidence-based research is key” and noted that approximately 70% of sub-Saharan Africa lacks meaningful access and still uses 2G technology whilst the Global North has moved beyond 2G.

Asim Adeel from GIZ (German Development Corporation) outlined his organisation’s approach to supporting digital solutions, emphasising principles of local ownership, scalability, gender inclusion, and cross-sector partnerships. This development perspective reinforced the importance of community-driven approaches and highlighted the need to address gender disparities in digital access.

## Key Themes and Approaches

Throughout the discussion, several important themes emerged:

**Multi-stakeholder Collaboration**: Speakers consistently emphasised the importance of partnerships between governments, private sector, civil society, and communities. The success of the Tanzania initiative demonstrated how telecommunications operators, educational institutions, government agencies, and development organisations can work together effectively.

**Digital Literacy and Capacity Building**: Multiple speakers agreed that providing connectivity infrastructure alone is insufficient. Suveina Farah’s description of Vodacom Foundation’s shift towards digital skills and teacher training exemplified the understanding that capacity building must accompany infrastructure development.

**Rural Connectivity Challenges**: Speakers consistently identified rural areas as facing the greatest connectivity challenges due to infrastructure limitations, investment barriers, and geographic obstacles. The high cost of infrastructure investment, particularly in areas where return on investment is uncertain, emerged as a persistent barrier requiring innovative financing models.

**Anchor Institution Strategy**: The focus on schools, hospitals, and emergency services as anchor points for connectivity initiatives provided a strategic framework that appeared across multiple speakers’ presentations, from the EU’s approach to the Tanzania success story.

## Practical Implementation and Innovation

The discussion provided concrete evidence of successful implementation through specific metrics and approaches. The Vodacom Tanzania Foundation’s model offered a tangible benchmark – 250 schools connected at $22 per school for 10 Mbps unlimited data – demonstrating that affordable connectivity is achievable at scale.

The session also touched on innovative technical approaches, including the IEEE project on utilising solar panels as optical communication receivers, which addresses both connectivity and power challenges simultaneously. The emphasis on evidence-based research and measurement tools demonstrated the importance of systematic approaches to identifying connectivity gaps and measuring impact.

## Award Recognition and Symbolic Importance

The session concluded with the symbolic presentation of an award to Vodacom Tanzania Foundation, recognising their achievement as the first telecom operator to provide affordable access for education, health, and empowerment at scale. Catherine Kimambo was designated to hand-carry the award to Tanzania, emphasising the personal and collaborative nature of the recognition.

This award presentation served multiple purposes: acknowledging concrete achievement, providing a model for other operators to emulate, and creating momentum for similar initiatives across the region. The recognition highlighted the importance of celebrating success and peer learning in scaling effective approaches.

## Conclusion

This IGF session successfully demonstrated that affordable connectivity for education, health, and empowerment is achievable through collaborative approaches that address multiple dimensions of the digital divide simultaneously. The Vodacom Tanzania Foundation’s success in connecting 250 schools at $22 per school provided concrete evidence that innovative partnerships and creative approaches can overcome traditional barriers to rural connectivity.

The session’s collaborative tone and focus on practical solutions highlighted the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships, evidence-based approaches, and comprehensive strategies that address infrastructure, affordability, digital literacy, and capacity building together. The recognition of Vodacom Tanzania Foundation serves not only as acknowledgement of their achievement but also as encouragement for other organisations to pursue similar initiatives.

The discussion demonstrated that while challenges remain – including rural infrastructure costs, device affordability, and digital literacy gaps – successful models exist and can provide blueprints for scaling affordable connectivity initiatives across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.

Josef Noll: Good morning everyone and welcome to the IGF session 2-3 on the award for the first telecom operator, for the first operator giving us affordable access for education, health and empowerment. And I’m very, very glad to have with me Claire Sittop from the GSMA Mobile for Development, Sudhir Dixit from the IEEE Connecting the Unconnected, George Pereira from the EU Commission responsible for DG Connect, 5G, 6G and whatever is coming up, Nicholas Nazar from the Internet Society in Tanzania, Asrat Mulatu from the Internet Society in Ethiopia, Suveina Farah, our guest of honour from the Vodacom Foundation in Tanzania and n.n. from the GIZ. Our online moderator is Catherine Kimambo here on my side and our rapporteur is Jonathan Moringani from the Basic Internet Foundation. So the way we organise the session is that we see that connectivity is still the challenge number one. What we’ve done in the past is, sorry next slide please, we have the collaboration with GSMA to actually address the challenge of Africa, South of Sahara, 75% of people basically being unconnected and out of that the coverage gap is rather small, 15%, but the usage gap is a lot, lot bigger, 59%. 59% don’t use these. and others. We have a lot of people who are interested in using the mobile broadband, though they would have the chance to use it. And that has been the question for us, what can we do in the future? And based on the experience of having connected 250 schools, next slide, we follow an approach of where we say, we work together with universities and universities, we build a research and education network, enable universities to connect, and get our students to go out to connect schools, and together with the operators, we then build, connect the schools, and build the community learning and living labs. These are basically the takeaways, and with the next slide, I then just show you the practical story, some of our mobiles are interfering, sorry for that, how we work with the community. And you see, like, Catherine, with one of our installations at the schools, reaching 20 to 25 kilometre. Without any further delay, I will then open up the floor for Claire, our collaboration partner at GSMA, please, Claire, can you tell us a bit more about M4D and the things you are doing?

Clair Sibthorpe: So, I’m Claire, and I’m the co-founder of M4D, and I think you can tell us a bit more about M4D and the things you are doing. Inclusion, and gender in the mobile development department at GSMA, and we are very much looking at trying how we can help with three primary things, so that people, almost all folks that they work with have access to mobile technology to meet their life needs, and as you highlighted, there is a coverage gap and also a big usage gap and in our research we are seeing that the biggest challenge is in terms of being able to use it, is lack of affordable, affordable technologies. Thank you very much for joining us for this session on Internet of Things. We’ve heard a lot about digital handsets and devices, literacy and skills, but there’s also issues around lack of relevant content and services, safety and security concerns. And so I think, you know, taking a holistic approach to both improving affordability skills, improving safety and security and ensuring relevant content is really needed that there is a not-be-left-behind in this, you know, our increasingly digital world. So I think the sort of collaboration, the kind of collaboration that you’ve been doing and talking about is absolutely critical if we’re going to address this sort of multitude of issues. And those who are unconnected are disproportionately rural women, poor communities, lower education and persons with disabilities. So we really need to be focusing on specifically these segments if we’re going to ensure that they’re not being left behind. So thank you very much for the partnership and for the initiative that you’re doing.

Josef Noll: Oh, thanks so much, Claire. That was a short, fantastic introduction. And so without any further delay, Sudhir Dixit from the IEEE Connecting the Unconnected. Can you give us the pathway from standards? What is IEEE helping us to connect every single human on this earth?

Sudhir Dixit: Thank you very much, Joseph. Good morning to all of you. My name is Sudhir Dixit. I don’t have much time. So basically I’d like to talk about what IEEE is doing as far as the standardization of technologies for rural communication is concerned. So some of you may know that IEEE is a member-driven organization which has about half a million members around the world. IEEE stands for Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. It has many different divisions, and one of the divisions is Standards Association. And in the Standards Association, there is an organization called New Standards Committee. So any new standards that people would like to propose, they come to this committee. And in this committee, there is something called Rapid Reaction Standardization Activities Process, whereby every idea that is submitted, it gets considered in a very short time, and it goes to project authorization request phase, where it goes into the study group to be made standard. So what happens is that there is something called Rural Communication Standards Activities Program within this New Standards Committee. So all the proposals that come here, they get considered, as I said before. And there are four goals of this Rural Communication Interconnect Program. One of them is to study socioeconomic and regulatory issues related to rural broadband. The other one is to study existing rural broadband infrastructure. Third one is to study normal broadband architecture from 6G perspective. And fourth is to propose new standards. So just to give an example, this is a new body within the New Standards Committee. About a year ago, we had 15 proposals that were considered by Rural Communication Standards Activities Committee. Out of those 15, which came from around the world, five of them, they never showed up during the meeting. So 10 were evaluated, and they were discussed. and out of those ten, one was selected to move forward, to project authorization phase. And out of that, and that was made into a project that is called P1962 project. So this is the only project that is going forward for standardization within the… As far as the rural broadband infrastructure, by utilizing solar panels as optical communication receivers. So the idea is that people have these solar panels at home, and they will act like receivers of optical signals directly wherever they may be coming from. So that has been considered to go forward for standardization by the IEEE Standards Committee. And that was approved only recently, about a month ago. And the kickoff meeting of this study group is going to take place on 1st of July 2025. So in summary, what I would like to say is that anybody as an individual or an organization is free to submit their idea or a proposal for potential standardization to be called a standard by IEEE. And I would also like to mention that many of us think that technology is the success, but that is really not true. to be successful, you need to have the technology of course, you need to know what the user needs are, what the market needs are, and there have to be standards in place. Without standards, no manufacturer will build products because they are looking for volume to justify investment in any manufacturing process. So standards are a very important part of the overall process to have an infrastructure that will be deployed at a larger scale. So with that, I’ll stop here.

Josef Noll: Thank you so much, Sudhir, and of course, without standards, we wouldn’t have Wi-Fi, we wouldn’t have connectivity, we wouldn’t be anywhere. So from that one, I give the floor over to Xoxo Pereira. Xoxo, you are driving with 5G, 6G connectivity all around Europe and the world. Give us your take on connecting the unconnected.

Josh Perrera: Good morning, everyone. My apologies for not being there. Thanks, Josef, for the kind invitation. I don’t know if I have time to present my slides, but indeed, as Josef has mentioned, we have been for a long time trying to provide an ensure coverage for all in Europe. This is not easy, and this is not straightforward, because as it was already mentioned by Sudhir, the issue is that there are market interests that make it that return on investment is not guaranteed, namely for the rural areas that Sudhir mentioned. So in the context of our programs, we have defined, first of all, the so-called 5G action plan. that aimed at providing access to everyone, everywhere, not only in the major cities, but also across the major transport paths in Europe. And this was done already in 2016. This was later expanded in the digital compass of 2021 to make sure that there would be effectively 5G everywhere by 2030. So this is now much more precise, and a taxing objective. But it’s not only the issue of coverage. It’s also the types of services that people will be able to receive. We have addressed this in two main areas. In order to cover the main transport paths in Europe, we have launched an activity called 5G corridors for cross-border connectivity, because it is important that the fact that you move from one country to the other, that you do not lose services. And especially for those people living near the borders, this is a major issue. And the other activity is centers around the so-called 5G communities. This started initially as the so-called project Wi-Fi for All, which provided grants for remote communities to be able to provide service to the local community, focusing around the so-called strategic development entities, which are schools, hospitals, but also the firefighters, the police, ambulances, libraries. So this type of community… community services are the main targets of these 5G communities. So, we went from Wi-Fi for all to 5G for all in these communities. And this represents a significant investment that is still going on with the objective of providing gigabit connectivity for all households in Europe, which is a big undertaking. All means really covering not only the major conurbations, but even all remote outlets across rural areas. And the second one is to ensure this delivery of advanced services. And it’s not only education and health, but it’s also safety, public protection and these activities that are again mostly in rural areas that have to do with smart agriculture. The objective being of really promoting these advanced services and addressing the digital divide to make sure that people can really have the full benefits of this connectivity. There are still many challenges ahead. It’s not only ensuring proper coverage, as I said, return on investment. It does not make this attractive for these sparsely populated areas. But really providing these advanced services to these smaller communities is again a challenge. So, what are the costs? Who is going to cover this? All of this makes it difficult. But one major, I would say, and critical aspect is the actual involvement of communities. Because what I mentioned before, the 5G corridors and the 5G communities, usually involve municipalities to provide these services, to provide the connectivity in the last mile. But in many areas, if you’re talking about an isolated farm or things like this, we are not talking about municipalities. How can the community, how can the individuals really get involved in all of this and have the full benefits? With this, I give the floor back to Josef. Thanks.

Josef Noll: Thanks, George, for the insights of the 5G for all and the community driven. And I think that brings us directly over to you, Nazar, right? Because Tanzania is community driven. What is your take?

Nazar Nicholas: Thank you, Josef, for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Dr. Nazar Nicholas Kirama and I currently work for the Internet Society. And I am also the Community Networks Champion, advocating for connectivity in Tanzania. I think one of the things that we need to realize is that there is an issue of investment for the shareholders and also there is an issue of digital divide in rural and urban Tanzania. And the number of telecom dark areas in Tanzania is still very high because of the issues of investment on infrastructure. And this exacerbates the number of people who are still not… and a lot of people who are here are connected to the Internet. And the reality on the ground is, for example, if you are in Dar es Salaam, the commercial city of Tanzania, as you move maybe like 15, 20, 30 kilometers away from the commercial capital, you start experiencing, instead of 5G, you start experiencing 3G, 2G and sometimes no G. And the issue is about really, like I’ve said, is about the cost of investment. The infrastructure is very high. There is an issue of also even in those areas where people are connected, the Internet is still very unreliable. And also we have another issue in there of digital literacy. We have to really understand that the infrastructure is very expensive. Much as we would like the telecom operators to be everywhere, the issue is really investment in infrastructure. I wanted to highlight one of the impacts that we have been working together with Joseph and Basic Internet Foundation to connect. We are able to connect schools using a very simple basic equipment. And the appeal is for those who believe in a holistic approach to the Africa digital. thank you very much.

Josef Noll: Oh, thanks so much, Nassar. And I think the views that you had from Tanzania, that is the views which might be slightly different in Ethiopia. So, Azrat, could you tell us what the situation is in Ethiopia?

Asrat Mulatu: Okay, good morning, everyone. And thank you, Joseph, for inviting me and raising this very critical question. So, the issue of this, you know, attracting and scaling up stakeholders’ involvement in providing affordable connectivity for schools, health stations, and communities needing a multi-point strategy, because that’s very critical. So, because everyone has its own interest. So, one of the key points would be, you know, policy initiatives and regulatory frameworks. So, in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Communications Authority, ECA, is, you know, creating these policies, like through tax breaks, universal service fund, which they are already finalizing the framework, and the public-private partnerships, which are very critical. So, this could have, you know, give a sales connectivity business case for ICBC and other stakeholders. Beside that, the second critical point is, we have to demonstrate, you know, projects and pilots in these underserved areas. as a proof of concept so that they can see tangible social impacts, which is another very critical point. From the third point, we can have some kind of financial models, blended financial models, that can de-risk investments for ISPs and other multi-stakeholder interest groups can chip in as we go. The other one is very important, local ownership and demand generation. We have to engage local administrations, school admins and community associations early in the process so that we have local buy-ins and sustainability, which is very important. In the long term, it will bring new demands for services as they enjoy the different aspects of it. Then, maybe the last point, we can have data-driven advocacy, because one of the problems I have seen in Ethiopia is lack of awareness of what such initiatives could bring to the local community in several areas. We have to demonstrate the reason for investment, which is very important, and what kind of social value of connectivity it can bring. This needs evidence-based arguments, empirical evidence, so that we can build political confidence, which is one of the challenges here in Ethiopia. The other one is to build financial momentum so that we can expand the pilot to other places. As a summary, this issue is very critical, especially in Ethiopia. We are under-connected in many places. Only connectivity is in rural areas. That is the biggest challenge in Ethiopia. Much of the population is not living in urban areas, unfortunately. This needs to scale up. with a stakeholder approach, aligning policies, showcasing impact, and mobilizing mixed funding mechanisms so that we can build grassroots ownership along the way. So, Ethiopia is growing in digital momentum, as you can see, in many aspects, so this might, you know, piggyback on these advancements and efforts so that smart inclusive engagement is brought. So, these are the facts in Ethiopia. Thank you, Josef.

Josef Noll: Thank you so much, Asrat. And we talked so much about digital public infrastructures here at the IGF, and of course, Asim, you from GIZ, you are heavily involved in all these discussions on policies. Could you give us your contribution or your take from the GIZ in this area of connectivity and infrastructures and so on? Thank you, Josef. And first of all, thank you

Asim Adeel: for having me on this panel. And you know that I’m a fan of your work. I totally believe that access to quality education and healthcare is not only a privilege, but it’s kind of a fundamental right. It’s a fundamental human right. Yet, across many parts of the world, we totally see that, and especially in Africa, these essential services still remain out of the reach of millions of people due to the high costs, infrastructure gaps, and geographic barriers. This is where the concept of affordable access for education and health becomes crucial. It really focuses on breaking down these barriers by leveraging inclusive, low-cost solutions. Yes, at the forefront of GIZ, the German Development Corporation, which is supporting our partners’ countries to harness Championships in Digital Culture. Hello everybody, again I’m Inayat Olaby. I’m program coordinator at G Motor media-technology. I will be conveying Martin malt Some media technologies such as digital solutions, such as those are covered with the offices to provide access to communities and our major platform which is already providing services for millions global We have learned to apply for to the multilanguage fixtures which aligned with the local needs and national standards. not only this, but in healthcare, sports for eHealth and mHealth including mobile apps and digital partnership that also advances on the to building cross-border digital infrastructure that supports not just health but also broader digital solutions. are very essential for GIZ work. and sport ministries of education and learning into national strategies. ensure not just innovation, but Also in general to interoperability as part of our rise in climate change. These collaborations ensure not just with the national policies. program to cofinally with private sectors for the innovations that promote affordable access to essential services. I’m sorry, my throat is a little bit dry, so I will keep drinking. For example, the startups and companies receive support to develop scalable solutions under this DEVELOPPP program. GIZ’s work is guided with a couple of principles, which are some of them I would like to highlight. Let’s say the local ownership. We totally believe that the programs are co-designed and with the local governments and communities for long-term impact. And other of the things which we really consider is scalability. That the initiatives start small, but are designed for the national and regional scale-up. Gender inclusion, a special focus for the women and the young for the marginalized groups. Cross-sector partnership, like with the civil society, startups, as well as with the multilateral cooperation. With these examples, I would just like to conclude here my discussion and I would say that the affordable access for education and health is more than a development objective. It is a commitment to dignity, equity and opportunity. With digital tools, strong partnerships and community-driven solutions, GIZ is really helping to ensure that no one is really left behind. Thank you.

Josef Noll: Thank you so much, Asim. Your commitment to dignity and the point out to the opportunities. Sveina, we worked together for the last, I don’t know, three, four, five years, and we went through many downgrades, but at the end of the day, I see really the highlights. So I’m very pleased to have you as the guest event owner. We didn’t get you over here yet, but we’ll do it symbolically afterwards. So please tell us about the journey and your commitment from Vodacom Tanzania to launch the Affordable Access. Thank you so much, Josef, and thank you for

Suveina Farah: having me. It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t be there with everyone in Norway, but happy to be able to join online. That’s the power of technology nowadays. But in a nutshell, I just wanted to highlight with regards to our work as Vodacom Tanzania Foundation. First and foremost, we believe in the power of partnerships, and that in itself speaks volumes of what we have been able to do for the last 20 years. This year, the foundation turns 20 years, and we’ve been able to improve more than 10 lives across health, education, as well as economic empowerment. And this is purely because we believe in the power of technology and connecting people to a better future. But if I may, I’d like to touch on some of the work that we’ve worked on when it comes to affordable access, as well as connectivity in the education sector. In the past, we’ve been able to provide and connect more than 250 schools across Tanzania, providing ICT hardware, building computer labs, as well as tablets and routers, so that the schools can be connected to the internet, but also they can access thousands of materials and resources for the students and educators, as well as provide affordable and reliable internet to them all. This has enabled access to digital learning materials and platforms that have improved education outcomes. Our recent impact assessment shows that there has been considerable improvement, significant improvement in educational outcomes in the schools that we work with. have supported. But over and beyond that, we’ve also understood that there are gaps, and most of them are a result of digital literacy, specifically on the teacher training side of things. And the last two years, we’ve shifted our focus towards the digital skills and empowering teachers with the right skills and literacy and learning tools to be able to serve the students, but also further communicate to the communities on the importance of that. We’ve expanded school connectivity to underserved and rural areas, and this is through partnership with the likes of our Universal Communication Service Access Fund, as well as the World Bank and the government of Tanzania through the private partnership program that we do have, sorry, public-private partnerships program that we do have called Digital Tanzania Project. And that’s, in the last three years, all telecom operators have been able to deploy more than 700 towers in rural areas to connect. We’ve gone over and above what we have committed, but also we are embarking on a mission to upgrade our network to 4G coverage to ensure that what Dr. Nazar had mentioned, that when someone has 5G coverage in the city, how do we also make sure that or ensure that someone in the rural area has the same access, and not necessarily maybe 5G, but at least 4G and not 2G anymore. We’ve collaborated with many partners, Catherine sitting on the panel there with African Child Program, but as well as recent, we’ve signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tanzania Institute of Education to zero rate their platform, which is a platform that provides resources to teachers in 184 centers. But we’ve also connected all those learning centers to ensure that they do get timely updates on their platforms, as well as scaling affordable internet solutions and maintaining the infrastructure there. Our purpose in general is to drive the digital divide in education and to bridge the digital divide in education and this we do it by ensuring that every student and teacher has the tools and connectivity they need to thrive in a digital world but to also advance Tanzania’s vision of inclusive technology enabled learning for all. On investments on infrastructure with Tanzania as a country, I believe we have been making many strides over the past years. If I look back 10 years to where we are today, there has been significant investment on infrastructure. There are still significant hurdles that we need to cross over everything from energy and power in rural areas all the way to accessible roads so that these infrastructures, these towers can be maintained and ensure that we provide the connectivity that is needed to the citizens and to the public in those areas. But digital literacy has been at the core of what we do and we see significant improvements with regards to the programs that we run. And last but not least, affordability of devices. I believe there’s quite a lot of interventions that we can put in place as telecom operators but as well as government. While there is, where we do enable access, usage is still very low and this is because of the small percentage with regards to smartphone penetration. And nowadays, through smartphones, they can access resources and would also drive further the improvement of educational outcomes but also access to different facilities from multiple sectors. Last but not least, I’d just like to conclude by thanking Joseph and everyone in the room and also insisting that partnerships are key if we want to see the digital world or a thriving digital world that we want in place. Thank you very much, Joseph.

Josef Noll: Thanks, Sevena. And of course, it’s a bit difficult, but we want to really acknowledge the partnership which you brought across. And for this partnership, we have Sudhir from IEEE, we have Claire and Ruth from GSMA, we have Shosh from the EU Commission, and us, and we’d love to symbolically give you this one over to Catherine, who will carry it, hand carry it, to Tanzania. So congratulations to the award. And I hope that your inspiration which you are giving to us here in the room for connecting the 250 schools at a price down to 60,000 Tanzanian shillings for a 10 megabit per second link without data cap, which is about $22 to connect a school with unlimited data. That has really been the game changer in Tanzania, and we really hope that this is scaling up to the whole of Tanzania. Thank you so much. Having said that, if you have a question, this is the time for you to jump in. You have so much expertise here. Please go ahead and bring your questions across. The mic is over there, and the online questions is also here. So while we have one participant going to the mic, then we take one online question, which is, Nassar, that is to you and to you, Savannah, and that is, what are the policy frameworks in Tanzania to actually foster, our

Nazar Nicholas: thank you very much. So, Nye, I want to have you do a presentation on what is in the school connectivity. We can more mobile, I am so having direct internet at a school, you know, that’s very important, that’s very important for any person needing contactDavide the regulator has come up with, you know, the framework to see how they can accept, you know, smaller operators. So, you know, I think it’s very important to recognize the importance of connectivity, especially in the rural areas. So, you know, the Tanzania digital economy framework, 2024, 2034, that one also recognizes the importance of connectivity, especially in the rural areas, if at all, you know, Tanzania and

Catherine Kimbambo: rural areas, and I think thispis officer Vodikonee, thank you outside for relating that much and I can say for now, thanksake the second panel, it addresses why operators engage in such initiatives and what are the potential benefits.

Suveina Farah: For Vodikonee, it is embedded in our purpose, and we are a purpose-led organisation, and our purpose speaks on, one, empowering people, two, protecting the planet, and, three, maintaining trust. and throughout across all our commercial activities purpose is embedded whether it’s through digital inclusion financial inclusion accessibility or ensuring that our actions our activities are not harming the planet and what we do to ensure that there’s restoration and reforestation as well with regards to our activities so that is why that is our why we believe that as a technology company as a telecommunication company we can connect people to a better future on the aspect of what is our what what what is the benefit one is that having increasing digital literacy increasing digital skills we’re seeing an uptake of data services but also on the other end is that to be able to reach people to be able to improve lives we need to be a digital connected world but also access to educational resources actually access to health facilities we’ve worked across these three different pillars of health economic empowerment as well as education and we’re seeing remarkable improvement in all the regions that we work with as well as as well as better improving lives of Tanzanians we believe also that it is our duty as as an investor in the country to ensure that our work improves the lives of the Tanzanians

Josef Noll: thank you thanks and we have uh someone wanted to ask a question from the room please introduce yourself and we only have two and a half minutes left so very short answers please thank you

Audience: thank you very much joseph my name is uh barack cotiano i chair the association of community networks in kenya and i have partnered with basic internet as well in community connectivity in kenya uh some quick points uh first congratulations vodacom tanzania for showing the way and working towards lowering and the Cost for Connectivity. Now quickly, in addition to the issues that have been raised, evidence-based research is key in addressing this particular topic of affordable access for education and health. One of the learnings from the projects that I have done with the Basic Internet Foundation is measurements using the network cell infolight. And this has been key in actually identifying areas that do not have an adequate signal that can provide meaningful access to the community. As we speak, there is still approximately 70% of sub-Saharan Africa that does not have meaningful access and that is still using 2G, while the Global North has already moved out of 2G or some of the countries that are at the sunset phase of 2G. So this is an area that we need to deal with. Secondly is capacity building, targeting the government, targeting civil society, targeting private sector players and academia. We attempted a similar approach in Kenya, we only succeeded with 45 schools because the government said education is free, so why are you talking of charging the schools yet you know very well that we have a policy framework that dictates that education is free. Thirdly is the issue of advocacy, which we are doing here. I’m happy to see Naza from the Internet Society, I’m also a member of the Internet Society chapter and the association and the chapter and many other stakeholders are engaged in advocacy to make sure that we create more awareness in this. Lastly, the definition of meaningful access varies. For instance, right now in Kenya as per the education framework… You have to conclude, we only have 10 seconds left. 10 seconds, yeah. Meaningful access is 50 MB. while in some environments or contexts we are talking about Gigabyte.

Josef Noll: Sorry, that was a long closing remark. I think we covered all the points. If you have more points, I’m very happy that you joined us. Thank you so much. And by this one, I close the session. And again, we are looking forward to have more telecom operators to join us and ISPs on the path for affordable access, for education, health and empowerment. Thank you, everyone. Raise for a picture, I think. Yeah.

Agreement points

Partnerships and collaboration are essential for successful connectivity initiatives

Speakers

– Josef Noll
– Clair Sibthorpe
– Asrat Mulatu
– Asim Adeel
– Suveina Farah

Arguments

Collaboration between universities, operators, and communities to build research networks and connect schools

Biggest challenge for mobile technology usage is lack of affordability, digital literacy, relevant content, and safety concerns

Multi-stakeholder approach aligning policies, showcasing impact, and mobilizing mixed funding mechanisms needed

GIZ supports digital solutions guided by local ownership, scalability, gender inclusion, and cross-sector partnerships

Partnerships are essential for digital transformation and have enabled Vodacom Foundation to improve 10 million lives over 20 years

Summary

All speakers emphasized that addressing connectivity challenges requires collaborative approaches involving multiple stakeholders including governments, private sector, civil society, and communities working together

Topics

Development | Economic | Infrastructure

Rural connectivity faces significant infrastructure and investment challenges

Speakers

– Josh Perrera
– Nazar Nicholas
– Asrat Mulatu
– Suveina Farah

Arguments

Challenge remains in return on investment for sparsely populated rural areas

Rural areas experience degraded connectivity with 3G, 2G or no service just 15-30km from commercial centers

Ethiopia faces under-connectivity challenges with most population living in rural areas

Significant hurdles include energy, power in rural areas, and accessible roads for tower maintenance

Summary

Speakers consistently identified rural areas as facing the greatest connectivity challenges due to infrastructure limitations, investment barriers, and geographic obstacles

Topics

Infrastructure | Development | Economic

Digital literacy and capacity building are critical components of connectivity solutions

Speakers

– Clair Sibthorpe
– Asim Adeel
– Suveina Farah
– Audience

Arguments

Biggest challenge for mobile technology usage is lack of affordability, digital literacy, relevant content, and safety concerns

GIZ supports digital solutions guided by local ownership, scalability, gender inclusion, and cross-sector partnerships

Focus shifted to digital skills and teacher training to address gaps in digital literacy

Capacity building targeting government, civil society, private sector and academia is essential

Summary

Multiple speakers agreed that providing connectivity infrastructure alone is insufficient; digital literacy training and capacity building across all stakeholder groups is essential for meaningful access

Topics

Development | Sociocultural

Standards and regulatory frameworks are fundamental for scalable connectivity solutions

Speakers

– Sudhir Dixit
– Josh Perrera
– Nazar Nicholas
– Asrat Mulatu

Arguments

Standards are critical for manufacturers to justify investment and build products at scale

EU launched 5G action plan in 2016 and digital compass in 2021 targeting 5G everywhere by 2030

Tanzania has regulatory frameworks accepting smaller operators and digital economy framework 2024-2034 recognizing rural connectivity importance

Ethiopian Communications Authority is creating policies including tax breaks, universal service fund, and public-private partnerships

Summary

Speakers agreed that proper standards and supportive regulatory frameworks are essential foundations for achieving scalable and sustainable connectivity solutions

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Infrastructure

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers highlighted the same successful Tanzania school connectivity project, demonstrating practical implementation of affordable connectivity with measurable educational outcomes

Speakers

– Josef Noll
– Suveina Farah

Arguments

Successfully connected 250 schools in Tanzania at cost of 60,000 Tanzanian shillings ($22) for 10 Mbps unlimited data

Vodacom Tanzania provided ICT hardware, computer labs, tablets and routers to over 250 schools with significant educational outcome improvements

Topics

Development | Infrastructure | Sociocultural

Both speakers emphasized the stark digital divide in connectivity quality, particularly the persistence of outdated 2G technology in rural and underserved areas

Speakers

– Nazar Nicholas
– Audience

Arguments

Rural areas experience degraded connectivity with 3G, 2G or no service just 15-30km from commercial centers

70% of sub-Saharan Africa lacks meaningful access and still uses 2G while Global North has moved beyond 2G

Topics

Infrastructure | Development

Both speakers emphasized the importance of targeting essential community services (schools, hospitals, emergency services) as anchor points for connectivity initiatives

Speakers

– Josh Perrera
– Asrat Mulatu

Arguments

5G corridors for cross-border connectivity and 5G communities focusing on schools, hospitals, and emergency services

Multi-stakeholder approach aligning policies, showcasing impact, and mobilizing mixed funding mechanisms needed

Topics

Infrastructure | Development | Sociocultural

Unexpected consensus

Technical innovation in rural connectivity solutions

Speakers

– Sudhir Dixit
– Josef Noll

Arguments

Solar panels can be utilized as optical communication receivers for rural broadband infrastructure

Successfully connected 250 schools in Tanzania at cost of 60,000 Tanzanian shillings ($22) for 10 Mbps unlimited data

Explanation

The consensus on innovative, low-cost technical solutions was unexpected given the diverse backgrounds of speakers. Both emphasized creative approaches to overcome traditional infrastructure limitations – one through dual-purpose solar panels, another through ultra-affordable connectivity pricing

Topics

Infrastructure | Development

Device affordability as a critical barrier beyond connectivity

Speakers

– Clair Sibthorpe
– Suveina Farah

Arguments

Biggest challenge for mobile technology usage is lack of affordability, digital literacy, relevant content, and safety concerns

Low smartphone penetration limits usage despite improved access

Explanation

Unexpected consensus emerged that even when connectivity is available and affordable, device costs remain a significant barrier. Both speakers from different organizations independently identified smartphone affordability as limiting actual usage of available services

Topics

Economic | Development

Overall assessment

Summary

Strong consensus emerged around four main areas: the critical importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships, the particular challenges of rural connectivity, the necessity of digital literacy alongside infrastructure, and the foundational role of standards and regulatory frameworks

Consensus level

High level of consensus with complementary rather than conflicting viewpoints. The agreement suggests a mature understanding of connectivity challenges across different regions and sectors, with implications for coordinated global action on digital inclusion initiatives

Different viewpoints

Primary barriers to connectivity adoption

Speakers

– Josef Noll
– Clair Sibthorpe

Arguments

Coverage gap is 15% but usage gap is much larger at 59% in sub-Saharan Africa

Biggest challenge for mobile technology usage is lack of affordability, digital literacy, relevant content, and safety concerns

Summary

Josef Noll focuses on the usage gap as the primary issue, suggesting infrastructure exists but isn’t being used, while Clair Sibthorpe emphasizes multiple systemic barriers including affordability, digital literacy, content relevance, and safety concerns as the core challenges

Topics

Development | Infrastructure | Sociocultural

Role of standards versus practical implementation

Speakers

– Sudhir Dixit
– Josef Noll

Arguments

Standards are critical for manufacturers to justify investment and build products at scale

Successfully connected 250 schools in Tanzania at cost of 60,000 Tanzanian shillings ($22) for 10 Mbps unlimited data

Summary

Sudhir Dixit emphasizes that standards are essential for scalable solutions and manufacturer investment, while Josef Noll demonstrates that practical implementation can succeed with existing technology at very low costs without waiting for new standards

Topics

Infrastructure | Economic | Development

Policy framework effectiveness

Speakers

– Audience
– Nazar Nicholas

Arguments

Kenya’s education policy framework creates challenges as government considers education free, complicating school connectivity initiatives

Tanzania has regulatory frameworks accepting smaller operators and digital economy framework 2024-2034 recognizing rural connectivity importance

Summary

The audience member highlights how policy frameworks can create barriers (Kenya’s free education policy conflicting with connectivity charges), while Nazar Nicholas presents Tanzania’s frameworks as enabling solutions through regulatory acceptance of smaller operators

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Sociocultural | Development

Unexpected differences

Technology readiness versus immediate implementation

Speakers

– Sudhir Dixit
– Josef Noll

Arguments

Solar panels can be utilized as optical communication receivers for rural broadband infrastructure

Successfully connected 250 schools in Tanzania at cost of 60,000 Tanzanian shillings ($22) for 10 Mbps unlimited data

Explanation

Unexpectedly, the IEEE representative focused on future innovative technologies (solar panel optical receivers with 2025 kickoff) while the practitioner demonstrated immediate success with existing technology at extremely low costs. This suggests a disconnect between standards development timelines and urgent connectivity needs

Topics

Infrastructure | Development

Overall assessment

Summary

The discussion revealed surprisingly few fundamental disagreements, with most speakers sharing common goals of improving connectivity. Main disagreements centered on prioritization of barriers (infrastructure vs. usage vs. systemic issues), implementation approaches (standards-first vs. practical deployment), and policy effectiveness across different countries

Disagreement level

Low to moderate disagreement level with high consensus on goals but different perspectives on methods and priorities. The implications suggest that multiple parallel approaches may be needed rather than a single solution, and that successful models like Tanzania’s should be studied and adapted rather than waiting for perfect standards or policies

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers highlighted the same successful Tanzania school connectivity project, demonstrating practical implementation of affordable connectivity with measurable educational outcomes

Speakers

– Josef Noll
– Suveina Farah

Arguments

Successfully connected 250 schools in Tanzania at cost of 60,000 Tanzanian shillings ($22) for 10 Mbps unlimited data

Vodacom Tanzania provided ICT hardware, computer labs, tablets and routers to over 250 schools with significant educational outcome improvements

Topics

Development | Infrastructure | Sociocultural

Both speakers emphasized the stark digital divide in connectivity quality, particularly the persistence of outdated 2G technology in rural and underserved areas

Speakers

– Nazar Nicholas
– Audience

Arguments

Rural areas experience degraded connectivity with 3G, 2G or no service just 15-30km from commercial centers

70% of sub-Saharan Africa lacks meaningful access and still uses 2G while Global North has moved beyond 2G

Topics

Infrastructure | Development

Both speakers emphasized the importance of targeting essential community services (schools, hospitals, emergency services) as anchor points for connectivity initiatives

Speakers

– Josh Perrera
– Asrat Mulatu

Arguments

5G corridors for cross-border connectivity and 5G communities focusing on schools, hospitals, and emergency services

Multi-stakeholder approach aligning policies, showcasing impact, and mobilizing mixed funding mechanisms needed

Topics

Infrastructure | Development | Sociocultural

Key takeaways

The digital divide in sub-Saharan Africa is primarily a usage gap (59%) rather than coverage gap (15%), with affordability being the biggest barrier to mobile technology adoption

Successful school connectivity can be achieved at low cost – Tanzania connected 250 schools for $22 per school with 10 Mbps unlimited data

Multi-stakeholder partnerships between universities, telecom operators, governments, and communities are essential for sustainable connectivity solutions

Standards development through organizations like IEEE is critical for manufacturers to justify investment and scale production

Policy frameworks including tax breaks, universal service funds, and public-private partnerships are necessary to make rural connectivity economically viable

Digital literacy and teacher training are as important as infrastructure – focus must shift beyond just providing connectivity to building capacity

Evidence-based research and measurement tools are key to identifying areas lacking adequate connectivity and demonstrating impact

Rural connectivity faces multiple challenges including high infrastructure costs, energy/power issues, poor road access, and low smartphone penetration

Resolutions and action items

Vodacom Tanzania Foundation received symbolic award recognition for their affordable access initiative connecting 250 schools

Catherine Kimambo to hand-carry the award to Tanzania as acknowledgment of the partnership

IEEE P1962 project approved for standardization of rural broadband infrastructure utilizing solar panels as optical communication receivers, with kickoff meeting scheduled for July 1, 2025

Vodacom Tanzania signed memorandum of understanding with Tanzania Institute of Education to zero-rate their platform serving 184 learning centers

Call for more telecom operators and ISPs to join the affordable access initiative for education, health and empowerment

Unresolved issues

How to address the fundamental economic challenge of return on investment for rural connectivity in sparsely populated areas

Varying definitions of ‘meaningful access’ across different countries and contexts (50 MB in Kenya vs Gigabyte requirements elsewhere)

Policy conflicts where governments declare education free but connectivity initiatives require funding mechanisms

How to scale successful pilot projects to national and regional levels sustainably

Addressing the smartphone penetration gap that limits usage even when connectivity is available

How to ensure community involvement and local ownership in isolated areas beyond municipal reach

Suggested compromises

Blended financial models that de-risk investments for ISPs while involving multiple stakeholder interest groups

Starting with small initiatives designed for national and regional scale-up rather than attempting large-scale deployment immediately

Focusing on strategic development entities (schools, hospitals, emergency services) as anchor points for community connectivity

Upgrading networks gradually (ensuring rural areas have at least 4G when cities have 5G, rather than maintaining 2G)

Cross-sector partnerships combining civil society, startups, and multilateral cooperation to share costs and risks

We are seeing that the biggest challenge is in terms of being able to use it, is lack of affordable, affordable technologies… but there’s also issues around lack of relevant content and services, safety and security concerns. And so I think, you know, taking a holistic approach to both improving affordability skills, improving safety and security and ensuring relevant content is really needed

Speaker

Claire Sibthorpe

Reason

This comment reframes the connectivity problem from a purely technical/infrastructure issue to a multifaceted challenge requiring holistic solutions. It introduces the critical insight that access alone isn’t sufficient – usage barriers are equally important and complex.

Impact

This comment established the foundational framework for the entire discussion, shifting focus from just connecting people to ensuring meaningful, sustainable usage. It influenced subsequent speakers to address multiple dimensions of the connectivity challenge rather than focusing solely on technical solutions.

to be successful, you need to have the technology of course, you need to know what the user needs are, what the market needs are, and there have to be standards in place. Without standards, no manufacturer will build products because they are looking for volume to justify investment in any manufacturing process.

Speaker

Sudhir Dixit

Reason

This comment provides a crucial business reality check, explaining why technical solutions alone fail without standardization and market viability. It bridges the gap between idealistic connectivity goals and practical implementation challenges.

Impact

This insight added a layer of economic realism to the discussion, helping other participants understand why connectivity initiatives struggle to scale. It influenced the conversation to consider market dynamics and standardization as essential components of sustainable connectivity solutions.

the issue is really investment in infrastructure. Much as we would like the telecom operators to be everywhere, the issue is really investment in infrastructure… if you are in Dar es Salaam… as you move maybe like 15, 20, 30 kilometers away from the commercial capital, you start experiencing, instead of 5G, you start experiencing 3G, 2G and sometimes no G.

Speaker

Nazar Nicholas

Reason

This comment provides stark, concrete evidence of the digital divide with a vivid example that makes the abstract concept tangible. It challenges assumptions about connectivity progress and highlights the rapid degradation of service quality outside urban centers.

Impact

This ground-truth perspective grounded the discussion in reality, moving it away from theoretical solutions to acknowledge the harsh realities faced by rural communities. It influenced subsequent speakers to address practical implementation challenges and the need for innovative, cost-effective solutions.

We’ve been able to provide and connect more than 250 schools across Tanzania, providing ICT hardware, building computer labs… at a price down to 60,000 Tanzanian shillings for a 10 megabit per second link without data cap, which is about $22 to connect a school with unlimited data.

Speaker

Suveina Farah

Reason

This comment provides concrete proof that affordable connectivity is achievable, offering specific metrics that demonstrate scalable success. It transforms the discussion from theoretical possibilities to documented achievements with measurable impact.

Impact

This comment served as the culminating evidence that the approaches discussed throughout the session can work in practice. It validated the collaborative approach and provided a concrete benchmark for other initiatives, shifting the conversation from ‘whether it’s possible’ to ‘how to replicate and scale’ such successes.

evidence-based research is key… measurements using the network cell infolight… there is still approximately 70% of sub-Saharan Africa that does not have meaningful access and that is still using 2G, while the Global North has already moved out of 2G

Speaker

Barack Cotiano

Reason

This comment introduces the critical importance of data-driven approaches and highlights the stark global digital divide with specific statistics. It emphasizes that meaningful access requires proper measurement and evidence-based interventions.

Impact

Though coming at the end, this comment reinforced the need for systematic, research-based approaches to connectivity challenges and provided sobering statistics that contextualized all previous discussions within the broader global inequality framework.

Overall assessment

These key comments collectively transformed what could have been a superficial discussion about connectivity into a nuanced exploration of systemic challenges and practical solutions. Claire’s holistic framework set the stage for comprehensive analysis, while Sudhir’s business reality check and Nazar’s ground-truth perspective ensured the discussion remained grounded in practical constraints. Suveina’s concrete success story provided hope and validation, while Barack’s evidence-based approach reinforced the need for systematic solutions. Together, these comments created a progression from problem identification through practical constraints to proven solutions, establishing a blueprint for addressing connectivity challenges that balances idealism with realism and theory with practice.

How can we scale up the successful Tanzania model of connecting schools at $22 per school with unlimited data to other countries and regions?

Speaker

Josef Noll

Explanation

This is important because the Tanzania model has proven successful in connecting 250 schools affordably, and scaling this approach could address connectivity gaps across sub-Saharan Africa where 75% remain unconnected

What specific policy frameworks and regulatory mechanisms are needed to incentivize telecom operators to invest in rural connectivity where return on investment is not guaranteed?

Speaker

George Pereira and Asrat Mulatu

Explanation

This addresses the fundamental challenge that market interests don’t align with rural connectivity needs, requiring policy interventions like tax breaks, universal service funds, and public-private partnerships

How can we effectively measure and demonstrate the social impact of connectivity initiatives to build political confidence and financial momentum?

Speaker

Asrat Mulatu

Explanation

Evidence-based arguments and empirical evidence are needed to convince governments and investors of the value of connectivity investments, particularly in underserved areas

What are the most effective approaches to address digital literacy gaps, particularly in teacher training and community education?

Speaker

Suveina Farah and Claire Sibthorpe

Explanation

Digital literacy has been identified as a major barrier to technology adoption, with specific challenges in training educators who can then serve students and communities

How can smartphone penetration be increased in rural areas to enable better access to digital resources and services?

Speaker

Suveina Farah

Explanation

Low smartphone penetration is limiting usage even where connectivity exists, and addressing device affordability is crucial for meaningful access

What constitutes ‘meaningful access’ and how should this definition vary across different contexts and countries?

Speaker

Barack Cotiano

Explanation

There’s inconsistency in defining meaningful access (50 MB in Kenya vs. Gigabyte in other contexts), and standardizing this definition is important for policy and investment decisions

How can community networks and local ownership models be better integrated into national connectivity strategies?

Speaker

George Pereira and Nazar Nicholas

Explanation

Community involvement is critical for sustainability, but there’s a need to understand how to effectively engage communities beyond municipalities, including isolated areas

What evidence-based research methodologies should be used to identify areas lacking adequate signal coverage for meaningful access?

Speaker

Barack Cotiano

Explanation

Proper measurement tools and methodologies are needed to accurately assess connectivity gaps and guide infrastructure investment decisions

How can the IEEE standardization process be leveraged more effectively to develop rural communication technologies?

Speaker

Sudhir Dixit

Explanation

Only 1 out of 15 proposals was selected for standardization, suggesting a need to better understand how to develop viable standards for rural connectivity solutions