Antelope Consulting
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The costs of internet access
in developing countries
Internet in South-East Asia
21-23 November 2001
Claire Milne
http://www.antelope.org.uk
mailto:cbm@antelope.org.uk
tel/fax: +44 20 8505 9826
Antelope Consulting
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Introduction
• Study commissioned by UK DFID with DTI: contact
k-yeomans@dfid.gov.uk
• Standard disclaimer: “the views expressed do not
represent or commit DFID or DTI in any way”
• Team effort: 12 in core team plus many others
• Full report available on website http://www.antelope.org.uk
• Studies of 6 countries: 2 full and 1 short case study in each
of Africa and Asia
• Review of legal and regulatory framework for internet
interconnection (especially WTO implications)
Antelope Consulting
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Outline of presentation
• Overview of study and findings
– End-user costs – cybercafe, dial-up, leased line users
– Breakdown of end-user costs between telco and ISP
– International component of ISP costs
• A little more on the Asian countries
• The cost-sharing issue
• Policy options (recommendations)
NB: differences found are mainly LDCs vs
bigger/richer countries (rather than Africa vs Asia)
Antelope Consulting
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Study terms of reference
• Commissioned because of:
– complaints from developing countries about high costs
and lack of competition for their international internet
connectivity
– debate about cost-sharing principles in APEC TEL
• Aim:
– to understand the impact on developing countries of the
international dimension of the internet market
Antelope Consulting
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Prices for 20 hours of local use
per month (US$)
$-
$20.0
$40.0
$60.0
$80.0
$100.0
$120.0
ISP charges
$62.4
$3.5
$13.0
$10.6
$50.0
$25.0
$9.4
Telephone Call Charges
$24.0
$10.2
$6.0
$31.5
$52.4
$25.3
$15.1
Telephone Line Rental
$10.0
$4.0
$2.0
$10.4
$5.8
$1.3
$12.2
Cambodia
India
Nepal
S Africa
Uganda
Zambia
OECD
Antelope Consulting
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PPP prices for 20 hours of local use
per month (US$)
$-
$100.0
$200.0
$300.0
$400.0
$500.0
$600.0
Total
$507.4
$88.9
$123.5
$145.8