1. Maarit Palovirta (palovirta@isoc.org)
Connecting the Unconnected
21 June Bishkek
Maarit Palovirta

2. Internet Penetration in Central Asia (ITU 2014)
Население, %

3. Digital Development Challenges
International connectivity options for some Central Asian nations are still limited;
Domestic connectivity focused on urban centres, rural areas still lacking access;
Internet still not affordable to all;
Relevant content in local languages;
Regulatory issues: open access, infrastructure sharing, spectrum.
In 2015, 3.2 billion people were online, of which 2 billion are in developing countries. Roughly 4 billion remain unconnected.
All data from 2015

4. Changing the Game Internet Exchange Points (IXP)
Localizing Internet traffic.
Affordability & speed.
Local content hosting.
Wireless for Communities (W4C)
Skilled jobs & entrepreneurship.
e-governance & new services.
Access & IT training.
AXIS:
$1 million received by Internet Society from the African Union as part of their African Internet Exchange System (AXIS) project – funded by EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund and the Government of Luxembourg.
9 IXP’s have been established and 1,200 people trained.
Undertook 60 Best Practices and Technical Assistance workshops in over 30 African countries in a 2-year period.
W4C
Project not unique, but the high success rate is unique.
Business model: ISOC/ DEF covers backhaul for 12 to 18 month and CAPEX. 2,5 years to reach break even point.
WiFi based on free spectrum, no TV white space used (regulatory issues). Solar power.
Many local businesses/ govt offices may subscribe to networks due to high reliability.

5. Thank You