3. Internet strategy and policy

and Birr 1 per black&white page

recently been launched. These

printed and Birr 8 for colour. Other

revenues are forecast to grow by

commonly used charges are Birr 0.35/

45 per cent in 2002, to 61'200'000.

page for photocopies (0.25/page for

While still only representing 0.5 per

more than 1'000 copies), Birr 7 per

cent of ETC's total revenues in 2001,

A4 scan or Birr 5  per scan for more

data and Internet revenue is the

than 5.

fastest growing component.

Calls to the Internet from anywhere

3.3

Regulatory status of

in the country are charged at standard

Internet

local call tariffs    Birr 0.28 per

6 minutes, or approximately 0.33 US

In January 2002, a five year licence

cents per hour, among the lowest local

was proposed by the regulatory

call tariffs on the continent.

agency, ETA, for ETC to operate an

Internet service, for a licence fee of

This gives an average total monthly

Birr 100'000, however, as with the

costs for a private dial up subscriber

other telecommunication licences, ETC

using 22 hours a month (excluding

has not yet signed. Some initial

telephone line rental which is Birr 8

discussions have also taken place to

per month for residential lines and

issue private ISP licences, for which

17 Birr per month for business lines)

the same fee is envisaged, however

at USD 69.3, which, despite the low

currently there has still been no

local call tariff, is amongst the highest

decision as to when these licences will

in Africa due to the high subscription

be issued.

charge.

Some of the interesting features of the

Import duties for PCs and IT related

licence include:

equipment are divided into two

categories:

The Licensee shall obtain

approval in writing from the

a) If PCs are imported for

Agency to make substantive

telecommunications related and

change to the Network or

office activities, the import duties

Network Architecture from the

will be 5 per cent;

construction and physical

description of the Network

b)

If PCs are imported for resale by

contained in the approved

Licensee's proposal.

any business, then the import

duty will be 40 per cent.

The Licensee shall take measures

on its own and as and when

Plans are currently being made by ETC

directed by the Agency at its own

to revise dial up rates downwards, to

cost to bar carriage of telephone

introduce per minute charging

and fax traffic over Internet by

(instead of the flat rate regardless of

the subscribers.

number of hours used up to the

maximum) and to reduce the number

The Licensee shall not transmit

of tariff categories to two (merging C3

any message or communication,

and C5). In addition it is anticipated

which infringes literary and

that a prepaid option will be made

artistic ownership in any form or

available, most likely using the Rodopi

inconsistent with the laws of the

platform (www.rodopi.com). This will

Federal Democratic Republic of

also likely help address bill collection

Ethiopia.

problems, which have resulted in a

significant level of non payments.

Logins where the identity of

logged in user is not known

In 2001, ETC derived a total revenue

should not be permitted.

of 42'166'000 Birr for data and

Internet services, the bulk of which

most likely comes from the Internet

Detailed rollout targets for the licence

service as the data service has only

holder have also been defined which

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