Ubuntu Net Alliance www ubuntunet net Creating the

Ubuntu. Net Alliance www. ubuntunet. net Creating the Human and Infrastructure Research And Education Networks In Africa F F Tusubira, CEO - ceo@ubuntunet. net

Headlines. . • African Universities in the Ubuntu. Net membership region currently spend $1. 2 million per month on less than 700 Mbps; • In the USA, the price is about 1% of prices in Africa: $1. 2 million would buy at least 60 Gbps • The challenge is not lack funds – it is the cost of access.

Our thesis. . • “Improved and affordable regional and international connectivity will enable African researchers to generate a proportionate amount of intellectual property goods to achieve parity with the rest of the world” • Hence CORENA: Consolidating Research and Education Networking in Africa

CORENA • Overall goal : Enable an environment… African Education and Research Institutions can exploit their full potential. . contributing to national and international human development…increasing contribution to, and share in intellectual property output… effective national, regional and international collaboration. • Principle Objective: Integration of African institutions into the global research and education community through provision of intra-African connectivity and enabling access to sufficient and affordable bandwidth.

Key Triggers and Growth • Studies brought to light the reservoir of unutilised optical fibre capacity in Africa. • A new wave of liberalisation created opportunities for new and existing fibre to come on the market. • The Plan for the East African Submarine System, or EASSy.

Ubuntu: “I Am because We Are” Ubuntu. Net Alliance

Geographical coverage in perspective

There is still a lot to do. . Formal REN, advanced network and sufficient bandwidth: NONE Formal REN and underlying operational infrastructure: Kenya, South Africa, Sudan Formal REN but no underlying operational infrastructure: Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, DRC, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique REN in formation: Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, Ethiopia, Namibia, Somalia, Eritrea

Opportunities • Growing awareness in Africa of the importance of increased investment in higher education • Increasing liberalisation of the telecom sector • Investment into national fibre backbones • Increasing intra/extra research linkages among African and non-African universities • The African pioneers • The number of high capacity marine optical fibres planned to land on the African coast starting 2009; and associated backhauls

Opportunity: Submarine cable initiatives Legend Cable SAT-3 (WASC-SAFE) 2003. Operator Club SEACOM (E. Africa to London) 2009. Investors. Open access. TEAMS (Mombasa to Fujairah) 2009. Kenyan Govt. EASSy (E. Africa to Port Sudan) 2010. Operator consortium WACS (Cape Town to London) 2010. Operator consortium Map: Thanks to Steve Song. http: //www. manypossibilities. net Ma. IN On. E (W. Africa to Portugal) 2010. Investors. Open access Phase 2: Luanda, Cape Town

EASSy: East African Backhaul • • Source: WIOCC 4, 300 km fibre ring Completion due by end 2009 Telkom Kenya; UTL; MTN Uganda; MTN Rwanda; Rwanda. Tel; Burundi; TTCL EASSy

EASSy: Northern Backhaul Existing Optic Fiber New Fiber • SEAMEWE 3 Northern backhaul essentially complete Port Sudan EASSy Source: WIOCC 12

EASSy: Southern Backhaul • Network linking Namibia and Zambia is complete • Construction commenced by Zam. Tel linking Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Malawi, Congo and Tanzania completion in the fourth quarter of 2009 EASSy SAT-3 / WASC Td. M FSS Existing Fiber New Fiber SAFE Source: WIOCC

Challenges (1) • Shortage of skilled human resource • Limited understanding of the multiple roles and benefits of research and education networks. • Disabling Policy and regulatory environments: – Slow reforms in the communication sector – Inadequate access to backbone infrastructure at affordable prices – Inadequate policies and regulation with regards to ownership and access to essential infrastructure

Challenges (2) • Seeking individual advantage by member NRENs • Competition from and cherry picking by service providers. • Weak Financial Base

Strategic Priorities (2009 – 2013) • • NRENs development in Africa; Sufficiency and affordability of bandwidth; Institutional sustainability of Ubuntu. Net; Improved national policy and regulatory environments that enable REN activities. • Increased interconnections among NRENs within Africa and to the rest of the world. • Increased and effective support for regional content (including research) networks.

Addressing challenges (1): The Huge Continent • Recognising the need to work through partnerships in a mutually supportive environment, based on common architecture and/or interface standards; &Cluster approach; The Association of African Universities is a key continental policy level partner.

Ubuntu. Net Backbone Vision

Addressing challenges (2) – Limited NREN Activity • Promote awareness of benefits of REN activities • Seek contact in all countries in each region to start NRENS and to become part of the regional RENs • Organise and/or participate in events in countries with emerging NRENs • Work with continental and regional organisations (AAU, E-Africa Commission, Nigerian ICT Forum, etc)

Addressing Challenges (3): Expertise Scarcity • Share expertise (communities of practice) • Work with organisations like Afnog, and offer internships to address capacity deficits; • Create a network engineering group • Guide universities on improved curricula

Addressing challenges (4): Limited Funding for NRENs • Support lobbying and advocacy at national level to increase public funding for the growth of connectivity and NRENs (it is working) • Develop a clear business case and model that will create continuing relevance and withstand competition • Develop a clear master plan as a basis for engaging development partners

Addressing challenges (5): Disabling Policy and Regulation • Engagement of national and regional administrations, making a research-based case for liberalisation, and for special consideration for research and education networking as a development stimulant

Addressing challenge (6): Isolation of Africa • We urge a new mindset: “bringing the world to Africa”. The message – “Come and meet us at the cable landing points in Africa – It is an investment. Not only are you better able to afford it, we shall benefit”

Ubuntu. Net Current Operations (1) Internet Géant Ubuntu. Net, London VSAT connection. GRE tunnel to Ubuntu. Net KENET SAT-3 submarine cable Swaziland TENET/ SANRe. N Namibia Ubuntu. Net, Johannesburg Botswana Lesotho Mo. RENet

Ubuntu. Net Current Operations (2) Internet Géant Ubuntu. Net router in London Peering with local ISPs (7 so far) Ubuntu. Net router in Johannesburg Local transit links JINX Transit from Telia Sonera and Data. Hop Reefhead JHB STM-1 circuits on SAT-3 submarine cable Breehead CPT Internet Solutions SA Internet

Appreciation to our supporters to-date • • • IDRC and Connectivity Africa European Commission DANTE USAID Cisco IEEAF GEO/GMRE Open Society Institute Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa TENET's FRENIA (Fostering Research and Education Networking in Africa) Program, funded by The Andrew W Mellon Foundation. • KTH (Sweden) • University of Washington&Pacific North-West Giga Pop

Conclusion: We are creating the future of research and education networking. . • “We know that we have it in ourselves as Africans, to change all this [the challenges we face]. We must assert our will to do so. We must say there is no obstacle big enough to stop us from bringing about an African renaissance. ” – Nelson Mandela • Thank you