Results of the first phase of project
SCAN-ICT in Ethiopia
The study concerning Ethiopia made it possible
to examine the infrastructures as regards ICT
and the applications in the domains of teaching,
health and local administration. The investigation
was carried out in the federal capital, Addis-Ababa,
where are concentrated the majority of the activities
as regards ICT and the institutions charged to
work out the policies. Moreover, four large cities,
namely Nazareth, Bahir Dar, Mekelle and Awassa,
capitals of the areas of Oromiya10, Amhara, Tigray
and the Areas and regional States of the South,
were included in the investigation. The statistics
collected are drawn from the study on the private
and public companies. On the whole, 2 192 people
were contacted. Hereafter the specific conclusions
of the study appear.
Infrastructure
as regards ICT
In spite of measures of liberalization
and privatization that the State took recently
in the various sectors, telecommunications
continue to raise of the public sector. The
Ethiopian Telecommunication Corporation (ETC)
is the only company in charge of services
of fixed and mobile telephony, telefax, Internet,
telegraphy and telex. The study made it possible
to make the following observations:
- The number of subscribers to the telephone
increased, passing from 105 985 in
1987 and 1988 to 283 683 into 2000/2001. The
number
of subscribers to the fax increased
by 24
% per annum during the same period;
- The total number of subscribers to the Internet,
which at the beginning, in 1996/1997, was 1
042, increased, passing to 6487 subscribers in
2002.
Although Internet network extended and covers
now 12 of the principal cities of the country,
96 %
of the total number of subscribers live in
Addis-Ababa.
- The total number of Web sites buildings
increased, passing from 68 in 2000/2001à 88
into 2001/2002 and should pass to 100 into
2002/2003;
- Mobile telephony became operational into 1998/1999,
the number of subscribers was at the beginning
of 6740 people. This number increased thereafter,
passing to 27 532 subscribers during period
2000/2001;
- The teledensity is very weak. The number
of people per telephone line was between
15,4 people
at Addis-Abeba,
the Ethiopian capital, and 1935 people
in the Somalia area. In general, the country
counts
a telephone
line for 220 people or 4,5 lines for
1000 inhabitants. Thus, the telephone network
makes it possible to
satisfy only 65 % of the national request
and the percentage
of people who were on waiting list (compared
to the network) was 55% into 2000/2001;
- The distribution by sector of the fixed lines
shows that the privat lines (private individuals
and companies) represent 86 % of the telephone
network and that the State and the international
organizations use 12 % respectively and 2 %
of the lines
According
to estimates' of the International Telecommunication
Union (ITU), the country counted 75 000 computers
in 2001 and 367 000 television sets in 2000. Only
2,8 % of the total number of households of the
country had access to television and approximately
18,4 % of people had a radio station in 1999 and
2000.
Use
of ICT in some sectors
The rate of penetration and use of ICT in
the university schools, colleges and health services
differs appreciably according to whether the
latter belong to the State or nongovernmental
organizations. The study made it possible to
reveal what follows:
- The educational and medical public
services are late compared to the private sectors
and nongovernmental. The cities of the areas
are handicapped compared to Addis-Abeba, the
capital
of the country;
- In the cities of the areas, employees
less easily have access to the essential
services of ICT than those of Addis-Abeba. The
rate
of diffusion is very weak in the cities
other than the capital, in the principal small
cities of the areas and in the rural
zones where the
essential of the population lives;
- The rate of penetration is generally
higher in the public institutions of
the sample (federal ministries and regional
offices) that
in the educational or medical services.
For example, all public institutions are
equipped
with computers
and direct telephone lines. With regard
to the access to the computer, 18 % and 67
% respectively
of the educational and medical services
do not
have access there; 11 % and 4 %, respectively,
do not have access directly to the telephone;
- The rate of connectivity to the
Internet is higher in the public administration
(69 %) that in the educational services (52
%) and medical (13 %);
- The high price of the computers,
the bad condition of the infrastructure of
telecommunication, the lack of accessories for
the ICT and the exorbitant
cost of services Internet are obstacles to
the access to the ICT;
- The other problems are, in particular,
the shortage of qualified labour and the inexistence
of plan concerning the ICT;
- All those who answered the following
question, namely "to identify the principal
constraints with the development of the TIC in
Ethiopia" invariably gave the same
answers in the various sectors and areas.
ICT
sector
In Ethiopia, the sector of the ICT is dominated
by a parapublic establishment, the etc, whose
monopoly is not any more limited to the
infrastructure of telecommunication only. The
other companies of the sector are confined
to acquisition, production and distribution
of hardware and software .
They also ensure of activities of formation
and services of consultation.
Regulatory
framework
Nearly 70 % of persons in charge of companies
retained for the study complained about the raised
taxes, deficiencies of the legal system and
difficulties of making respect the regulations.
They also pointed out that the legislation
governing telecommunications, which ratifies
the monopoly of the State, has negative effects
on the installation of the infrastructure of
ICT. The long waiting list of people requiring
fixed and mobile phones as well as the
complaints of users with regard to the quality
of services show well that policies consisting
in closing the market do not militate in favour
of a greater use of new technologies.
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