6
Rollout Plan
The Rollout Plan shall present a master plan for the deployment of
telecommunications services across the entire country that covers a wide variety of
geographical areas and related demographics. The development of this plan shall
strike a balance between the issues and concerns that had been identified during
the previous programs and the variety of views and opinions expressed by different
stakeholders. The plan shall also identify equitably what is required in each
community so as to ensure the infrastructure that will be deployed can
accommodate the current and near future demand for services. The Rollout Plan
shall therefore provide critical information on the potential market demand so that
an assessment of the business potential can be made.
To ensure there is maximum public buy-in at all times, the rollout plan shall be
reviewed after each and every implementation. The following issues shall be
addressed as part of the development of the rollout plan.
6.1 Community Consultations
The consultations of key stakeholders such as public, government and the
private sector are necessary to ensure that the various demand components
driving the requirement for telecommunications in the rural areas are
identified and addressed. This discussion ensures that different perspectives,
needs, and positions are carefully considered before making decisions. This
also ensures that the process used to make decisions and take action is done
in an open and transparent manner.
To better understand the situation faced by rural communities, visits must be
conducted to consult communities. The consultations will afford an
opportunity for the communities to share their ideas and needs in terms of
telecommunication services. The community visits must also collect data that
will provide an “on the ground” assessment of current telecommunication
requirements in the communities.
6.2 Development of the Criteria
The criteria for selecting the localities to be included in the Rural
Telecommunications Program as well as for determining the priority for
providing services are a critical aspect of ensuring an open and transparent
process. The criteria assist to meet the objectives of the rural
telecommunications program and allow it to be implemented in an effective
way. The criteria also address issues and concerns that have been identified
in earlier rural programs.
Rural Telecommunications Strategy
26 October 2006
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