[Community-Discuss] Spearheading Internet Development in Africa / Late commentary on fee discussion

[S Moonesamy]

Hi Coenraad,
At 03:26 AM 28-09-2018, Coenraad Loubser wrote:
>According to the ITU (2017) Africa has 739 million individuals 
>without access to internet infrastructure.
>
>We write to you representing 70 individual community networks from 
>30 African countries, most whom are not yet AfriNIC members, but who 
>each have part of the solution to making available access to these 
>areas where there is very little formal economic activity and where 
>no alternative options exist, and where the internet can play a 
>vital enabling role.
>
>This letter has been under discussion during the past 4 months, and 
>has been the subject of almost 100 messages on external community 
>networks forums.
>
>There is a class of Internet Service Provider that is not recognized 
>by AfriNIC. In order to allow us to draw in their resources to help 
>building out the invaluable resource that is the internet, as part 
>of the AfriNIC community, we would like to discuss a mutually 
>beneficial proposal that will play a huge role in setting up the 
>next generation of ISPs in Africa - and promote an excellent 
>platform for ISP- and IPv6 training.
>
>We first contemplated proposing a definition for a Community Network 
>or Non-Profit ISP, but having also worked with many small and 
>competent ISPs, we recognize their challenges and the benefits that 
>having them in this community can bring.

Thank you for providing feedback on fees proposal.  The objective, as 
explained above, is to cater for entities which provide internet 
access in areas where there is very little formal economic activity 
and no alternative options exists.  My reading of the proposed 
amendments is that they are much broader than that.

>3.6.5 An entity with annual revenues less than USD 350 000 that is 
>required to register as an LIR, such as a Wireless User Group, 
>Community Network or ISP will qualify for an additional discount of 40%.
>
>Basic modelling shows that this can potentially require AfriNIC to 
>give up up to $40k annually, but could yield a surplus in excess of 
>$100k annually after a few years as these networks mature.

Is the model (USD 40,000 decrease in revenue) based on figures from 
members of the community which you represent or do the figures cover 
all Afrinic members?

Regards,
S. Moonesamy