IP Convergence: Beyond VoIP, Beyond Cost Savings

The Politics of VoIP in Developing Nations

Recently I had an opportunity to meet with a native of Malawi.  The meeting came about due to a group of visiting “ambassadors” from Africa.  One of the participants was a gentleman by the name of Frank Mvalo. Per his bio:

Frank Mvalo from Malawiworks in the private sector in management and IT systems as a management consultant. During the exchange, Franks wants to learn more on strategic management and business planning, monitoring tools for the field of development, and the management of IT development projects. Frank speaks 3 languages and is married with one child. (http://www.rotary7120.org/GSETeams.cfm)

He requested a series of meetings with folks while in the US that are in the IT and Telecommunications field.  The visit was organized by the Group Study Exchange (GSE) program of the Rotary Foundation.  While I am not a Rotarian, I know a number of people that are.  They reached out to me, and earlier this week I sat down with Frank for lunch to discuss telecommunications technologies like VoIP, and it’s potential applicability in developing nations like Malawi.   The conversation quickly moved away from the technology to regulations.  I learned in areas of the world where the impacts of technological advances could have the greatest impact, prohibitive regulations by corrupt governments in these developing nations prove to be the biggest stumbling block. 

Later that evening, as a result of this eye-opening discussion, I decided to learn more.  I performed a simple google search with the key-words “voip in third world countries” – and of the 1million plus hits, result number 1 and 3 are titled:

From the first article:

“Namibia is the latest nation to go absolutely convulsive over the prospect of some of its citizens bypassing the local phone monopoly by selling and using VoIP. Five people have been busted.”

At a time when the digital divide widens between the haves and have nots, it’s sad to see that technical innovation is stifled at times when bridge building across the divide needs to take place.  Should you read more, you will see that it’s not just policies of the third world nations, but also restrictions of financial backers.  Frankly, the whole thing reeks of corruption.

Adam "voiploser" Uzelac