About 800 stakeholders in the information communication technology (ICT) sector attended the 3rd Telecom Namibia ICT Summit in Windhk this week.

The two-day summit, which forms part of concerted efforts by Telecom Namibia to enhance the momentum for the development of ICT in the country, was held under the theme "ICT: Visualising the Future " Confronting the Crisis."

Given the current global economic crisis, the aim of the event was to boost confidence in the ICT sector and build motivation for future business oriented development.

Discussions at the Summit contributed to shaping a clear vision and roadmap for ICT development within Namibia.

This year's event brought together key ICT practitioners and decision makers and users from across Namibia and Africa in order to increase their awareness and exposure to the latest emerging trends and opportunities in ICT.

Information and Communication Technology Minister Jl Kaapanda said the event dealt with a very timely topic that attempts to interrogate what the ICT and telecommunication landscape will look like a few years from now.

At the first ICT Summit in 2007 Government said it was drafting an enabling legislation for the telecommunication/IT sector in the wake of globalisation, liberalisation and technology advancements.

"A Communications Bill has recently been introduced in the Parliament," the Minister said.

This bill embraces two fundamental principles. The first is that Namibia will use communications as an engine of growth so as to contribute to the revitalisation of the Namibian economy; and

Secondly Namibia will introduce competition in telecommunications and take advantage of convergence to ensure that Namibians have access to the most advanced technology at affordable prices.

The new bill seeks to improve the legal and regulatory framework to provide for a service and technology neutral licensing regime in line with international best practice, promote increased competition, consumer protection and investments in this changing landscape.

The objective of developing the country through ICT requires to take ICT to all citizens through some forms of a Universal Service programme, said the Minister.

The proposed bill has a chapter which relate specifically to universality, and the creation of a Universal Service Fund that will provide an opportunity for uneconomic consumers and areas to get access to basic telecommunication services.

"Since everyone in the industry will benefit from expanded networks, everyone should contribute in line with the stipulations provided therein," the Minister said.

He said the landscape in the local, regional and international ICT sectors is rapidly changing, not only due to policy and regulatory adjustments, but also technology advances and convergence between the various ICT services and offerings.

According to him, fixed-mobile convergence will in particular reshape the current ICT landscape.

Telecom Namibia is already positioning itself as a converged solutions provider across the entire ICT value chain.

The company has deployed a state-of-the-art IP/MPLS core transport network and has introduced a number of access technologies like ADSL, CDMA and WiMAX. These next generation telecoms technologies are likely to profoundly change the local ITC landscape.

In the meantime the Minister said that Namibia is a proud partner in the West Africa Cable System (WACS) project.

"Our participation in the sea cable is certainly a forward looking move in the right direction as it will enable our country to access international bandwidth capacity at more competitive costs which will serve as a catalyst for economic growth and social development."

Telecom Namibia Managing Director Frans Ndoroma said the event made possible the sharing of ideas, knowledge and experiences in order to facilitate collaboration and partnership for the future.

"The presence of so many key players, experts and leaders from across Namibia and the African region, as well as from Europe and multinational companies, attests to the importance of the issues that we are here to discuss."

Ndoroma said the Summit considered the new ICT challenges and opportunities facing companies like Telecom Namibia to become part of the new "ICT civilisation."

He said the Summit would be action-based and future oriented, with the speakers and knowledge experts inspiring and challenging participants to visualise how best to exploit ICT towards a new knowledge-based economy that can contribute to economic development, help create new jobs and improve the quality of life.

Board Chairman of Telecom Namibia Joseph Iita said the creation of a converged ICT service provider of the future [in Namibia] is possible

"A new networking paradigm will in future enable customers to use their networks as they use their own muscles and nerves, linking the network to every business operation as easily and efficiently as the brain connects to the body with no gap between idea and action."

According to Iita, the vision of a network of the future is real and Telecom Namibia is systematically constructing such a network.

The company is making investments today in improving the customer experience, scaling and growing network capacity, and developing next-generation services that are laying the foundation for Telecom Namibia"™s vision of the service provider and society of the future.

"If successful, we will survive, thrive, and change the face of telecommunications in our country," he said.

"This vision is realistic, doable, and beginning to happen right now."