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Great Apartment + Terrace & Views
Size65 m²
Floor No.1(with elevator)
- Family/child friendly
- Kitchen
- Air conditioning
- Washer/dryer
- Elevator in building
- Balcony/terrace
- Pool
Accommodation summary
|Av de Gabriel Roca, 07014 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
|Property type
|Property ID
|Acceptance rate
|Response time
|A few hours
|Calendar updated
|6 days ago
The one bedroom has a double bed and there is a comfy single bed available as well. The well-equipped kitchenette opens on the living area and is perfect for cooking meals to be enjoyed on the terrace. The living room has a flat-screen TV, and the bathroom has a bathtub and laundry facilities.
It takes just 15 minutes on foot to reach Bellver Castle. The ruins are built on a Muslim site and contain several statues and offer a great view of the bay. By bus, it is less than a 15-minute journey to the impressive Palma Cathedral.
Located on the harbour, there are a huge number of restaurants, bars, and clubs with 5 minutes' walk. A beautiful walk along the water leads guests to the centre of town.
House rulesA security deposit is required.
Cleaning is included.
|Maximum Nights
|1 month
|Check-in After
|Check-in before
|On arrangement
|Check-out Before
|Cancellation Policy
Reviews of this property
Nice Appartement with eveything needed and walking distance to the center.
Not too noisy cause of christmas season.
Nice location. Just on the week end it could be little noise by the big Disco TITO's near the flat. No problem to park auto there are a lot of free parking near the apartment.
We enjoyed the stay in the apartment an it suited us good. We liked the apartment. We got an extra bed for our 11 year son. Great with the washing machine, iron, WiFi, aircondition, TV and sofas.
We rented a car for two weeks and it worked out fine to find free parking at the parkingplaces between the marina and the property. Although sometimes we had to wait a few minutes. A tip is that the one who is passenger leave the car to look around and observe when other cars are leaving the parkingplace.
The view from the terrace in nice. But it's not quiet and calm to sit at the terrace. The traffic is intense and heavy, from the morning to late evening. But it was no problem to sleep.
We used the pool one time for playing aorund. But because of the traffic it's not a place for relaxing by the pool.
Charlotte & James, Sweden
The apartment is located in a very central location. From the terrace you have a great view of the harbor. We were very warmly welcomed by Kerstin's spouse, who could give us some helpful tips. Unfortunately, the traffic is a little louder, but give the soundproof windows a quiet night. In the kitchen is everything you need for cooking, yet. Great place to stay!
Das Appartement befindet sich in einer sehr zentralen Lage. Von der Terrasse hat man einen tollen Blick auf den Hafen.
Wir wurden sehr freundlich von Kerstins Lebensgefährten empfangen, der uns einige hilfreiche Tipps geben konnte.
Leider ist der Verkehr etwas lauter, aber die schalldichten Fenster geben eine ruhige Nacht.
In der Küche ist alles was man zum Kochen braucht, vorhanden.
Tolle Unterkunft!
Kerstin es una excelente anfitriona. El piso estaba muy limpio y con todo funcionado correctamente.
Está en una buena zona y es totalmente recomendable para alquilar.
- Quality assured accommodation
- Every host is verified by telephone
- Secure payment via SSL encryption


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The latest Ice Bucket challenge photos.
Britney Spears
Kate Upton via Justin Verlander.
Anna Kendrick
Jim Parsons dunking Blossom.
Ashton Kutcher and Wilmer Valderrama did each other.
Chloe Moretz and her brother continue vying for most hand holding by siblings while somewhere Lamar Odom stops smoking crack long enough to notice he sold at least one of his shirts.
Diane Kruger wearing another hat.
They got Daniel Radcliffe a mini-chair to make him feel bigger.

subset: commoncrawl


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A hydraulophone is a water-based musical instrument that is played by pressing fingers against water jets to force water through or against an array of underwater whistles or similar sound-producing devices.
The world's largest hydraulophone is a large fountain that is the main centerpiece out in front of the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It runs 24 hours a day so that anyone can play on it anytime.
by Hydraulist September 15, 2010


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Town Square
help our environment and save money too!
Original post made by susan, Grey Eagle Estates, on Aug 16, 2013
With the hot weather here in the past few weeks it is sad to hear an electric or gas clothes dryer spinning away when Mother nature and a retractable clothes line provides free solar drying power as well as a bleaching and whitening agent! Whole house fans (almost free with a PG&E rebate) are an affordable answer to air conditioning. Although a whole house fan would not do well in the Central Valley here in Pleasanton our nights cool down enough to quickly cool down a two story house within 15 to 20 minutes.
Lets see some articles in the Weekly with other suggestions to save energy from thrifty readers!
a resident of Valley Trails
on Aug 16, 2013 at 4:24 pm
Right on susan! I totally agree with you. My thrifty savings idea was to install a grey water storage collection unit. The water from my shower and washing machine goes to a collection holding tank and from there pumped out by way of a sump pump and garden hose to water my flowers and lawn. I do not use this water on root vegtables of course but otherwise it is just fine. In the winter when we have rain I have also devised a shut off system for the collection unit.
I agree that it would be nice if the Pleasanton Weekly did a big article on energy savings ideas that Pleasanton residents have come up with.............


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You can watch Burnistoun Goes to Work online for free on afdah by clicking the play button above. This movie is hosted on 3rd party website and was not uploaded by us or any person affiliated with us. If the stream is too slow, try another link. If you're trying to watch Burnistoun Goes to Work and it isn't loading, please check our Help section before reporting it as a broken link.
The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world. When they uncover a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape
Set in Boston in 1978, a meeting in a deserted warehouse between two gangs turns into a shootout and a game of survival.
The plot follows not to distant from the first film. John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is contracted to go back to his old ways of being an assassin. Santino (Riccardo Scamarcio) sends him a target of killing his sister. Well, not every thing falls into plan when she has her body ...
First there was an opportunity......the... there was a betrayal. Twenty years have gone by. Much has changed but just as much remains the same. Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) returns to the only place he can ever call home. They are waiting for him: Spud (Ewen Bremner), Sick Boy (Jonny Lee ...
A mother stops at nothing to recover her kidnapped son.
A pilot battles to save his family and the planet after an experiment for unlimited energy goes wrong.


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Newbeek here, totally baffled by what's happening in our modified Warre from Sweet Valley Hives: We installed on April 20 in Philadelphia, and have had very cold weather. Queen was released with some help from us on Day 5. After a couple more weeks of chilly weather, we opened the hive last night as we had no visual confirmation of capped brood. The population had definitely been dwindling which of course makes sense. Yesterday was day 26 in the hive. A few days before, we had seen three small wax cell caps on the screened bottom board: honey colored and concave on one side, lighter, convex and bumpy on the other.
So, back to last night's opening: once we got the roof, quilt, and screen off, we pulled out one frame at a time, starting further away from the colony. One bar was completely empty, the next had a little comb, a few bees, and nectar, then things got more dense. As far as we could tell, though, there was no capped brood anywhere. Lots of nectar and some capped honey along the top. Maybe a couple of drone cells? Also, yikes, some queen cups on the comb face and a few along the bottom edge of one comb.
We found the queen on the fourth comb, and here's the weird thing: she was not the queen that came with our package! This one had no red dot and her abdomen was pale gold and not striped. But definitely a queen. Also, one of the queen cups had an apparently lifeless bee emerging from the opening. Since we had found the queen I decided not to pull the last bars but now I regret not checking for capped brood.
So What do you all think happened? We have three ideas:
1. The package queen was deemed unfit early on, and the bees superseded her early. The queen we saw was the victorious new queen, possibly still virgin? (She was pretty skinny) Doesn't bode well for the colony growing.
2. There was a second non-caged queen in the package we got? That might explain the reluctance of the colony to get the package queen out of her cage. But then there should be brood by now?
3. I wonder if the bees put a lot of effort into comb building early on, but then had to focus on foraging, and filled the existing comb with nectar leaving little room for laying. Might they then feel like they were too crowded with no room for brood, and swarm? Were the cells we saw swarm cells and not supersedure cells? The colony looks small enough to me at this point that a small swarm in the past few days does not seem impossible.
Any comments??


text: Posted: March 29, 2013 [h=2]Ford Atlas Concept Truck[/h][h=3]A closer look at the future of the F-150[/h]By TTM Staff With truck sales on the upward swing, Ford decided to show off it's Atlas Concept truck at the Detroit Auto Show this year. The truck showcases the possibilities of the company's 2015 model year F-150, but there's no telling what pieces of the Atlas will be present in the actual production models. In the meantime, as concept trucks go, the Atlas is a show stopper. The bold grille, bulging fenders, interior and exterior ambient lighting may look like the truck is all asthetics, but the Atlas sports a number of neat innovations that are geared towards the real truck owner. Some of these include a Trailer Backup Assist, hidden cargo ramps, Dynamic Hitch Assist, integrated cargo tie-downs, built-in ramps, and more. Ford also added many of the company's fuel efficency technologies to the Atlas, that include a drop down front chin spoiler that lowers at highway speeds, active grille shutters to improve aerodynamics, Auto Start Stop, a next generation EcoBoost engine and an electroniclly controlled transmission. In addition to ligher, thinner seats to provide additional legroom and save weight, the Atlas is said to provide up to a 2mpg improvement. One of the neatest ideas on the concept truck, are the Active Wheel Shutters that open and close to improve aerodynamics. Another great feature on the Atlas is that the tailgate step can also be used as a cargo cradle to carry long items. In addition to a 110 volt outlet in the cargo box to charge tools, and sideview mounted LED spotlights, it seems like the more you study it, the more interesting innovations can be found on the vehicle. Considering that Chevrolet just released its 2014 Silverado, and Nissan is also ready for a new Titan model, the competition for truck supremecy is fierce. With truck sales continuing to increase, the prospect for a healthy truck market and aftermarket sales, seem good. A bold exterior provides a rugged appearance but this truck is much more efficient and capable. The interior has lighter seats and more room, but the influx of new electronics will continue to make functions such as navigation, vehicle monitoring and entertaiment much easier and more ingegrated. The Atlas features Active Wheel Shutters that open and close to improve aerodynamics. The square exhaust tailpipe is a nice touch to a performance EcoBoost engine. While the bed ambient lighting is cool looking, the integrated cargo holds and taller bedsides may be an indication of what's to come in future models of the F-150. [h=2]Readers Respond[/h]


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Belle Mer Wedding by Lisa Rigby PhotographyNewport is such a fab little destination wedding location for New Englanders. Just a hop, skip and a jump away from Boston and the likes, and full of style and history - Newport produces loads of pretty. And this wedding by
View CreditsRead More


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Hey Guys
For the past 18months or so i have been given the task of Promoting the RPF in the UK by getting all RPF UK members together to showcase their props at well known Conventions, after 2 very successful events we are now looking for ideas to make the following events bigger and better.
The TDH is part of the bigger picture and while we have had a small representation from the TDH at the prop parties, we feel the TDH can play a bigger part.
So in light of this we want to achieve something this November at the next RPF prop party and that is to have the biggest gathering of Fett Costumers ever assembled in the UK for the ultimate photo opportunity with Jeremy Bulloch
What ever Fett Costume you have be that ESB, ROTJ, SE, JANGO we need you to come along and take part, please support the TDH and the RPF and get behind this one off special occasion.


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As part of our product testing, we also get our products used by the Thule Crew, elite sportsmen and women who are capable of testing them to the extreme in real life. Every single day.
But just how serious is our lab testing? We've put together a YouTube playlist of our most exhaustive tests – everything from dropping smartphones in cases from head height, relentlessly driving child carriers over rough terrain, to testing an overloaded bike carrier on a speed bump at 30 km/h.


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Popular property highlights
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea places you within a short walk of Wailea Blue Golf Course and within a mile (2 km) of Shops at Wailea. This 376-room, 5-star resort welcomes business and leisure travelers with 3 outdoor pools, a full-service spa, and 3 restaurants. It's on the beach and also near Wailea Beach and Polo Beach.
This resort is home to 3 onsite restaurants, perfect for a quick bite to eat. Satisfy your hunger from the comfort of your room with 24-hour room service. For your convenience, breakfast is available for a fee.
All 376 soundproofed rooms feature furnished lanais, refrigerators, and coffee makers. Guests can expect free WiFi and plasma TVs with satellite channels and DVD players. Bathrooms offer hair dryers and designer toiletries, and pillowtop beds with premium bedding ensure a restful night. Other standard amenities include free newspapers, free bottled water, and ceiling fans.
Guests of Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea have access to a full-service spa, 3 outdoor pools, and a children's pool. Valet parking is available for USD 29.00 per night, and there's also limo/town car service. The 24-hour front desk has multilingual staff ready to assist with dry cleaning/laundry, concierge services, and luggage storage. Other amenities at this beach resort include a fitness center, a spa tub, and a steam room.
Property features
- Free WiFi in rooms and public areas
- Onsite dining
- Spa
- 3 outdoor pools
HighlightsInformation missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Each of the resort's 3 outdoor pools offers its own unique experience. Overlooking the ocean, the large Fountain Pool has a spa tub at each end and a fountain in the center. The infinity-edge, adults-only Serenity Pool offers a secluded setting with elevated, panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, the island of Lana'i, and the mountains. Specialty cocktails and signature Four Seasons cuisine are served at multiple freestanding and swim-up bars. The lagoon-style Upper Waterfall Pool, equipped with sun loungers, umbrellas and beach towels features a naturalistic waterfall, a small slide, and a shallow end for children.
The resort has 3 restaurants: Spago, by Wolfgang Puck; Ferraro's Bar e Ristorante, situated beachside; and DUO, featuring prime steaks and fresh seafood. The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Maui has 13 treatment rooms and 3 oceanside hales (thatch-roofed huts).
A partial listing of the Four Seasons' many complimentary services and amenities includes:
- Children's pool
- Spa tub
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Children's club (free)
- Supervised childcare/activities (free)
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Conference space
- 24-hour front desk
- Porter/bellhop
- Express check-out
- Total number of rooms - 376
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Multilingual staff
- Number of floors - 8
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Shopping on site
- Hair salon
- ATM/banking
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Babysitting or childcare
- Arcade/game room
- Garden
- Valet parking (surcharge)
- Number of bars/lounges - 3
- Number of poolside bars - 2
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Concierge services
- Elevator/lift
- Express check-in
- Fitness facilities
- Full-service spa
- Free shopping center shuttle
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Free WiFi
- Designated smoking areas
- Number of outdoor pools - 3
- Children's club
- Spa treatment room(s)
- Meeting rooms 9
- Luggage storage
- 24-hour business center
- Conference space size (feet) - 39000
- Beach umbrellas
- Beach sun loungers
- Pool sun loungers
- Beach towels
- Conference space size (meters) - 3623
- Number of meeting rooms - 16
- Outdoor tennis court
- Year Built 1990
- Number of restaurants - 3
- Number of buildings/towers - 2
- Spa services on site
- Steam room
- Supervised childcare/activities
- Swim-up bar
- Wedding services
- Tennis on site
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pools
- Children's pool
- Supervised childcare/activities (free)
- Free Wi-Fi
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Soundproofed rooms
- Outdoor tennis court
- Children's club (free)
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Arcade/game room
- Refrigerator
- Microwave (on request)
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
- DVD player
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Valet parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea offers 376 air-conditioned accommodations with DVD players and safes. Rooms open to furnished lanais. Pillowtop beds feature premium bedding. Plasma televisions come with premium satellite channels and pay movies. Refrigerators and coffee/tea makers are provided. Bathrooms include separate bathtubs and showers, bathrobes, slippers, and designer toiletries.
This Wailea resort provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks, complimentary newspapers, and phones. Additionally, rooms include complimentary bottled water and hair dryers. Microwaves, in-room massages, and hypo-allergenic bedding can be requested. A nightly turndown service is provided and housekeeping is offered daily.
- Premium TV channels
- DVD player
- Pay movies
- Premium bedding
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- Furnished lanai
- Room service (24 hours)
- Soundproofed rooms
- Air conditioning
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Ceiling fan
- Free newspaper
- Phone
- Refrigerator
- Coffee/tea maker
- Free bottled water
- Microwave (on request)
- Daily housekeeping
- Turndown service
- Private bathroom
- Designer toiletries
- Bathrobes
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Separate bathtub and shower
- In-room massage available
- Slippers
- Iron/ironing board
- In-room safe
- Desk
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Satellite TV service
- Free WiFi
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Pillowtop mattress
- Plasma TV
Where to Eat
Spago - Awarding-winning restaurant created by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. Fusion of Hawaiian and Californian cuisine, with Pacific Rim accents. Children's menu available. Dining indoors or out on the lanai. Bar and intimate lounge area with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and Wailea Beach. Dinner nightly. Reservations recommended.
Ferraro's Bar e Ristorante - Spectacular beachfront setting, open-air design. Rustic Italian cuisine, fresh local seafood and produce. Lunch, late-afternoon pupus (appetizers), and dinner daily. Italian instrumental music Monday - Saturday evenings. Reservations recommended for dinner.
DUO - Prime cuts of steak, including Japanese Kobe beef, as well as fresh seafood and seasonal island produce. Views of the Pacific Ocean and the West Maui Mountains. Open kitchen. Intimate bar with international wine list and specialty cocktails. Buffet and à la carte breakfast daily, dinner nightly. Reservations recommended for dinner.
Lobby Lounge - Open-air lounge overlooking the Pacific and the lush tropical gardens. Nightly entertainment.
Room service is available 24 hours a day.
Nearby Things to Do
Four Seasons Maui faces Wailea Beach, a large, fine-sand crescent with calm, clear waters ideal for swimming and snorkeling. The resort has three outdoor pools: the large Fountain Pool, the lagoon-style Upper Waterfall Pool, and the adults-only, infinity-edge Serenity Pool. Use of poolside cabanas is complimentary (surcharge for luxury cabanas).
Complimentary outrigger-canoe excursions provide a chance to spot Hawaiian green sea turtles, colorful reef fish, manta rays, and, during the season, Pacific humpback whales. Other complimentary activities include tennis, introductory scuba lessons in the pool, volleyball, and Ping-Pong. Guests enjoy special privileges at the Wailea Blue Course, a quarter-mile from the resort.
The fitness center features a canopied outdoor cardiovascular area, as well as indoor aerobics and weight rooms. Yoga, Pilates, spinning, and other classes are complimentary (subject to availability).
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or near the hotel; fees may apply.
- Golfing nearby
- Windsurfing nearby
- Snorkeling nearby
- Sailing nearby
- Scuba diving nearby
- Water skiing nearby
- Rafting nearby
- Mountain biking nearby
- Scooter/moped rentals nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Parasailing nearby
- Ecotours nearby
- Golf lessons available nearby
- Personal motorized watercraft on site
- Fitness classes on site
- Basketball on site
- Free bicycles nearby
- Kayaking on site
- Pilates classes on site
- Rowing or canoeing on site
- Surfing/boogie boarding on site
- Yoga classes/instruction on site
- Segway rental/tour nearby
Spa Services
This Maui Spa is the perfect place for relaxing your body, revitalising your mind and renewing your spirit.
- Aromatherapy treatments
- Ayurvedic treatments
- Massages
- Body treatments
- Facial treatments
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
- In-room accessibility
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Minimum check-in age is 21
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
No rollaway/extra beds available
Optional extras
- Valet parking fee: USD 29.00 per night
Hotel Name
- Four Seasons Maui Wailea
- Four Seasons Resort Maui Wailea
- Four Seasons Resort Maui
- Four Seasons Maui
- Four Seasons Resort Maui At Wailea Hotel Wailea
- 4 Seasons Resort Maui At Wailea
- Four Seasons Wailea
- Wailea Four Seasons
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


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CHAKULA Issue #19: Innovating access – a special focus on CPRafrica
1. The need for competitive research for policy influence – e- interview with Alison Gillwald
2. Balancing convergence: using Constitutional rights as a framework for policy decisions – e-interview with Indra de Lanerolle
3. Levelling the playing field through benchmarking – e-interview with Christoph Stork
4. 'Disruptive competition': the case of One Network in East Africa – e-interview with Muriuki Mureithi
5. Innovation through competition: the budget telecom network model – e-interview with Rohan Samarajiva
What is CPRafrica?
Communication Policy Research (Africa) – or CPRafrica – is a new forum that seeks to strengthen the contribution of African academics and researchers in the global debates around information and communications technologies (ICTs). CPRafrica's inaugural conference, entitled "Looking back at a decade of communications reform: Looking forward to 2020", was held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 18-21 April. It was attended by 50 participants from 25 countries, with some 23 papers presented.
The forum intends to encourage intellectual endeavour and research in the area of ICT policy and regulation in Africa and allow African academics and researchers to engage and profile their research. The conference provided an opportunity for senior, junior and mid-career scholars to meet face-to-face and exchange ideas, network, and included a two-day session of tutorials for young scholars. Thirteen young scholars participated in these tutorials.
This issue of Chakula focuses on four papers from the conference. It also highlights a paper that was presented at an Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OECD) and InfoDev conference in Paris, 10-11 September 2009, and references a 2008 policy paper on mobile banking (M-banking) prepared by Research ICT Africa (RIA). In different ways all of these papers deal with the issue of innovation in ICT access in Africa through policy and business model innovation.
The need for competitive research for policy influence
e-interview with Alison Gillwald
"[H]igh quality, rigorous research…is required to compete and complement with each other for policy influence… In mature economies researchers from multiple universities would be debating and refining the positions governments should be taking on everything from regulating next generation networks to demand stimulation for broadband."
Alison Gillwald is Executive Director of RIA. She is also Adjunct Professor at the UCT Graduate School of Business, Management of Infrastructure Reform and Regulation, and a member of CPRafrica's organisation and selection committee.
CHAKULA: You have just held the CPRafrica conference in Cape Town. What are you hoping to achieve through the conference?
ALISON GILLWALD [AG]: There is almost no scholarly research being undertaken in the field of ICT policy and regulation on the continent. A Google scholar search on the subjects throws up around five scholars on the continent who are published in peer reviewed or accredited journals. It is this kind of high quality, rigorous research that is required to compete and complement with each other for policy influence. In mature economies researchers from multiple universities would be debating and refining the positions governments should be taking on everything from regulating next generation networks to demand stimulation for broadband. Although there are pockets of applied research being undertaken there is no tradition of critical intellectual engagement in this area on the continent. The purpose of CPRafrica is to provide a forum for nurturing and showcasing research in the area of ICT policy and regulation on the continent and enhancing its quality through rigorous academic review and debate. The conference is complemented by a young scholars programme to expose young scholars who may be excluded from such peer-review, paper- acceptance-only style conferences without such a category. Some of these are part of the IDRC- [International Development Research Centre] funded PhD programme to encourage doctoral research in ICT policy and regulation. The idea here is to build a cadre of policy intellectuals on the continent able to critically engage government on the basis of relevant research and contribute meaningfully to research and policy excellence. This will further enhance Africa's standing in international research and governance fora, in which its participation has historically been suboptimal.
CHAKULA: Reviewing some of the papers presented at the conference, it strikes me that there are a couple of threads that are emerging. Two in particular stand out: the notion of "innovation" in the telecommunications space, and the challenges around convergence and policy when two distinct sectors with different ways of doing things are brought into conflict with each other. I also went back to Research ICT Africa's 2008 M-banking policy paper, which raises similar themes, and I would like to use that as a starting point.
First, on the issue of 'innovation'. In the M-banking paper, the following assertion is made: "Policy-makers and regulators need to ensure that evolving systems serve the broader objectives of economic growth and development as well as protect consumer interests, while creating an environment that encourages and rewards innovation". In what ways can policy inhibit or encourage innovation in the telecommunication's sector?
AG: Indeed, providing certainty to investors and operators while retaining the levels of flexibility to enable innovation in a fast-changing environment is one of the most difficult balancing acts that policy-makers and regulators have to perform. I think the linkages and catalysts between technology, market and regulatory innovation are becoming clearer all the time. New technologies and service offerings have prized open markets and the entry into less policy and regulatory constrained markets has made taking certain technologies to market more viable. This has triggered further possibilities across historically distinct platforms, not only between broadcasting and telecommunications, but between fixed and mobile services and even entirely separate sectors such as telecommunications and banking. The challenges to the expansion of such services are really regulatory now rather than technological – and that is not to say that one does not want or need public interest regulation either in the telecommunications or banking sector, but it has to be done in new, innovative ways that enable to extension of these services to those who currently don't enjoy them. Once these various forces are unleashed they are able to intersect and create new opportunities and innovative ways of doing things that have not been done before.
CHAKULA: Innovation here seems necessarily to be tied to market gain – the objective is to increase or capture market share. In both your M- banking paper, and the case study of the mobile operator One Network in Kenya, preconditions exists that facilitate innovation. With M-
banking there are low-income earners who are 'unbanked' and who could benefit from some kind of low-cost transactional instrument, and with One Network, there is a significant level of cross-border traffic that makes a seamless network attractive.
AG: It is true that innovation is often driven by market forces and pursuit of profits, and, traditionally, with new technologies have focused on high-end markets. But much of the ICT innovation we are witnessing in developing markets is focused on what has been referred to as the 'gold at the bottom of the pyramid' – very profitable turn-over of high volumes of sometimes minuscule margins on products that, by breaking them up or making them available at cost, the masses at the bottom of the economic and social pyramid can enjoy things like pre-paid phone vouchers, or transferable airtime vouchers. And many of these products have been commercialised innovative practices by the poor in order to access and affordably use communications services – such as missed calls, multiple sim card usage that allows for same net rates, or 'plastic roaming'.
CHAKULA: If we consider Indra de Lanerolle's fascinating case study on the South African convergence scenario, we see two sectors (broadcast and telecommunications) in conflict with each other because policy decisions are made according to different frameworks: simply put, economic versus public interest. In fact, Indra does seem to suggest that these are in competition with each other, and resolves this in an interesting way. It feels hard to believe that 'consumer interest' is the same as 'public interest'?
AG: I think with the shift from public utilities to competitive markets many of the public interest objectives of delivery and service are met through serving the consumer interest. Nevertheless there is public interest regulation that is required to improve wider and collective consumer welfare – to provide access to 'uneconomic areas' for example – though with new more cost-effective, rapidly deployable wireless services, this concept in markets that enable competitive entry is regularly not proving to be the case. But as long as we have the large number of poor that we do, we will need some level of social regulation – even though a lot of the current pent-up demand could be met with greater market efficiency (more competitive markets offering better prices). And then there are the more traditional content regulation issues either to restrict certain 'harmful' content or activities or to enable it, such as local content regulation. That too may be found to be highly profitable, but may need either protection or encouragement.
CHAKULA: Indra's paper, like your M-banking policy paper, shows that regulating convergence is tricky because of the 'convergence' of two or even more sectors; whether broadcast/telecommunications or telecommunications/banking etc. What are some of the key challenges that policy-makers can expect to face in Africa?
AG: The key challenge for African regulators is that they are still trying to deal with legacy regulation around first and second- generation infrastructure and access. At the same time, if they do not want the agenda to be set for them in international fora, they need to deal with next-generation issues, not only of converged IP [internet protocol] networks and services and the next-generation regulation issues of network and service-neutral regimes, but of cross-cutting issues of electronic commerce frameworks, intellectual copyright rights, security and privacy issues, and so on. And you have to do it all or be left behind…
CHAKULA: One frustration is that when one reads a good paper that seems to offer a solution to a problem, one is also met with the feeling that those with decision-making powers are probably not going to read that paper, or seriously consider its arguments. Do you feel the same? If so, how do you think CPRafrica picks up on this challenge? Is it just a case of repeating issues until policy-makers take them on board?
AG: No. CPRafrica is one of several strategic strands towards having evidence-based ICT policy on the continent. This is about organic and indigenous knowledge creation and contribution, at the national level, at the level of regional association and continentally, and also about global engagement and influence. For too long have the solutions come from the developed world. Of course, there are lessons to be learnt and we don't need to reinvent the wheel, but we also have different challenges and Africa has demonstrated remarkably innovative responses to these when they are informed by sound policy, effective regulation or thorough and appropriate business plans. The indicator research done by RIA and its analysis in order to assess policy and regulatory outcomes is fed into several initiatives, globally and locally. RIA provides the only comprehensive public domain demand-side data on ICT access and usage on the continent. This is used in national, regional and continental meetings on ICTs, and in the database and reports of multilateral agencies such as the OECD and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), to better inform their understanding of developments in Africa. It is true that sometime decision-makers do not like to hear of the widespread policy and institutional failure on the continent, but many do – especially those that are rapidly improving and beginning to see the rewards of their reforms. This research is also used to develop training curricula that address the needs of policy and regulators in a developing country context. So, for example, as part of the global research and training collaborative LIRNE.net we conduct a professional development course on alternative regulatory strategies at the UCT Graduate School of Business Infrastructure Reform and Regulation Programme to build institutional capacity on the continent. So CPRafrica is just one arm of a multi- pronged strategy of research and education, institutional capacity building and technical assistance and dissemination and advocacy, through our website database, policy papers and workshop and public presentations.
CHAKULA: What is the way forward for the conference? Will there be more?
AG: Yes, in order to build and sustain this much-needed capacity we will have to find a way for CPRafrica to become an annual institution.
Related links:
M-Banking the Unbanked: RIA Policy Paper No. 4:
CPRafrica conference details:
Balancing convergence: using Constitutional rights as a framework for policy decisions
e-interview with Indra de Lanerolle
Paper link: Please e-mail the author at indra at delanerolle.net
"[N]o country I know of has completed the project of aligning all regulation and law to [the possibilities of convergence]. But some countries and regions are moving far more swiftly than others. Among those that are moving more swiftly would be the EU countries. Among those that are moving slowly are many African countries."
Indra de Lanerolle is an adjunct Lecturer at the University of Witwatersrand Journalism and Media Programme. An award-winning film and television producer, he is a regular speaker and commentator on the impact of the information society on organisations, media, social development and the economy.
CHAKULA: The South African government has committed to promoting convergence in the broadcasting and telecommunications sectors. So much is clear from the 2005 Electronic Communications Act, and the merging of the telecommunications and broadcasting regulators in 2000.
But you point out that there is a fundamental difference in approach between how the two sectors are seen at a policy level, which is standing in the way of 'pure' convergence of the sectors. In your paper, you argue that the telecommunications sector policy process has largely been justified on economic grounds, while broadcasting policy has been governed by political and social considerations. I am paraphrasing here, but can you say more about this distinction?
INDRA DE LANEROLLE [IL]: Most 'utility' regulation (applying to electricity, trains, telephones, for example) was originally justified on economic grounds – usually that these industries were monopolies and that as such, without regulation there would not be sufficient
competitive pressures to keep prices as low as they could be. Many economists went further and argued that these utilities were 'natural monopolies' so that the most efficient services would be provided by a single regulated provider rather than allowing many (less or unregulated) competing providers. Broadcasting regulation was sometimes justified on similar grounds but in my view these economic arguments were and are very weak when applied to broadcasting. The stronger argument (and the better explanation in historical terms of why broadcasting regulation has continued to the extent that it has) is that it is motivated and justified on social and political grounds.
These justifications include: a desire or need to preserve national cultures and languages (in the face of globalising forces in mass media, especially television); a desire or need to provide specific genres of programming (e.g. educational programming, children's programming); and, less high-mindedly, a political desire on the part of governments to control information and news. The distinction in these justifications or motivations is important for convergence.
Convergence increasingly challenges economic justifications for regulation in telecommunications as monopolies fall away. But the social and political justifications for broadcasting regulation do not necessarily fall away in synchrony.
CHAKULA: You review various tests to see how well policy convergence has faired. First, there is the assessment of policy alignment – or the alignment of policy processes; then there is the test of technological neutrality; and finally, the 'level playing field' test.
South Africa has not faired well in any of these – can you elaborate?
IL: The first test I suggest (from Alison Gillwald) is whether policies in telecommunications and broadcasting are being developed together. In the face of convergence it is important that they are. As I show, in fact these policies are being developed autonomously. The second test is that of technological neutrality. Here I argue that while the Electronic Communications Act acknowledges convergence and attempts to develop 'technologically neutral' licensing criteria, it in fact maintains two separate regimes – one for telecommunications and the other for broadcasting. In applying content regulation, for example, it treats the two as entirely separate. So overall, South Africa remains far away from achieving the goal of technologically neutral regulation. The third test – of a level playing field for competition follows closely from the lack of technological neutrality.
One example of the lack of a level playing field can be seen in the treatment of voice – where VoIP [voice-over-internet protocol] and packet-switch telephony, for example, are treated entirely differently in law and regulation.
CHAKULA: Does 'pure' convergence exist anywhere – or is convergence in reality always a push and pull of many factors, economic, political social etc.?
IL: As I argue in my paper the best definition of convergence sees it as a set of technological possibilities. On this definition, the question could and maybe should be put rather differently. We might ask whether any country is fully adapting their regulatory frameworks to this set of possibilities. The answer would then be that no country I know of has completed the project of aligning all regulation and law to these possibilities. But some countries and regions are moving far more swiftly than others. Among those that are moving more swiftly would be the EU countries. Among those that are moving slowly are many African countries.
CHAKULA: You offer what appears to be a powerful guiding principle to make policy decisions based on a fluid and changing environment – one based on public interest, rather than sectoral interest. This involves using Section 16 of the South African Constitution to guide policy decisions, which states that "Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes …freedom to receive or impart information or ideas…". Can you say more about how this would work?
IL: We could say that the Freedom of Expression clause represents a test for measuring the benefits and dis-benefits of changing regulation and policy to promote convergence. Lets take the issue of the (limited) number of broadcast licences – especially television broadcast licences. As broadband take-up increases there is likely to come a point where there is the possibility of Video on Demand as broadcast video services become economically viable via the internet.
This is a classic case of convergence. So if convergence is to be promoted we might want to see a couple of things: firstly, we would certainly want these new services to be allowed and, indeed, encouraged; secondly we might want these services to be treated in a similar way to 'traditional' broadcasting. Unless we wanted to artificially restrict the number of new internet-based services, the only way to achieve neutrality would be to significantly lighten the regulation of broadcasters, or at least greatly increase the number of new licences issued for 'traditional' broadcast television services.
Given the social and political justifications for broadcast regulation though, this would probably be greatly resisted. To give one example as to why this would be the case we could see that increasing competition in 'traditional' television broadcasting would have a significant economic impact on the public broadcaster and thus diminish its ability to fulfill its public broadcasting mandate. My suggestion is that we could use the Constitution as a basis of balancing these issues. We would be able to compare, for example, the potential loss of people's rights to receive information (because, say SABC might reduce its news services) with the potential gain of people's rights to receive and impart information via the internet.
This would require judgements, but these judgements could be based on research of real benefits.
CHAKULA: It seems to me that as things stand you have enormous competing interests that stagnate the convergence policy process. On the one hand, the interests of telecom operators (including the state), and on the other, the interests of broadcasters (the state and private enterprises). How do you think a decision-making framework where the public/consumer would have the dominant interest would go down with these powerful stakeholders? What was the reaction to your paper from those gathered at CPRafrica?
IL: Most of the participants at CPRafrica were researchers and academics rather than the 'powerful stakeholders' that you describe. I'm not an objective witness but the paper appeared to be well received! Of course in all issues concerning regulation, there are always significant economic interests involved and there is always the danger of 'regulatory capture'. Whether such 'public interest' arguments as the one I advance in the paper are pursued is largely a matter of political will – in government and in the independent regulator. When some of the ideas included here were presented on behalf of the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) and Association for Progressive Communications (APC) amongst others to the South African regulator ICASA, it appeared there was significant interest. I have also argued elsewhere that there is little chance of 'public interest' arguments holding sway in the development of policy and regulation if there is no interest shown by the public! The Save our SABC (SOS) coalition that has brought together a range of organisations in South Africa, including the major union federation, to campaign on public interest questions on broadcasting is a helpful
Levelling the playing field through benchmarking
e-interview with Christoph Stork
Paper link: www.researchictafrica.net (or e-mail the author at: christoph.stork at googlemail.com)
"Operators are not accountable to the public beyond the audited financial statements that do not include detailed cost data. That could be changed given that telecom operators have the privilege of operating in a sector with restricted market entry."
Christoph Stork is a Senior Researcher at Research ICT Africa (RIA), and also a consultant to LIRNEasia's Teleuse at BOP3 project. His responsibilities at RIA include designing and conducting quantitative and qualitative research and interacting with policy-makers and regulators.
CHAKULA: You were commissioned by the Namibian Communications Commission (NCC) to conduct a benchmarking study in Namibia in 2009, following a dispute about interconnection charges. You have used the case of Namibia to illustrate and argue for setting interconnection benchmarks. As you argue, benchmarking is possibly a more efficient way of determining a fair termination rate (based on an efficient operator). For the layperson, some of this terminology is tricky. The standard way of determining termination rates is to look at the "forward-looking long-run incremental cost" (LRIC). The problem with termination rates – or the cost one provider charges another to carry its calls – is that operators have been burying inflated profits at this link in the communications chain; they have been charging competitors more than they needed to, with the knock-on effect to the consumer. Can you explain what LRIC is exactly? And then how does
benchmarking model differ from this?
CHRISTOPH STORK [CS]: LIRC is a way of calculating the cost of termination. There are many different approaches to it. In short, it is a method to calculate the cost of terminating a call based on current technologies and only including costs that arise from terminating a call. Dominant operators often argue that access infrastructure such as base stations need to be part of termination costs. However, base stations are being built to provide services to their own subscribers. The incremental cost of termination is the cost difference between an operator that does not offer termination services and one that does. Implementing LRIC is challenging, expensive, time-consuming, and the required information is often not available in developing countries. The benchmarking methodology benchmarks termination rates, termination costs and regulatory best practice.
CHAKULA: In your experience in Namibia are operators open to cost- based termination rates to level the competitive playing field? Or do they want to milk the termination of calls for as much money as they can get? For instance, you point out that operators have typically been quite fickle, arguing against cost-based termination when they have a market advantage, but arguing for it when they are a market entrant…
CS: Operators that are net receivers of termination payments will always try to maintain the status quo, anywhere in the world. New entrants and small operators are often the net payers and are keen to get to cost-based termination rates quickly. In Namibia, South Africa and most other countries, cost-based termination rates are required by law or licences or both. In Namibia, reducing termination rates increased competition and led to lower prices for consumers and an expansion of the market. The result for the incumbent operator MTC has been: more subscribers, more traffic and higher EBITDA [Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortisation] margins.
CHAKULA: What is the link between cost-based termination rates and IP- based Next Generation Networks (NGNs)? You say that leveling the playing field when it comes to termination rates will help with the transition to NGNs?
CS: NGNs are technological and service neutral. Billing will no longer be based on minutes but on MBs [Megabytes]. Cost-based termination rates help implement service neutrality and are a stepping stone towards NGNs. NGNs might however require a different billing system altogether that would not require termination rates. In a NGN environment receiving and sending data would be billable. In Africa and Europe, the receiver of a call does not have to pay.
CHAKULA: You point out that one of the challenges is getting good data. What are the difficulties around getting this data from operators (or regulators, for that matter) in Africa, and elsewhere?
CS: Most countries in Africa have not conducted detailed cost studies yet. Those that did use information from operators that are considered confidential. ICASA [the South African regulator] collects very detailed information from operators and would probably be sued by them if it were to pass it on to third parties. Operators are not accountable to the public beyond the audited financial statements that do not include detailed cost data. That could be changed given that telecom operators have the privilege of operating in a sector with restricted market entry. Regulators could prescribe cost reporting for annual statements that need to be made public.
'Disruptive competition': the case of One Network in East Africa
e-interview with Muriuki Mureithi
Paper link: www.researchictafrica.net (or e-mail the author at: mureithi at summitstrategies.co.ke)
"One advantage Africa has is the policy and the regulatory framework are not yet cast in stone; in some cases it is not there and with few administrative nods some uncooked products can launch in the market."
Muriuki Mureithi is an independent ICT consultant based in Nairobi Kenya with a passion to help exploit the benefits of ICTs for Africa with a career now spanning 27 years. His interest is policy, regulatory , strategy evolution and competitive issues on ICTs in Africa with special focus on the rural and disadvantaged communities and strategies to empower the communities using ICTs. He is currently completing his PhD.
CHAKULA: Your paper, which you co-wrote with Alison Gillwald, offers a case study of how Zain's One Network disrupted the mobile market monopolies in East Africa (and beyond). They did this by removing roaming charges and letting their customers access a seamless and comparatively cheap service across its networks in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. This then forced the other operators to offer similar services. What do you mean by 'disruptive' competition – you also go on to suggest that One was not entirely disruptive, because it failed to keep its competitive advantage?
Muriuki Mureithi [MM]: Disruptive competition in our context and conventional language is a game changer. Operators had perfected the game of increasing numbers and profits by charging for all services, all trudging alone on a strategy path set by the leader. Risk reduction was a key factor. The Zain One network was a game changer and the big operators had to look back and go back to the drawing board. Unfortunately for Zain, the big boys came back with 'hammer and tongs'. Their solution covered more networks (Safaricom, MTN Uganda, MTN Rwanda, Vodacom Tanzania and UTL [Uganda Telecom Limited]), more countries in East Africa (Rwanda, not covered by Zain) and more customers (the competition are market leaders in all the markets apart from UTL). Zain briefly increased numbers in all the markets but soon fizzled under the pressure of the bigger operators. Its gamble that the other operators could not work together failed. It had never been tested before and the risk it took did not pay off. The customers were, however, the beneficiaries in the long run.
CHAKULA: The point you are making in your paper is that given the right regulatory environment, market forces can quite quickly result in lower prices and better access options for the consumer. The regulatory 'kick' here was the granting of an international gateway license to One in all three countries. What were some of the other enablers that allowed One to be so successful? For instance, you mention historical factors, and the cross-border movement of people that pre-dated its market offering…
MM: One is an innovation without doubt. However this is founded on some features or drivers that pre-existed, and Zain took advantage of the institutional memory of some of the out-of-the-box initiatives that it had exploited successfully. The first case is direct cross border connectivity between Brazzavile and Kinshasa by Celtel, instead of through Belgium. Celtel, later bought by Zain, had operations in both countries. Tariffs fell by 80% overnight, and this was to be extended to all border towns between the two countries with similar dramatic effect. It is noteworthy that the private sector could see an opportunity, but that opportunity could only be realised when the regulatory environment changed. That gave Celtel a head start as an innovator in both countries. In East Africa, the conditions were there: highly integrated communities travelling across the porous borders, formal and informal trade, and a legacy backbone linking the three countries. Zain also had licences in all the three countries, but no gateway in Kenya. Their performance was failing in all the three markets, and was a catalyst. So it was time to do something.
When the international gateway was liberalised in Kenya, it was time to jump and they did. With similar branding and ease of use across the borders, the product was a scare to the bigger operators. They had to act – and they did by launching competing products. An interview with
Safaricom indicated that the traffic is not a major consideration, but the marketing advantage that Celtel stood to gain as an innovator is.
CHAKULA: One of the main points of your case study is to offer a comparison to the European Union where they have attempted to force operators to lower their international roaming charges, with great resistance, it seems?
MM: European consumers were keenly aware of the high cost with no justification for roaming charges. The tariff setting was and still is very opaque and the consumer had no choice. The European Commission (EC) carried out studies confirming the same. Unfortunately, despite the overwhelming evidence, operators refused to play ball opting to continue reaping off the consumer. The EC came back and set the tariffs to bring the tariffs down over a three-year period and committed to review another downward reduction if it still found it warranted. What is surprising is that the competition did not trigger such dramatic options as it did in Africa. Perhaps the positioning of the operators is fixed and each is comfortable with their space. What Celtel (now Zain) showed is that operators have a wide range of options to compete, and it takes tough going to think out of the box and take a daring option. They did and changed the game forever. All Zain countries in Africa and Middle East are on the One network. It is growing: one operator in Egypt joined the network this year though they are not a Zain operator, and Cell C in South Africa was joining the One network in time for the World Cup. Not to be left behind, MTN has been implementing a similar package. What was even more innovative is that very different operators Safaricom (Kenya) MTN (Uganda and Rwanda), UTL (Uganda) and Vodacom (Tanzania) worked together and eliminated roaming. Today, an East African travels without roaming, apart from Burundi. Regulators have some work to do where the operators do not see a competitive advantage. In the case of Burundi this is forgotten.
CHAKULA: You suggest that it is not always fruitful to look to developed countries for regulatory and requirements in order to stimulate market growth – in fact One offers a useful case that other regions could follow?
MM: The legacy networks and conformist approach sometimes is a disadvantage. The raw battle for the customer is bruising and those who pass the post spell doom to those behind. In Kenya, one operator has an 80% market share. Its profit before tax in 2009 is equal to the revenues of the other three competitors, and they have mounting losses. The future is tough. Of the top 15 major cellular markets in Africa 10 markets have a dominant operator with over 80% market share.
With those market dynamics, Africa provides a cooking pot for out-of-the-box solutions, because the option is dire. At present One network, the runaway M-PESA [M-PESA is a Safaricom service allowing you to transfer money using a mobile phone] were born in Africa and are being exported to the rest of the world. I believe more will come. One advantage Africa has is the policy and the regulatory framework are not yet cast in stone; in some cases it is not there and with few administrative nods some uncooked products can launch in the market. This may not happen in developed countries.
CHAKULA: In your recommendations, you talk about actions to expand the "innovation space". What are some of the key actions?
MM: The operators have control of most of the resources they need in search of the customer. The policy and regulatory space is out of their control – this is space that governments can expand as illustrated by Zain's One. MPESA would not have succeeded if the government did not do the same in the banking regulatory space.
Governments need to regularly review the regulatory space with active engagement of a multi-stakeholder process.
Innovation through competition: the budget telecom network model
e-interview with Rohan Samarajiva
Paper link: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1564529
"The status quo must be unbearable."
Rohan Samarajiva is the Chair and CEO of Lirnasia. His paper, "How the developing world may participate in the global Internet Economy: Innovation driven by competition" was presented at a workshop organised by the OECD and InfoDev in Paris, 10-11 September 2009.
CHAKULA: In your paper, you talk about the Budget Telecom Network Model (BTNM), which is brought about by competition allowing operators to reduce the transaction costs of low-end clients. This, as you point out, is different to the standard Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) model. How does it make the ARPU model redundant?
Rohan Samarajiva [RS]: ARPU is a short-hand that outside observers use to see if the firm is doing well, whether its prospects are good, etc. It is, like any indicator, imperfect. You get it by taking total revenue (preferably without extras like roaming) and dividing by number of subscribers. Of course no one really knows what a subscriber is any more, with even poor people holding up to five SIMs, foreigners having SIMs, no agreement on what an active SIM is and so on. You can get better results by looking at revenue per minute.
Take total revenue (less roaming and other stuff) and divide by Average Minutes of Usage per User per Month (MOU). This is a better indicator. But investment analysts are still not used to this and it would require disclosing MOUs to calculate.
CHAKULA: Can ARPU be used as a business model?
RS: Operators do not actually do much with the ARPU. It is not a business model as such, just an indicator. But getting more from each subscriber (if this is known) is not a bad idea. Just that it does not predict whether the company will make money or not. The best indicator for that is EBITDA [Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization] margin. Sri Lanka in 2007 had an operator with LKR311 (approximately USD3 at the time) ARPU making close to 50% EBITDA margin. In the end, the success of a business model lies in whether it generates profit.
CHAKULA: What is your understanding of 'innovation' in the telecommunications space? You talk of "business innovation", rather than, say, technological innovation?
RS: Tech innovation is important, but it is not the only thing. Pure tech innovation is done by manufacturers of network equipment and handsets. That is good. Business process innovations (e.g. lowering the costs of base stations through software) are done by operators.
These include technical aspects, but are not limited to them.
Shifting from one business model to another (discovering the latter)is also innovation, but it may or may not not have a tech aspect at all.
CHAKULA: What are the preconditions for innovation, do you think?
RS: The status quo must be unbearable. The BTNM innovation occurred when competition got so intense that there was no way to gain market share or even survive without doing something new.
CHAKULA: Does BTNM have implications for increased access to broadband internet for the majority of people on a continent like Africa?
RS: Yes. The latter part of the paper is entirely on the extension of BTNM to broadband. Some headlines are that operators must have enough money from voice that can be invested in the 3G plus networks.
Once the overlay network is built out the operators have to offer low prices. Prepaid sachet pricing is best, where one buys packages of connectivity in minutes or in capacity. Here, because of lower transaction costs and prices there should be an influx of new customers. This is already on offer in Asia. Africa has to lower prices. Access will be over mobile networks, using dongles or built in modems, for laptops and other devices, including phones. ADSL will be a niche product. Wireless access is the future.
CHAKULA is a newsletter produced by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). It aims to mobilise African civil society around ICT policy for sustainable development and social justice issues.
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Size50 m²
Floor No.1
- Family/child friendly
- Internet/WiFi
- Kitchen
- Pets allowed
- Air conditioning
- Washer/dryer
- Smoking allowed
Accommodation summary
|CORREDERA BAJA DE SAN PABLO, 28004 MADRID, Spain
|Property type
|Property ID
|Acceptance rate
|Response time
|A few hours
|Calendar updated
Ask before booking accept weekends minimum 3 nights, but make exceptions ......
Cozy and comfortable apartment in the center of Madrid is 60 meters from Gran Vía (Plaza Callao) and 400 m from Plaza Spain on the verge of all sites of tourist interest Puerta del Sol (300m), Main Square, the historic district of the Hapsburgs and more) both shopping and the best restaurants, cocktail bars and tapas bars.
The apartment has 1 large room with balcony and and living room with comfortable sofa bed is
equipped with tv, wifi, heating and air conditioning are bathroom has all amenities including whirlpool shower, towels and other belongings encesarios for aseo.La kitchen is fully equipped for travelers to feel at home with oven, microwave, juicer, coffee maker, toaster and more utensilios.Cuenta with a small lounge to eat and relax.
In neuralgic heart of the city is the perfect place to stay a few days and enjoy all the leisure facilities offered by this wonderful city.
House rulesso
|Price for > 4 guests
|$ 10 AU per guest/night extra
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|On arrangement
|Check-out before
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Reviews for this host's other properties
Nice flat, clean, great location.
Apartment is small but all you need is available: fully equipped kitchen, iron, hair dryer, wi-fi etc. Location is really great - very close to the city center. We could visit all famous places on foot. There are a few metro stations around. The host is very nice, he left a wine bottle for us and some refresments in the fridge. The only disadvantage was that we could hear our neighbours very distictly. The apartment is also quite dark during the day, but it was not a big problem because we were out until the evening.
Small but nice and clean appartment in the heart of the city, all attractions within walking distance, contact with getting keys and leaving luggage very friendly and easy.
My suggestion to Melvin: How about removing the washing machine in the kitchen for having a bit more space?
Excellent location to begin with,ideal for couples with 1 baby "in tow."Both the elevator door frame / gap and the door jambs in the apartment (the main and entrance door) are barely wide enough for a single-baby stroller to be squeezed through,so if you are planning to travel with one - beware. Ours did fit eventually,but at a pinch. We were greeted by one of Melvin's secretaries-a kind and very helpful girl.She showed us around and handed us the keys to the property.A bottle of good wine had been set on the table,which was a nice gesture.We did not lack in anything during our stay-there was a toaster,a microwave oven,a flatbed toaster,an electric kettle,besides a 2-burner kitchen range and a fridge of course.Although the place is somewhat smaller than advertised,we enjoyed staying there. The service was fine. If we needed anything, it just took a text message and we got all our problems sorted out.At night it was real quiet, which is a great pro!After all,most central locations tend to be quite noisy and this one was an exception. I would highly recommend this owner and the place to those who want to explore the city without having to shlep half way across the city to get anywhere. I will definitely consider stayingbthere in my next visit to this magnificent city!
Melvin provides a perfectly clean, well furnished flat to accommodate a high number of persons.The air conditioners are necessary to survive Madrids very hot summer.
The stay was very nice, the floor is as is shown in the pictures, and we did not expect anything to come to him, the hosts were very attentive and were at our disposal, we also held our bags the last day.
certainly highly recommended apartment
La estancia fue muy agradable, el piso es tal cual se muestra en las fotos, y no tuvimos que esperar nada para entrar a él, los anfitriones fueron muy atentos y estuvieron a nuestra disposición, además nos guardaron las maletas el último día.
apartamento muy recomendable sin duda
Apartment located in a prime area. Very well equipped. Melvin and Carolina attentive and quick to resolvernos the doubts that arose.
Apartamento situado en una zona inmejorable. Muy bien equipado. Melvin y Carolina muy atentos y rápidos para resolvernos las dudas que surgieron.
Friendly and willing host
Amplias.cocina good location and new rooms but did not use it
Historic building but totalemnte apartment renovated and clean. Wc shower small but fine. For what we were q q suficiente.Mucho more heat inside the apartment Aunq'm wedges.
Anfitrion amable y dispuesto
Buena localizacion y habitaciones amplias.cocina nueva aunque no la usamos
Edificio antiguo sin ascensor aunque apartamento totalemnte reformado y limpio. Wc pequeño pero ducha muy bien. Para lo q estuvimos mas q suficiente.Mucho calor dentro del apartamento aunq soy friolera.
Very good location close to everything clean and nice but had some problems could be solved
Muy buena ubicación muy cerca de todo limpio y agradable tuvimos algunos problemas pero se pudieron solucionar
Melvin is a very good host, very attentive and considerate. The apartment is very well located. Thoroughly recommended.
Melvin es muy buen anfitrión, muy atento y detallista. El piso esta muy bien ubicado. Totalmente recomendado.
- Quality assured accommodation
- Every host is verified by telephone
- Secure payment via SSL encryption


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The Other Games
The Paralympic Games took center stage in London, England, from August 29 to September 9. An estimated 4,200 people with disabilities came from more than 160 nations to compete. The Paralympics began in 1960 and are held every four years, after both the Summer and Winter Games. Take a look at just a few of the events and athletes that captured the hearts of fans around the world.
Opening Ceremony
Fireworks light up London's night sky at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic Games, on August 29. It took 3,250 volunteers to coordinate the event. The show included 73 performers who are deaf or disabled.
Racer on Wheels
Britain's Mickey Bushell whizzes across the finish line to win the gold medal in the final men's 100-meter race. The 22-year-old wheelchair racer blew away the competition but fell just short of breaking his own world record.
The Long Jump
Germany's Vanessa Low competes in the women's long-jump final. The 22-year-old athlete ranked sixth in the event.
A Guided Win
Brazil's Felipe Gomes, left, competes in the men's 200-meter semifinal race. Gomes, who is blind, ran with his guide, Leonardo Souza Lopes. Gomes went on to win gold in the 200-meter finals. He and his guide stood together on the podium at the medal ceremony.
Swim to Win
Britain's Eleanor Simmonds swims to win gold in the women's 200-meter race. The 17-year-old athlete was born with dwarfism.


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This has been a brutally difficult year for Massachusetts candidates to raise money. Thanks to the recession, the large number of competitive races vying for contributions, and the generally negative attitude toward pols in the state, candidates and their campaign managers say that money has been nearly impossible to obtain.
But there is a clear exception to that drought: House Speaker Robert DeLeo, who appears to have smashed recent records for fundraising to this point in the year.
DeLeo, in the first election year since becoming Speaker in early 2009, has raised more than $400,000 — at least $100,000 more than recent Speakers Sal DiMasi and Tom Finneran, or Senate presidents Therese Murray and Robert Travaglini, collected in similar periods. In fact, it appears to be a record for a Speaker or Senate president since contribution limits were enacted in 1994 (discounting 2002, when Tom Birmingham was raising money for a gubernatorial run).
Almost all of that mighty sum came in during the legislative session, as DeLeo decided the fate of everything from budget line items to the gaming bill. But the public is only now able to look at those contributions, and to raise questions about the potential influence being bid on.
That's because state legislators, despite last year's ethics reforms, don't have to file any information during election years until a week before the primary. While contributions to many statewide, county, and city officeholders in Massachusetts are released twice a month, lawmakers have not subjected themselves to the same scrutiny.
Those pre-primary reports, covering the entire year through late August, were filed last week — well after the legislature finished its work and adjourned for the year at the end of July.
Thus, we can only learn now that at the end of March, several dozen ophthalmologists contributed more than $20,000 to DeLeo; or that on June 18 the DeLeo committee received more than $12,000 from executives of staffing and recruitment companies; or that on May 12 more than two dozen Dunkin' Donuts franchise owners maxed out with $500 donations.
There is no evidence of direct pay-to-play or quid pro quo results from this largesse. It's also worth noting that some of the heaviest-spending lobbying interests, with the most at stake in legislation this year, such as the gaming and education industries, were not heavy donors.
And certainly none of this is anything new under the Golden Dome; DeLeo may have set a modern record, but he is doing nothing that House Speakers and Senate presidents haven't done before him.
But that's just what some see as the problem: nothing has changed, despite all the talk of ethics, lobbying, and transparency reform — and the much-reported public anger and frustration toward money-driven insider access. If you thought that maybe, given all that, the Speaker might temporarily step back from collecting checks from lobbyists and special interests, you thought wrong.
Everybody does it
The Senate version of the 2009 ethics-reform bill included a ban on all lobbyist campaign contributions, but the House version, and the final law, left in place the $200 limit — a seemingly insignificant amount, but valuable to DeLeo, who has received at least $45,000 directly from registered lobbyists this year, according to a Phoenix review of campaign-finance records.
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Cape Cod Square Planter
Product Actions
Additional Information
The Look of Custom-Crafted Wood in a Self-Watering Planter
- Handsome, easy-care planter for porch, patio, deck or entryway
- Made from maintenance-free, durable polyethylene
- Sub-irrigation system provides a steady supply of water for healthy plant growth and reduces watering chores
- We recommend one 20-quart bag of our premium Organic Self-Watering Potting Mix; each of these planters holds 12 quarts
Dress up your outdoor living space with this elegant planter. With clean lines and raised panel detailing, it has the look of fine woodworking. But unlike wooden planters, this one is virtually maintenance free because it's made from high quality polyethylene — there's no need for annual painting or staining. With the best UV protection in the industry, this planter has a 15-year guarantee against fading. A reservoir and sub-irrigation system keeps soil moist for healthy growth, and reduces watering frequency.
Product Details
- High-grade, UV-stabilized polyethylene
- Exterior dimensions:14" square x 14" H
- Interior dimensions: 10" square x 10" H
- Holds 12 quarts of potting mix
- Water reservoir capacity: 2 gallons
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®by PowerReviews
Best Uses
- Was this a gift?:
- No (4)
Reviewed by 5 customers
- Attractive Design
- Lightweight
- Sturdy
- Weather Resistant
Best Uses
- Outdoor Plants
Comments about : Cape Cod Planter:
Very attractive on my patio.
Comments about : Cape Cod Planter:
simple design and practical planter to complement outdoor areas
- Was this a gift?:
- No
- Classy
- Functional
- Pretty
- Sizing not accurate
Best Uses
- Front entrance
Comments about : Cape Cod Planter:
I purchased 2 of these pots to use for my lighted Christmas trees because they kept toppling over in wind. Unfortunately, the sizing is not accurate. It is not 10 inches inside the pot. There is a ledge below the top that runs around the diameter of the pot that makes the internal dimension closer to 9 inches. That made the difference and my trees won't fit. I'll keep them for summer but I am very disappointed I can't use them for the purpose I had intended. I can't recommend this until the dimensions are corrected.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
- Attractive
- Drains Well
- Well Designed
- Somewhat expensive
Best Uses
Comments about : Cape Cod Planter:
I use this planter on my front porch for annual plants. I find it very attractive for my house and it is large enough to have a nice size display. I like the self watering feature very much especially during very hot weather. I'm hopeful these will hold up well over several seasons. I've had other products from Gardner Supply that lasted over many winters even when I did not protect them inside during the colder months. I am going to house these inside during the winter and am very hopeful they will last indefinitely. The expense will be offset if this occurs. I have 3 on my porch.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Comments about : Cape Cod Planter:
I bought two of these to flank our front door. They look lovely with ficus trees in them however, one was delivered with a crack on the bottom corner that stores the water. Consequently, all the water leaked out. Fortunately, my husband is handy and sealed it up with caulking as they are fairly large and I didn't want to have to return. I would have rated these much higher if it weren't for that.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
- Faster shipping methods, including FedEx Ground, are not available for this item.
- Please provide a physical street address for delivery.


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It's the biggest naval exercise in the world, and it happens only every other year. This summer, nearly 50 ships from at least 16 navies will gather at Pearl Harbor for the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercises, hosted by the US Navy.
Ships from as far away as India, France and even Norway will participate, and the highlight is expected to be the first-ever participation of a Chinese naval squadron.
Nearly every kind of US warship will take part. But notably absent — again — will be the newest type of US warship, the littoral combat ship.
In fact, although this will be the third RIMPAC since the type entered service in late 2008, an LCS has appeared only once in the exercises, even though all littoral combat ships are based in not-too-far-away San Diego.
Bryan Clark, a naval analyst with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment in Washington and a former member of the Navy staff, noted the Navy is "missing a huge opportunity by not deploying LCS and not using it in RIMPAC."
In 2010, the Freedom, first of the type, broke away from scheduled tests to carry out a demonstration deployment, cruising in the 4th Fleet's Central American operating area and spending about six weeks operating from Hawaii for that year's RIMPAC.
The appearance of the Freedom during the exercises was widely publicized and continues to be one of the most oft-cited cases in point when Navy leaders discuss the type's accomplishments. Rear Adm. Tom Rowden, now director of surface warfare at the Pentagon and soon to become commander of Naval Surface Forces, was a carrier strike group commander during RIMPAC 2010, and frequently references the time he operated at sea with LCS.
"Properly introducing LCS to the fleet is one of my top priorities, and it was foremost in my mind when I had tactical control of the Freedom during RIMPAC 2010," he wrote in the January 2013 issue of the US Naval Institute's Proceedings magazine — one of many occasions when he and other leaders cited their brief at-sea RIMPAC experience with the LCS.
But since 2010, no LCS has ventured to take part in RIMPAC, and Freedom remains the only one of four ships in commission to take part in any at-sea exercises.
Although the second ship, Independence, was commissioned in January 2010, it has spent the past four years either in refit or conducting systems tests, with the mine countermeasures mission package.
Fort Worth, the third ship, was commissioned in September 2012, and is preparing to deploy to the Western Pacific this fall.
The fourth LCS, Coronado, was commissioned only a month ago, and is to take part in RIMPAC — but only at a distance. The ship will remain in Southern California, the Navy said, dialed in to some exercises but not physically present.
While the program is steadily recovering from the cost overruns and delays that plagued its early years, its reputation as a problem child continues to fester.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has lost confidence in the type — in January he reduced buys of the current designs from 52 to 32 ships and ordered the Navy to conduct a review of its small surface combatant needs and make changes with the next budget cycle.
Longtime LCS critic Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., while citing largely old information, continues to bash the program, and did so again from the Senate floor on April 9.
"The LCS program faces a daunting combination of capability failures and strategic confusion," he said during an a harangue about the type's perceived shortcomings. "The program is still clearly riddled with uncertainty about what the ships will be used for and what they will be capable of."
An unexpected blow came April 29, when the House Seapower subcommittee, a bastion of support for defense programs, rejected the Navy's 2015 budget request for three littoral combat ships to provide only two.
"The committee is concerned about the survivability, lethality and endurance of the LCS," the subcommittee said in its markup. One source familiar with the body's deliberations said the internal debate had been whether to approve the request for three ships, or zero it out altogether.
In this atmosphere, where the LCS is as controversial as ever, the Navy is again passing up an opportunity to get the ship to sea in a fashion where it can be seen and demonstrate some of its abilities.
The responsibility for assigning an LCS to RIMPAC crosses numerous command jurisdictions, including Pacific Fleet, 3rd Fleet, Fleet Forces Command, Naval Surface Forces and Naval Sea Systems Command. Cmdr. Steve Curry, a spokesman for the US Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, spoke for all.
"All four LCS ships are conducting testing, trials and mission package certifications, which preclude their participation in the Hawaii portion of RIMPAC 2014," he said May 2 in response to questions. "The aforementioned activities can be delayed, but that would delay testing, trials and mission package certifications, which remain the Navy's priority."
"Integrating LCSs into the fleet is the first priority, and there are more LCSs of both variants being built, commissioned and sent to new homeports at an increasing rate," Curry said.
"There is a comprehensive program to ensure each platform successfully completes the long list of requirements. Delays in any phase of that program complicates the process for follow-on ships."
Asked if the Navy planned for any LCS to take part in an upcoming exercise, Curry cited the Coronado's long-distance RIMPAC participation, and noted that the Fort Worth is to take part in a multinational task group exercise in the fall.
Not going, Clark said, "continues to foster this perception among the defense establishment that this ship doesn't have a utility and is too fragile to be used operationally. Testing is important, but let's keep in mind this ship actually transitions into full operational use, and part of that is actually using it.
"Not deploying it to RIMPAC, especially in the middle of these controversies in Washington, is very bad messaging by the Navy," he said. ■


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COCO is a place to explore your dreams, build your venture and prosper.
It's more than just work at COCO - it's a community full of life-learning opportunities.
COCO is a dream accelerator — a destination for building your venture and exploring new ideas in the company of other creators.
We offer memberships that provide access to multiple COCO spaces, meeting venues, and educational and social events.
Whether you are an independent, an entrepreneur building a startup, a small business owner or a corporate innovator, COCO is a place to imagine and pursue what's possible.