WORKSHOP ON TELEPHONE TRAFFIC COSTS, TARIFFS AND INTERCONNECTION RATES
WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA, 15-19 JANUARY, 2001

A Workshop on Telephone Traffic Costs, Tariffs and Interconnection Rates was held in Windhoek, Namibia from 15-19 January, 2001.

It was specifically organised for the Eastern and Southern Africa Sub-regions to carry out a practical assessment of a computerised regional costs and tariff model, using country specific date. The following countries participated: Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. ATU and ITU were also represented.

The results were encouraging and gave the following indications:

- When fully developed, the model presently in trial stages in other African sub-regions, should provide an effective tool for cost calculation and interconnectin rate assessment.
- Participatns were able to gain reasonable awareness on the application of the model and point out weaknesses to be addressed.
- Certain positive and negative trends in telecommunications traffic cost assessment were identified;
- The need to develop an application handbook in using the model was seen as a useful support tool.

In the coming months, ATU and ITU will continue to evaluate the model with end of the year as the target date for its deployment throughout the continent. Centres of excellence such as AFRALTI in Nairobi, ESMT in Dakar and other levels of training institutions in Africa will participate in this evaluation in order to provide a permanent platform for human resource development in the costs and tariff field.