The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) and USAID’s Global Broadband and Innovations Program (GBi) will collaborate to deliver a comprehensive training workshop to representatives of African Universal Service & Access Funds, and other stakeholders in African rural communications.

The CTO’s 6th Annual Connecting Rural Communities (CRC) Africa Forum, will take place in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania from the 24th to 26th of August 2011.

The half-day workshop is being delivered as part of the Global Broadband Innovations (GBI) programme of USAID, which aims to catalyze the increased and equitable provision of broadband and related applications.  The programme supports national governments to expand connectivity, as well as create and use development-related software applications and cloud services.  It will initially focus on strengthening Universal Service and Access Funds (USAF), advising on appropriate ICT regulations and broadband strategies, and developing new business models that can incorporate low-cost technologies into existing mobile networks.

In addition to examining the latest trends in USAF, including issues of strategy, fund collection and expenditure, and project evaluation, the workshop in Dar Es Salaam will also allow stakeholders to review various USAF development and assistance strategies.

Speaking following the confirmation of GBI’s participation in the 6th CRC Forum, GBI Program Manager, Joe Duncan, said “We know that access to telecommunications has enormous benefits, both socially and economically, to rural communities. This is a great opportunity to bring what we know about universal service to the men and women who are working so hard to provide rural connectivity in their countries.”

The  6th CRC Forum, which is organized by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), and hosted by the Tanzanian Ministry of Communications Science and Technology and the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority, will serve as a platform for in-depth interactive discussions on innovative strategies, business models, financing mechanisms and technologies for improving ICT access in rural areas and realizing their socio-economic benefits with the participation of policy makers, regulators and various market players.

The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO at www.cto.int) is an international development partnership between the Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth governments, business and civil society organizations. It provides the international community with effective means to help bridge the digital divide and achieve social and economic development, by delivering unique knowledge-sharing programs in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the specific areas of Telecommunications, IT, Broadcasting and the Internet.

USAID’s Global Broadband and Innovations (GBI at www.gbiportal.net) Program provides support to national governments in expanding connectivity, as well as in creating and using development-related software applications and cloud services.  GBI’s work on connectivity includes a heavy focus on strengthening Universal Service and Access Funds, advising on appropriate ICT regulations and broadband strategies, and developing new business models that can incorporate low-cost technologies into existing mobile networks.