CONNECT A SCHOOL, CONNECT A COMMUNITY

Another regulatory tool that governments may use to increase wireless broadband connectivity for schools is to reduce or waive spectrum fees for academic institutions.

The Malawi Library and Information Consortium (MALICO) has focused on establishing broadband connectivity to Malawian institutions.  It launched a satellite-based Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) network in 2005.⁶⁶  To assist with MALICO’s project, the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) waived most of the VSAT fees in order to reduce the program’s implementation and operating costs.

By providing broadband access to schools via satellite, MALICO has been able to overcome problems associated with the lack of telephone line penetration in Malawi, particularly in rural areas.  As of September 2008, the program was delivering 1 Mbps via uplink and 256 kbps on the downlink to four universities and colleges.