ICT - Nicaragua
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ICT - Nicaragua September 2002 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) IN NICARAGUA REPORT Stockholm, September 2002 Johan Ernberg, Senior Consultant, 7Cs WorldBridge AB Maria Edith Arce, Associate Consultant, 7Cs WorldBridge AB 7Cs WorldBridge AB – Org. nr. 55 65 76 - 78 28 1(1) Tel. +46 709 37 10 06, Fax. +46 8 444 45 74 www.7cwb.com ICT - NICARAGUA Table of contents A. Introduction.........................................................................................................................................4 A.1. Methodology .............................................................................................................................4 A.2. Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................4 B. Executive summary.............................................................................................................................5 C. Background information.....................................................................................................................9 C.1. Economy..................................................................................................................................10 D. exisiting Telecommunication Infrastrucure and development plans.................................................10 D.1. International connectivity........................................................................................................10 D.1.1. The Regional Central-American network (RRCA) .......................................................10 D.1.2. Submarine Cables ..........................................................................................................11 D.1.3. Satellite communication systems Microwave networks ................................................11 D.2. National networks ...................................................................................................................11 D.2.1. Microwave networks .....................................................................................................11 D.2.2. Fiber Optic (FO) networks.............................................................................................12 D.2.3. The Multi-Access Radio (MAR) network .....................................................................13 D.3. Local networks ........................................................................................................................13 D.3.1. Cable networks ..............................................................................................................13 D.3.2. Mobile cellular communication systems........................................................................13 D.3.3. Wireless access networks...............................................................................................13 D.3.4. Cable-TV and Hybrid Fiber Optic – Coaxial Cable networks.......................................13 D.4. Summary of the current situation and future perspectives ......................................................14 D.5. ICT indicators..........................................................................................................................15 E. Electrical power ................................................................................................................................16 E.1. Current situation regarding electrical power supply at the national level ...............................16 E.2. Electrical power projects and development plans ...................................................................17 E.3. Projects and Plans for development of electrical power networksError! Bookmark not defined. F. Policy environment and regulatory framework in the ICT sector.....................................................17 F.1. ICT Policy Environment .........................................................................................................17 F.1.1. Development of ICT national Policies and Strategies ........................................................18 F.2. Computer literacy - current use of ICT ..................................................................................20 F.2.1. Availability and use of computers in the public sector.......................................................20 F.2.2. Availability and use of computers in the private sector......................................................20 F.3. Legal and regulatory framework .............................................................................................21 G. Telecommunication Operators..........................................................................................................22 G.1. Basic telephony operators .......................................................................................................22 G.2. Mobile telecommunication operators ......................................................................................22 G.3. Data communication operators................................................................................................23 G.4. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) ............................................................................................23 G.4.1. ALFANUMERIC ..........................................................................................................24 G.4.2. IBW ...............................................................................................................................24 G.4.3. IDEAY...........................................................................................................................25 G.4.4. CABLENET ..................................................................................................................25 G.4.5. Summary of the ISPs and their clients’ problems..........................................................25 G.5. Other telecommunication service operators ............................................................................26 H. Access to telecommunications and to the Internet............................................................................26 H.1. Telephony................................................................................................................................26 Setiembre 02 7Cs WorldBridge AB 2(73) ICT - NICARAGUA H.2. Internet ....................................................................................................................................27 H.3. Access by means of telecentres ...............................................................................................27 I. Projects with an ICT component.......................................................................................................29 I.1. Integrated System for Financial, Administrative Management and Auditing (SIGFA)..........29 I.2. Pilot project for computer laboratories in schools...................................................................31 I.3. The CONICYT/INATEC Internet kiosks project....................................................................31 I.4. The Agricultural Information System of the Ministerio Agropecuario Forestal - SIA- MAGFOR..............................................................................................................................................32 I.5. The “Competitiveness Project” - PROCOMPE.......................................................................33 I.6. The Health Ministry’s Integrated Information System (SIMINSA)........................................33 I.7. The TELCOR/ FITEL Rural Telecentres project....................................................................34 I.8. Other projects with and ICT component .................................................................................35 J. Human Recourses.............................................................................................................................35 J.1. ICT education in primary and secondary schools ...................................................................35 J.2. Technical education and training in ICT.................................................................................35 J.3. Higher education in ICT..........................................................................................................36 J.4. Availability of personnel for ICT services (maintenance, of ICT equipment and development of software)............................................................................................................................................37 K. Content Providers .............................................................................................................................38 K.1. Government entities ................................................................................................................38 K.2. Education and training institutes .............................................................................................39 K.3. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).............................................................................39 K.4. Banks.......................................................................................................................................39 K.5. Commerce ...............................................................................................................................40 K.6. Newspapers and other printed media ......................................................................................40