**Enhancing Rural Communications Infrastructure in Developing Countries: Challenges and Solutions**

1. ITU Regional Standardization Forum for Africa (Kampala, Uganda, 23-25 June 2014) Highlights of the work of Q14/5 Peter Ulanga, Universal Communications Service Access Fund of Tanzania ulanga@ucaf.go.tz

2. Question 14/5: “Setting up a low-cost sustainable telecommunication infrastructure for rural communications in developing countries” Rapporteur: Franz Zichy, USA Associate Rapporteur: Peter Ulanga, Tanzania

3. What challenges are experienced in rural developing countries ? • Terrain • Difficult Access and Transport • Skilled HR • Installation and maintenance • High Opex • Low ARPU • Sparse population

4. What possible solutions ? 1) Low-cost trunk transmission lines to rural stations with sufficient bandwidth;2) Wireless and wired networks connecting rural stations and end-users; 3) Low energy consumption cost effective infrastructure; ( could they Work off-grid)4) Solution should be easy to deploy and setup;5) Solution should be robust and have low maintenance requirements;6) The system should be environmentally friendly throughout its lifecycle.

5. How is it envisaged to solve the problems? • Terrain • Difficult Access and Transport 1) Low-cost trunk transmission lines to rural stations with sufficient bandwidth;2) Wireless and wired networks connecting rural stations and end-users; 

6. How is it envisaged to solve the problems? • High Opex • Low ARPU • Sparse population 3) Low energy consumption cost effective infrastructure; ( could they Work off-grid)5) Solution should be robust and have low maintenance requirements;

7. How is it envisaged to solve the problems? • Skilled HR • Installation and maintenance 4) Solution should be easy to deploy and setup;5) Solution should be robust and have low maintenance requirements;

8. Approved Work Items

9. Approved Work Items

10. Q14/5 framework • Framework Recommendation • Recommendation to provide a framework of general requirements for low cost sustainable infrastructure for developing countries

11. Structure of the Deliverables of Q14/5 Framework Recommendation Supplement A Supplement B Supplement C Supplement D

12. Supplements to Framework Recommendation Supplement A – Using Capacity Transfer Repeater to set up a low cost sustainable telecommunications infrastructure for rural communications in developing countries Supplement B – Using Microwave Links to set up a low cost sustainable telecommunications infrastructure for rural communications in developing countries

13. Supplements to the Framework Recommendation Supplement C – Using Fiber Optic Cable to set up a low cost sustainable telecommunications infrastructure for rural communications in developing countries Supplement D – Using Hybrid Satellites to set up a low cost sustainable telecommunications infrastructure for rural communications in developing countries

14. Number of Contributions received The Questions has received a number of contributions as shown below between 2011 and 2014

15. Highlights of the Contributions Largest number of contributions are related to infrastructure best practices (9 contributions) The second largest number of contributions on mobile network best practices (8 contributions) The third largest number of contributions is in systems requirements( 5 contributions) Other work items have 3 or less contributions

16. Conclusions and Recommendations • Contributions from Africa are required to ensure relevant deliverables of the work of Q14/5 • We need more contributions on areas of systems requirement to cover different aspects of low-cost technologies requirements in rural areas