Table of contents
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. 5
Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... 7
NATIONAL ICT VISION ....................................................................................................................... 10
1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 10
1-1 The ICT Policy of Sierra Leone ................................................................................................. 10
1-2 General Purpose ...................................................................................................................... 11
1-3 STRUCTURE OF THE POLICY ..................................................................................................... 11
SECTION A.............................................................................................................................................. 12
2
OBJECTIVES IN DEVELOPING AN ICT POLICY ................................................................................... 12
2-1 Political objectives of the ICT policy ........................................................................................ 12
2-2 Economic objectives of the ICT policy ..................................................................................... 12
2-3 Social objectives of the ICT policy ........................................................................................... 12
3
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ........................................................................................................ 13
3-1 General Summary .................................................................................................................... 13
3-2 Post-conflict context................................................................................................................ 13
3-3 Key Strategic Issues from the Vision 2025 .............................................................................. 14
3-4 The SL-PRSP II (Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper) ................................................................ 14
3-5 The Millennium Development Goals ....................................................................................... 15
4
CURRENT STATUS OF ICT IN SIERRA LEONE .................................................................................... 16
4-1 Sector Overview ...................................................................................................................... 16
4-1-1 Sector capitalization and growth...................................................................................... 16
4-1-2 Sector Challenges ............................................................................................................. 17
4-1-3 ICT for Basic Infrastructure Management and Operations.............................................. 17
4-2 The Current Institutional Structures ....................................................................................... 18
4-2-1 The Ministry of Information and Communications .......................................................... 18
4-2-2 The Regulatory Authority, NATCOM ................................................................................ 18
4-2-3 The National ICT Task Force ............................................................................................. 18
4.3 Current ICT Infrastructure and Network Operators ................................................................ 18
4-3-1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 18
4-3-2 Incumbent Fixed Line Operator........................................................................................ 18
4-3-3 International Gateway...................................................................................................... 19
4-3-4 GSM Mobiles Operators and Frequency Spectrum Usage ............................................... 19
4.4 Current ICT Services ................................................................................................................ 20
4-4-1 Available Services ............................................................................................................. 20
4-4-2 Internet penetration......................................................................................................... 20
4-4-3 Broadband ISPs ................................................................................................................. 20
4-4-4 Telecoms Market .............................................................................................................. 21
4-5
The Postal Sector .................................................................................................................... 21
4.6
Broadcast Media and regulating converged technology ........................................................ 21
SECTION B .............................................................................................................................................. 23
5
LINKAGE BETWEEN SOCIAL-ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ICT DEVELOPMENT ................................. 23
5-1 Private Sector and Business Activity ....................................................................................... 24
ICT Policy of Sierra Leone
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