National Information and Communications Technology Policy 3.2.2.1 Policy Objective To have reliable, interoperable and sustainable ICT infrastructure that supports ubiquitous national connectivity. 3.2.2.2 Policy Statement The Government shall:i) Ensure conducive environment for collaboration of public and private sector in exploring various means of financing ICT infrastructure; ii) Ensure safe and reliable ICT infrastructure developed countrywide; iii) Ensure e-ready infrastructure developed countrywide which supports provision of ICT services; and iv) Ensure availability of supportive framework to guide deployment of ICT infrastructure including right of way and sharing of such infrastructure. 3.2.3 Issue: Universal Access The rapid increase in mobile services usage nationwide has mostly covered people in urban areas leaving majority in remote rural and other underprivileged areas without access or with poor access to ICT services. This is still the case despite efforts and measures taken by the Government in promoting access of ICT services to rural and potentially disadvantaged areas through time rollout target as obligatory license requirement to ICT network operators as well as achievement obtained through establishment of UCSAF including extension of communication services to more than 443 wards as of July, 2015 since its establishment. Notwithstanding this, affordability poses a major challenge hampering universal access to ICT services and products to majority of population particularly the low-income earners in rural and economically weak areas. Despite the subsidies provided by the Government through UCSAF, operational cost in rural service provision is too high to attract private sector investment. 23