[x-pubpol] Ethiopia denies banning Skype

[Joly MacFie]

http://allafrica.com/stories/201206250202.html

Ethiopia government spokesperson, Shimeles Kemal, said the draft
proclamation presented to the parliament last week does not restrict users
access to Skype or IP-related internet activities.

According to Kemal the draft law intends to control the growing number of
telecom related offences.

"The draft law aims to restrict internet telephone activities, not between
telecom activities from computer to computer, but it aims to restrict
unlicensed service providers who use internet to provide telephone services
from internet to telephone lines. The aim of the regulation is not aimed at
restricting IP and cyber activities. Nor did it intend to restrict computer
to computer services," said Kemal.

Kemal said the primary purpose of the proclamation is to tackle illegal
activities such as generating income by bypassing the domestic telecom
service which, according to him, is causing substantial financial damage to
the national service.The state owned Telcome has been accusing a number of
internet service providers of permitting unlawful international calls in
order to gain illegal revenue.

Kemal said Ethiopia has lost more than US$50 million this year due to
illegal internet-based activities by independent telephone operators.

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