Implementing telecommunications value added services to achieve universal service objectives in Africa

This paper covers the topic of value added services (VAS) in telecommunications networks within the African context. The conceptual approaches to the implementation of VAS in networks to achieve universal service objectives are outlined. Examples of VAS in highly developed countries e.g. voice mail, voice messaging, call screening, and other variants of non-simultaneous voice communications are cited. These services are widely deployed in fixed line networks. Similarly, these services are also deployed in cellular mobile networks, with added notification services such as the GSM Short Message Service or pager based outcalls. Experience in i.a. South Africa, Namibia and other African countries has demonstrated that cellular, radio access based technology is an extremely viable means of more rapid network deployment than the traditional PSTN (public switched telephone network) wireline deployment. This paper argues that the VAS traditionally employed in sophisticated fixed wire and mobile markets (e.g. USA, Europe and Asia Pacific) may be very elegantly employed to achieve universal service, even to "non-subscribers". This is applicable to both PSTN and mobile networks. In this context the term "virtual telephony" is used.