[NCSG-PC] African DNS market Study NCSG comment / Call for comments

[Ayden Férdeline]

Thank you so much for taking the lead here, Dorothy, and drafting this comment.

I am wondering, is a 22% response rate really considered low? Considering the length of the survey (200+ questions), limited languages (it was not translated into local ones), the specialised level of knowledge required to respond to the questions, and the medium through which it was distributed (online only, circulated via email) I am thinking hearing back from 22% of the 1,400 people/organisations sent the questionnaire perhaps it isn't too bad. Maybe we should ask, are the responses that came in broadly representative of everyone polled? If not - and, full disclosure, I haven't looked at the data so I don't know if this is the case - maybe we should draw attention to that.

Best wishes,

Ayden

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [NCSG-PC] African DNS market Study NCSG comment / Call for comments
Local Time: May 5, 2017 10:40 AM
UTC Time: May 5, 2017 9:40 AM
From: rafik.dammak at gmail.com
To: NCSG-DISCUSS at listserv.syr.edu <NCSG-DISCUSS at listserv.syr.edu>
ncsg-pc <ncsg-pc at lists.ncsg.is>

Hi all,

Dororthy kindly drafted a NCSG comment ( https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ee3gKApsPyKqDE70GSmTjxbxl0DejNLV3Jfry4dAt1Y/edit. ) about the African DNS Market Study (https://www.icann.org/public-comments/africa-dns-market-study-2017-03-11-en)

While the dealdine is for the 5th May, I already sent a request to the ICANN staff telling them that we are going to make a late submission and asking for extension. I would like to ask members and in particular those from Africa to go through the draft in google doc for review and comments. We should submit this comment by next week after NCSG Policy Committee endorsment based on members feebdack here and in the document.
It will be great of you can make comments and any suggestion for edits by Tuesday 9th May so we can resolve them before submission.

Best,

Rafik

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[Draft 2016 African Domain Name System Market Study](https://www.icann.org/public-comments/africa-dns-market-study-2017-03-11-en) (ADNSMS)

The NCSG welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Draft 2016 African Domain Name Market Study carried out by a consortium led by the South Africa Communications Forum.

Methodology

This is a first attempt to present a snapshot of the African Domain Name Market. The report sets out clearly the data challenges that hampered analysis in conducting this baseline survey. The study indicates that poor response levels (22% to the online survey) could have been affected by the length of the questionnaire, and the difficulty in getting responses for the full set of six specifically targeted questionnaires registrar, regulator etc per country. The report’s authors note that the survey questionnaire could have been streamlined. A Country DNS success index was developed by the authors to rank the health of African DNS markets.

Comment: 1. It would be good if the report made reference to other criteria for benchmarking used in other regions to support the choice of the criteria used in the DNS success index.

2. Full discussion of the methodological deficiencies and lessons learnt should be included in an annex to support the next iteration of the (ADNSMS)

Section 5 - Africa Rising

Comment:

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In order to make cross-country comparisons more realistic it may be useful to look at the size of a given country’s economy and population in comparison to its existing DNS market. This is done for webpages on pages 85 & 86.

2. Much of the information in this section can be found in other sources and could be put in annex. The slimmed down version included in the main report could focus on ‘value addition’ to the main arguments and make use of the excellent summative graphics some of which are striking in their originality.

Section 6 Key Features of the African DNS Market

Comment:

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This section provides useful background information but it could benefit from some more rigor in making its economic arguments. These include the analysis of demand (section 6.3) and the valuation of the African DNS industry (section 6.5) . In the first instance more specific cases should be given to support the arguments given for changes that would increase demand e.g. improved local hosting infrastructure. In the second instance valuing simply on the prices that have been fixed for service does not take into account the multiplier effects within the economy. Given the advice to drop prices and the lack of evidence of the resulting increase in uptake in all country markets, the current approach could result in reduced valuation. This is just to point out that the approach may benefit from a review.

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The detailed information on certain countries is one of the best features of this study. It may be useful to present a country profile for each African country, a kind of summary flash card that would allow us to appreciate where information is lacking and which indicators will need to be tracked in each context.

Section 7. Analysis of Domain Name Uptake Across the region

(see prior comment on methodology)

Comment:

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Please see above request for country profiles for all countries

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The table presenting the rankings in section 7.2 should be repositioned as it is currently split between 2 pages.

Section 8 Key success factors registries

Section 9 - Growth Outlook

The part of this study that needs to be given more substance relates to the business models that will grow the African Domain Name System Market. It is important that the study includes an in-depth treatment of this linked to key factors at the country context.

The observatory is clearly necessary but the terms of reference for the study not only focused on the observation of what is happening but the deliberate intervention to speed growth. The study lists out factors but these are not put in the form of business models adapted to specific starting points.

“The goal of this study is to identify and define the strengths and weaknesses in the industry ecosystem within the Africa region and develop recommendations on how to advance the industry and bring it closer to the opportunities available.” From Section 1 in the ICANN request for comment.

Overall the study is an impressive piece of work given the void it comes to fill. It should inspire many others to systematic research on these issues.
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