[NCSG-PC] African DNS market Study NCSG comment / Endorsement

[Ayden Férdeline]

Hi,

I don't think this comment is ready for submission just yet, but it is getting there. I am very grateful to Dorothy for drafting it, and to all those who have contributed comments. Alas, I think we need to be more specific about what we would like done differently next time the study is conducted.

I am also not sure that the third point is correct. It was not that 1,400 domains out of 4.1 million were analysed; it was that surveys were sent to 1,400 respondents from six sectors (some of whom were registrants). Even if it was referring to domains, my hunch is that a sample size of 1,400 domains probably is representative.

I also am curious about the comment Anriette made on-list about budget; I wonder if it was a case of the external consultants who drafted the report underbidding for the project, or if ICANN paid a suitable amount for the work but they did not pay the local contractors a suitable amount for their contributions, or something else altogether. I am not sure we need to bring this into our comment but it is interesting to me.

- Ayden

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [NCSG-PC] African DNS market Study NCSG comment / Endorsement
Local Time: May 10, 2017 6:01 AM
UTC Time: May 10, 2017 5:01 AM
From: rafik.dammak at gmail.com
To: ncsg-pc <ncsg-pc at lists.ncsg.is>, dorothy g <dgdorothydg at gmail.com>

Hi all,

we got several comments from NCSG members on the draft (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ee3gKApsPyKqDE70GSmTjxbxl0DejNLV3Jfry4dAt1Y/edit) and I am really happy to see several fellow Africans participate in the review.
I could get from ICANN staff to accept the submission of NCSG comment after the deadline and by this week. I would like to kindly ask you to review the draft for endorsement or not in order to submit it by this Friday.
Thanks.

Best,

Rafik

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Rafik Dammak <rafik.dammak at gmail.com>
Date: 2017-05-05 18:40 GMT+09:00
Subject: African DNS market Study NCSG comment / Call for comments
To: "NCSG-DISCUSS at listserv.syr.edu" <NCSG-DISCUSS at listserv.syr.edu>
Cc: 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

===================================================

[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:

-

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:

-

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.

-

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:

-

Please see above request for country profiles for all countries

-

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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