Factors hampering the development of information and Communications Technology ( ICT ) sector in Tanzania: a focus on public internet services

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors hamper ring the development of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector in Tanzania focusing on Internet Connectivity and access costs, the state of Internet infrastructure in the Country and its effects on the performance of Internet service as well as the legal and regulatory policies governing the ICT sector. The major findings of this study are that Tanzania has inferior ICT infrastructure hence lower quality connectivity. Poor connectivity infrastructure manifested in lack of affordable Internet connections. The findings also reveal that the costs involved in acquiring Internet equipment, installation and access to Internet fees are very high. The study attributed such high costs to the country's poor state of Internet infrastructure and the legal and regulatory environment governing ICT sector. Lack of political will and commitment, lack of conducive Legal and Regulatory Environment, level of competition permitted in the Telecommunications Sector, poor infrastructures and lack of resources were revealed to be the major setback for the development of ICT in the country. The study recommends for an enabling policy and an effective regulatory framework as crucial, both for the telecommunications and the Internet availability. The development and implementation of these policies calls for a wide range of stakeholders to collaborate in improving the ICT services.