This web site has been put together to provide basic information about international bandwidth in Africa, its costs and the existence of monopoly access to it. Bandwidth is the means through which Africa as a continent communicates with itself and the rest of the world. Those who have put the site together believe that the high costs of international bandwidth on the continent are an obstacle to the its social and economic development.
Image: Telecoms transmissions networks in Africa, Source: Paul Hamilton, Acacia Atlas, IDRC
Campaign NEWS
Fibre project finished in Botswana
30/10/2008 The multi-million Pula Trans-Kalahari fibre-optic project was recently completed in Botswana. Covering approximately 2000km, the project is expected to act as a catalyst to the growing ICT industry in the country.
'Wishingful thinking on broadband prices'
02/09/2008 The cost of broadband connectivity in South Africa is likely to come down by 10% to 20% a year, but will never be as low as in countries like the UK and US, regardless of the level of competition in the market, some argue.
Looking to broadband 2.0
27/08/2008 The explosion of the internet has meant that global data bandwidth has dwarfed voice bandwidth. This makes Vint Cerf’s words “IP over everything and everything over IP” quite prophetic, and this is becoming increasingly obvious in South Africa.
'Last piece of fibre-optic jigsaw falls into place'
18/08/2008 They are the arteries of the modern world. Stretching for tens of thousands of miles over the ocean beds, the vast web of intercontinental submarine cables have brought the possibility of cheap high-speed internet and clear long-distance telephone calls to all major parts of the globe. Except one. The Guardian finally catches up with the story in East Africa...albeit in elegant prose.