Why we need affordable international bandwidth

Behind the Issue

Why affordable international bandwidth matters

Currently Africa has amongst the highest international bandwidth costs anywhere in the world. Although it varies, the international element of the cost to the consumer is significant proportion of the overall cost he or she pays. The same is true for institutional users like governments or for companies in the private sector.

Financing infrastructure

Before markets were liberalised, telephone companies were in the main government-owned institutions. When they wanted to build undersea cables, governments financed this activity and the project was carried out by the government-owned telephone company. In the age of liberalisation, things get a bit more tricky.

Open vs closed access or Just what is a 'Club Consortium'?

A Club Consortium is a closed commercial agreement between the members of the consortium. The agreement covering it usually remains unseen because of “commercial confidentiality”.

How far does demand for low-cost calls go?

Up until relatively recently, making international calls from Africa has been expensive. People were less inclined or unable to afford to make an international call and the majority of international calling was either corporate or government. A number of factors have fundamentally changed this position.

Satellite vs fibre: different costs for different things

Satellite is extremely effective in reaching places where the volume of traffic would not justify a fibre connection. However satellite connectivity is often costly. On the other hand, the comparatively low price of fibre connectivity for the consumer may not be sustainable over the long-term in some instances.

What happens to landlocked countries?

With monopoly country providers, there is a particular problem for landlocked countries. They either have to accept the price offered by the national monopoly provider of international bandwidth or use satellite.

What about countries without a landing station?

Problems of price and access do not just affect landlocked countries: they affect any country without direct access to international fibre.

What fibre infrastructure exists in Africa and what are the future plans?

An annotated map showing the current situation and proposed future projects.

An international issue: other examples from around the world

The issue of access to international fibre cables is not one that affects Africa alone.

Bad broadband is bad business

According to an article published by UNESCO and focusing on a recent report released by UNCTAD untitled 'Information Economy Report 2006: The Development Perspective', broadband has become so valuable to businesses that developing countries with scarce access or a lack of infrastructure to provide it at reasonable cost are suffering a major competitive disadvantage.

'We can't stop and wait for mega-projects like EASSy'

Polly Gaster is the head of the Centre for Information and Communication at the University Eduardo Mondlane (CIUEM) in Maputo, Mozambique. She has been involved in telecentre development in Mozambique for many years. CHAKULA, the e-newsletter for APC's Africa Policy Monitor, asked her what she expected from the EASSy project.

Satellite failure shows Africa's underbelly

The cost of satellite bandwidth has rocketed as much as 50% following the failed launch of a satellite last January. The story shows just how vulnerable Africa is. Russell Southwood has more.

Ownership models for fibre cables

There are two distinct business models for providing fibre optic cables, namely: purely commercial and partly commercial. A third approach, which is yet to be tried (as in implemented), but which is highly acclaimed in donor and academic communities, is known as the Open Access approach. This breakdown by John Walubengo.

Opening access to Africa: Interviews and analyses

This issue of the CHAKULA e-newsletter explores perspectives and positions in the fibre rush for Africa.

Joining the dots

The ‘Connect Africa’ Summit will take place in Kigali, Rwanda on October 29-30 2007. CIPESA outlines some of the key issues the summit should address.

Q&A with SEACOM President

Brian Herlihy sheds some light on the 13,700km undersea cable - and answers some tough questions.

Research and Analysis

UbuntuNet alliance forms connectivity front

Established and emerging national research and education networks in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda and South Africa are coming together as the founders of a new grouping: the UbuntuNet Alliance for Research and Education Networking. The vision of delivering high speed connectivity between African universities and research institutions is driving the alliance. This link includes various studies and surveys relevant to education networking.

Enabling Open Access through Universal Access

In this paper, CIPESA's Vincent Bagiire questions whether Open Access will bear much fruit if Universal Access does not begin to create effective demand.

EASSy stakeholders analysis

This paper by APC’s ICT Policy Researcher for the African region, Abiodun Jagun, adopts a stakeholder approach to analysing the East African Submarine Cable System (EASSy). It provides a graphical illustration of the hierarchy of power and interest among the different stakeholder groups engaged in the EASSy process.

Saturating the marketplace

Marine cables could flood the east coast of Africa, but how viable will the competing cables be? asks Wairagala Wakabi.

Catalysing capacity

What exactly are the World Bank's fibre plans in Africa? CIPESA asked the bank's co-ordinating team.

Resources

Background report: Launch of the university bandwidth consortium, UbuntuNet

The internet is essential to a modern university. This is particularly true for African universities, which need access to up-to-date information, as well as opportunities to collaborate with colleagues around the world and publish content online. Yet African universities pay dramatically more for internet access than comparable institutions on other continents, writes Lisa Waldick.

Breaking through with broadband

Breakthroughs in the delivery of the internet have created a variety of ways to spread high-speed Internet in developing countries, in some cases bringing remote regions online more rapidly than expected. Read this useful introduction to broadband.

Flattening the world with fibre

This paper aims to define fibre optic technology, how fibre optic networks function, and explains how different this technology is from other communication infrastructures. The article further outlines the prospects for fibre optic technology in Africa, looks at some fibre optic networks on the continent, as well as at how fibre optics applications are being used to enhance technological and economic development.