CONNECT AFRICA - How?
Created | Updated Sep 25, 2004
How will we do it?
Connect Africa will establish a primary network of ground stations or hubs, each with a broadband Internet connection, from which a series of mobile communication units will be deployed to visit rural communities on a regular schedule.
The Internet and telephony connections will be provided by satellite and the services will ultimately be run by local entrepreneurs or organisations prepared to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the service.
Connect Africa will focus on the infrastructure and distribution mechanisms only. Aggregated content and services in the fields of education, health, agriculture, trade and government will be provided by content specialists and presented by means of a Connect Africa "Portal" tailored to suit local requirements.
Establishment costs will be subsidised with the help of development funding and smart subsidies while ongoing running costs will be covered by the respective Communication Centre's revenues generated from multiple service offerings.
It is expected that the Mobile Communication Centres will usually be hosted in a school so the advancement of Education will be a primary function of the service. The Communication Centre will of course also offer significant opportunities for the advancement of Health, Agriculture, Government services and Trade in remote rural areas.
Over time technology costs, particularly Internet specific (data only) charges will come down. Combine this with ever increasing social and commercial activity through the center and the Communication Centres will become self-sustainable. Furthermore, as commercial cellular and landline networks start penetrating rural areas efficiently, Connect Africa will tactically retreat once fair and viable commercial services have been provided to the Community Communication Centres.Success for Connect Africa will mean we're no longer needed.Satellite technology:
Broadband Internet access via satellite is relatively new technology but already successful and proving its efficacy worldwide. It offers high-speed connections for sophisticated use including video downloading and basic telephony through a data connection that is significantly cheaper than current satellite telephony charges. This technology along with the necessary ground infrastructure is currently available and can be rapidly deployed just about anywhere.
DATASAT, in conjunction with IntelSat, will be supporting Connect Africa’s Pilot Project with the latest in satellite DVB (Digital Video Broadband) technology along with their new “SpeedyCell” GSM satellite system that enables standard GSM cell phones to connect to a Satellite Network.
Furthermore RascomStar – QAF are launching a satellite dedicated to the African continent in 2006 which will help further reduce satellite charges in Africa by up to 40%. Space segment resource (airtime) will be bought (ideally at slightly lower than commercial rate) and redistributed to rural communities at the lowest possible price.
Other foreign satellite companies are also able to service Africa by means of transponders dedicated to the Continent (IntelSat, PanamSat, EutelSat, Lockheed Martin Intersputnik (LMI) and EuropeStar).Development Finance:
By directly addressing the 3 key issues in the underdeveloped World (Poverty, Education and Disaster relief) Connect Africa, as a non-profit organisation, is well positioned to secure investment and development capital from the international business community and global development organizations: These would include the UNDP, UNESCO, the IMF, the World Bank, the EEC, the OAU, NEPAD, African Development Bank, Commercial banks, technology companies (hardware and software), Internet service providers, G8 Governments, charitable foundations and high net worth individuals.
Initially a development grant is sought to carry out a 6 month Pilot project to establish a Community Communication Centre with 2 Mobile Communication Units servicing different sized communities in a "typical" rural African region.Hardware:
All the necessary hardware already exists and has been tried and tested in some of the harshest environments in the World. The CCC will consist simply of an antennae, modem and PC unit with suitable server and power source (solar power and/or small generator). The mobile units will carry an array of equipment capable of providing telephony, email, Internet access, TV, Radio and data processing.
RascomStar have developed a solar powered ground station and these unmanned stations simply need to be deployed (160 000 are available in the initial roll-out). They have also developed a telephone unit with Internet connection that can be installed in any location.
There are multiple other suppliers of communication equipment who can also be approached along with many other organisations and service providers who have already successfully deployed community phone modules/containers (using GSM networks) throughout urban and peri-urban regions in Southern Africa.Management:
Connect Africa will co-ordinate a pool of resources (space resource, finance, hardware, technical personnel and administration) that will instruct and co-ordinate the rollout and deployment of the service in every African country. Each country will in turn establish their own local network managed by a series of National, Regional and Local teams.
