The Internet in Africa An Overview

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The Internet in AfricaAn Overview
ITU African Internet and Telecom Summit 5-9 June
2000 Banjul, The Gambia Mike Jensen mikej_at_sn.ap
c.org
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The Internet is now widespread in Africa

• Three years ago, only a handful of countries had
  local Internet access.
• Now the Internet is locally available in every
  capital city except perhaps Somalia.

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Number of Internet users

• There are now about 900 000 dialup subscribers in
  Africa (about 350 000 excluding South Africa)
• Each computer with an Internet or email
  connection has an average of three users
• This puts current estimates of African Internet
  users at around 3 million 
• Points of Presence in 140 cities/towns
• 60MB of International bandwidth

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• An average of one Internet user for every 750
  people in Africa (excl-SA).
• World average of about one user for every 30
  people, and North American and European average
  of about one in every 2-3 people.
• 20 countries have less than 1000 dialup
  subscribers, and about 11 countries have over
  5000.
• Average Internet Users per Total Phone lines -
  3, but in 8 countries it is over 7 - Botswana,
  Kenya, Benin, Seychelles, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
  Mozambique, Burkina

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Internet Subscribers / 100 people
0.15
Average 1 in 750
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Why are the numbers low ?

• gt Cost of access is the major factor, combined
  with the limited telecom infrastructure.
• But costs are high for many different reasons
• The averages obscure wide variations caused by a
  range of factors - policy, market maturity,
  infrastructure, etc.

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Internet access is not local for most people

• Only 16 countries have Internet servers in some
  of the secondary towns
• Algeria, Angola, Botswana, DRC, Egypt, Ghana,
  Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
  Nigeria, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia and Zimbabwe
• With this limited coverage, for the majority of
  people it is a long distance call use the
  Internet.

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Less costly Internet access is available in some
nations

• In 15 African countries local call charges for
  Internet access are available anywhere in the
  country. The Telecom operator provides an
  'area-code' for Internet access that is charged
  at local call tariffs, so ISPs can immediately
  roll out a national network.
• Benin, Burkina Faso, Cap Vert, Ethiopia, Gabon,
  Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mauritania, Morocco,
  Senegal, Tchad, Togo, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe
• Why Not More?

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High local call charges are one of the biggest
barriers

• Local call tariffs average 2.5/hr, but in 10
  countries are more than 4/hr and some are 8/hr
  or more.
• They can be as low as 0.60/hr, but even in the
  countries with the lowest local call charges,
  these are the still the largest part of the cost
  of Internet.
• Not a problem specific to Africa - even some
  European countries are considering adopting flat
  rate local calls in an effort to match North
  American Internet access - but worrying that
  trend is to increase local call charges.

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Internet access fees are high

• At average of about US50/month, ISP subscription
  fees are close to an average monthly salary for
  many.
• Prices are lower in the more mature markets
  where many ISPs compete and are unencumbered by
  high license fees or excessive tariffs for
  international bandwidth

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Local traffic goes off-continent

• Limited national peering and no regional links
  between neighbouring countries (aside from
  Mauritius to Madagascar and the links from SA to
  3 neighbours)
• High international tariffs for leased lines
  charged by telecom operators discourage ISPs from
  establishing multiple links.
• World Bank found telecoms costs constitute about
  half of an ISPs operating costs and international
  leased line tariffs are up to 5 times higher than
  rates available from alternative providers.

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Internet payments add to telecom funds leaving
the continent

• Due to high tariffs ISPs consolidate all of their
  traffic over a single International circuit via
  North America or Europe.
• gt Significant and rapidly increasing capital
  outflows from the region for Internet traffic
  between and within African countries is paid to
  off-continent telecom operators and ISPs.
• ISPs also have to foot the entire cost of the
  international link. The APEC agreement may change
  this.

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Limited use / awareness of new technology
developments

• Low cost Internet appliances
• Cellular / Mobile Phones
• Wireless - Local loop / data services
• GMPCS - Globalstar
• Geo Satellites - RASCOM, PanamSat, Eutelsat,
  NewSkies, Lockheed
• New VSAT systems - Tachyon Skybridge
• LEO Data Satellites - HealthNet, VITASat
• Data Broadcasting - WorldSpace DSTV
• Hybrid Systems
• Using power supply infrastructure
• Internet Models for Voice Telephony

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National Strategies for Connectivity Improvement

• Careful telecom liberalisation and expanded
  universal service objectives
• Better support for regulators and public
  participation in policy development
• Reduction of license barriers to entry
• Integrated National Information Communications
  Infrastructure (NRICI) planning
• Telecentres / multipurpose community access, and
  community radio stations
• Government Content and Applications Development

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Strategies for Connectivity Improvement 2
gt Broader regional collaboration

• African Development Forum (ADF)
• African Connection
• SADC IT Theme document
• Model telecoms policy legislation and Telecom
  Regulators Association of Southern Africa
  (TRASA)
• East African Internet Providers Association
  (EAIA)
• Regional Infrastructure Projects
• Collaborative Purchasing - ?

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Strategies for Connectivity Improvement 3

• Capacity Building Human Resource Development
• Awareness raising of decision-makers
• Regional Centres for Excellence
• National Internet Training Centres
• Standards for User Training in Computer
  Applications - Computer Drivers License - CSSA
• Improved ICT Training programmes at schools,
  universities, research networks, workplace and
  informal environment

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Key Barriers To Be Eliminated

• High license fees for telecom operators and ISPs
• Slow process for licensing
• Lack of radio frequency spectrum planning
• Limitations data-only private wireless and VSAT
• Excessive import duties on ICT equipment
• Restricted access to broadcasting licenses
• High call charges
• Limited skills and knowledge of options

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The Internet - A Threat or Opportunity for PTOs?

• A threat for those PTOs that are unable to
  respond to the rapid technological, regulatory
  and institutional change - lack of competition,
  limited national government support.
• Concerns over reduced revenues in the short term
  from telecoms must be balanced with the massive
  long-term positive spinoffs to the economy and
  society as a whole.

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Thank You

• mikej_at_sn.apc.org
• http//www3.sn.apc.org/africa
• Karaiba Hotel, Room 825