Networking in Africa...

Tue Dec 3 03:15:54 UTC 2002

alex at yuriev.com wrote:
 > Try finding some IP connectivity while in Nigeria. You would be
 > hard-pressed, even if you are willing to pay enormous $$.

Having worked and lived in Nigeria while consulting with several ISPs
there, I can assure you this is incorrect. In large cities such as
Lagos, you can't stand on the street and spit without hitting an
Internet cafe, many of which are open 24-hours-a-day (419ers never
sleep). $15 will get you all night (11pm - 7am) access in an air
conditioned cafe with their own fast VSAT connection. I am _not_ joking-
there are thousands of Internet cafes throughout Lagos State on almost
every street. Many smaller towns in all parts of the country will often
have at least one Internet cafe around.

To answer your satellite comment, most ISPs have their own VSAT
connections, though others go through local upstreams such as NITEL and
GS Telecom (which eventually load the traffic onto their own satellite
link). Many Internet cafes have set up their own VSATs as well, as many
of the local ISPs can be unreliable and/or overpriced.

Robbie

--
Robbie Honerkamp
ISP consultant- have-laptop-will-travel
robbie at shorty.com