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North American Network Operators Group Date Prev | Date Next | Date Index | Thread Index | Author Index | Historical Re: Zimbabwe satellite service shutdown for non-payment
On Tue, 19 Sep 2006, Jack Bates wrote: > Zimbabwe's government owned telephone company controls Internet access. When I > was working there in 98ish, it was mandatory for all providers to interlink with > the telephone company and use their satellite uplink at outrageous pricing. > There was a few exceptions, mostly companies that were faster than the telco at > setting up Internet connections and had the political power to hold on to them. > The only other connectivity feeding Zimbabwe outside of the satellite uplinks > was microwave to South Africa where it picked up fiber. I believe this link was > primarily for phone, and not Internet. > > I doubt much has changed since I was there. Towards the end of my visit, riots > broke out and shortly after I left it paid not to be white in Zimbabwe and > definitely not a white farmer. The economy didn't fare well. A beautiful > country, but unfortunately not very ideal for a network engineer. > > Jack Bates > Many countries, not just developing ones, have the same issues or at least had them when the Internet was originally introduced. In Israel we were under the iron fist of a government owned telco for a long time, paying quite a bit per minute. That changed significantly since `94 when Hank introduced us to the Internet, but it's a known issue wherever you turn. Naturally, we di dnot have riots to overthrow the government.... so I am not sure how true the comparison is. On another level, Brazil which is now introduced to the broadband revolution has many of the massive security issues impacting the Internet, much like Israel used to have when we underwent the Internet revolution. (not to say anything against Brazil. Nice people, serious professionals and very hot (and fun!) women). Gadi.
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