Google Aims to Bring Broadband To Africa With some help from John Malone and HSBC... The Financial Times reports that Google, HSBC, and Liberty Media boss John Malone have joined forces to bring high-speed satellite Internet to under-served portions of the African Continent. The new company is named "O3b Networks," after the "other three billion people" who won't get access to high speed terrestrial broadband. As a first step in the $750 million project, O3b will place an order for 16 new low-earth orbit satellites. According to Google, O3B will operate as a wholesale operator only, and the project could reduce bandwidth costs across the continent by some 95%. There's just one large-scale international link in Africa (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) connecting eight countries on the western coast of the continent to Europe and the Far East. According to All Africa, prices are dropping across the continent. Still, in some regions a 512kbps connection can cost consumers up to $231.79, and a 1,024kbps connection can cost $509. In other parts of the continent you can get a 512kbps connection for less, though the fine print would make many American incumbent executives very proud: ...in South Africa there are potentially three additional amounts that will be added to the bill at the end of the month. Firstly, the access charges paid for a 512 Kbps connection add a further US$43.17. Secondly, the connection is "shaped" which means that it's impossible to use VoIP so you can pay an additional US$22.33 for an unshaped connection. Thirdly, in order to have unlimited downloads you pay an extra US$64.01. All of which gives a whole new meaning to "slice-and-dice" pricing. Of course, the vast majority of the continent's population have no service whatsoever.
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  ThrowDemsOutIf you can't convince 'em, confuse 'emPremium
join:2002-03-03
Mullica Hill, NJ
kudos:4 |  Will Google bring computers too?
the vast majority of the continent's population have no service whatsoever. The vast majority don't need broadband service since the vast majority don't have computers, and broadband without devices to attach to it is kind of pointless. The vast majority don't have enough money to feed themselves or put a roof over their head.
Maybe Google should partner with OLPC and get one PC per village before they roll out broadband service.
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approval from:
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| Bring it to the USA first! Google should start with the US. Those of us still forced to use dial-up at home would appreciate it. | |
|  |  EveryNamePremium
join:2001-12-05
Montreal
kudos:1 | Re: Bring it to the USA first! Selfish little fuck | |
| | | | | Re: Bring it to the USA first! WTF you are prob. enjoying your dsl or cable internet while millions of rural americans dont have no other choice than dialup of sat. so yes this is going to piss us off when google want to put millions into internet for a bunch of monkeys | |
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|  TransmasterDon't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY | Thank You Google I would like to thank Google for my late father Olumba Bawoomby the murdered finance minister of Nigeria. Having high speed internet will help me in my struggle to get his estate out of the country. It isn't easy moving 25 million in cash. With Googles help maybe I can at last get the job done. 
--
Send a prayer to Allah, eat Beans. | |
|  chlenEthically ChallengedPremium
join:2001-01-16
Albany, NY | This can be an amazing thing. For those of you not writing policy, implementing it or doing anything productive let me educate you a little.
Google providing any kind of internet service to areas such as Africa is an incredibly powerful device in creating the need for computers and more advanced economic markets, the results of which are more stable government and infrastructure developments.
Example.
Not too long ago most people in Africa had to go to special places to make phone calls, or trade. In order to get contacts in large capitals, they had to find a way there, make small orders and basically continue subsitance.
Cell phones have revolutionized the continent. Most of even remote areas of Africa especially in the west are able to get cheap cell phone service. This allows people to connect at a fraction of the cost and more then 1/3 of all people on the continent have access to a cell phone, whether they own one or have one in the family. The cost is next to nothing, and this allows for trade integration. Large commercial firms are able to communicate with remote farms, distribution centers and such. Botswana, Angola, Senegal, Kenya, Nigeria are all very good examples of this. They have all been posting positive GDP gains in remote areas and creating a modern supply infrastructure for trade.
More importantly.
Cell phone tower are relatively cheap to build and employ the local population and utilize local resources. They require training of skilled professionals, again from the local population. Cell phone towers require roads to them for servicing as well as electricity. Roads create more road and so on, in parallel vastly improving travel and ease, again increasing trade and decreasing the reliance on subsistence.
Since towers require electricity, power plants are built, lines are set up. Power to remote towers means there can now be water pumps, filtration and irrigation systems among many others that can be set up from these power lines. Previously there was no profitable reason to run power to non-urban areas. Obviously water/electrical/sanitation systems employ people from the local population and mass coordination of commodities can set up natural markets since farmers can form cooperatives and grow what is needed for the market instead of just for the village or their immediate area. It continues in this way. Cell phones, like computers are dirt cheap. They may not be using the top of the line phone, but it is more then adequate. Same would be at first with computers.
With all of this combined Africa has the highest uptake of cellphones in the world. It is by far the hottest market for them. In just the last 8 years 1/3 of all people on the continent own, use, and have access to cell phones. Many were saying why do they need cell phones when they dont have any food 8 years ago, but a growing cellphone infrastructure directly correlates to economic and quality of life improvements, as well as education. Because there is now electricity and connectivity to remote areas, schools and western non-profits like the red cross can easily coordinate aid, education, and other resources, specifically televisions with western media.
A massive deployment of broadband would further facilitate trade, education and infrastructure development, thus creating a more stable continent.
While Africa is very unstable it is much better then it was, directly correlated to the development of mass communication systems, which bring with them FDI (Foreign Direct Investment).
Next time some of you whine about why people are spending money in Africa to give them broadband, your answer is because it is incredibly practical, profitable and we all get a reward from it. The same was done in China and India, and both of them became more open and productive societies.
So communications systems contribute to.
Sanitation
Water Delivery
Agriculture
Electricity
Markets
Stability
Skilled Labor
Foreign Investment
among many other things.
--
"He who is not afraid today to say 'no' to the repressive machinery of a criminal bureaucracy earns the right to be called a Human Being."
»lp.org/
Zion is our milk | |
| | | | Re: This can be an amazing thing. said by chlen:So communications systems contribute to. Sanitation Water Delivery Agriculture Electricity Markets Stability Skilled Labor Foreign Investment You forgot hackers.
Now we'll see kids with "Will hack for food" signs in those "feed the children" TV spots | |
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| | Reviews:
 ·Comcast
 ·AT&T Yahoo
| Re: LMAO Uhhh, America is not paying for this, the companies listed above are paying for this. Google can spend their profits wherever they wish, and if they can make money using THEIR money, well, good for them. The poster above pretty much spelled it out for you to understand: Investment leads to more development which leads to a better economy overall. | |
| | |  Duramax08A Challenger AppearsPremium
join:2008-08-03
San Antonio, TX | Re: LMAO o well, google can always boost our economy. | |
| | | | | keep living in your dream world the economy is never going to get better if gas prices keep on going up.the only economy this will help is google,and i seriously doubt it will help them | |
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| chlenEthically ChallengedPremium
join:2001-01-16
Albany, NY | actually Africa is abundant in natural resources, there are many wealthy centers From Dakar to Botswana to Djibouti but since you dont know what you are talking about I'll will let you slide, why dont you read what I wrote above. | |
| | |  fcislerPremium
join:2004-06-14
Riverhead, NY | Re: LMAO Botswana?
Botswana is better off than most areas - but it's only the rich that benefit from and own the diamond mines. Not to mention that half of the diamond mines are owned by the government. The rest of the nation is poor. The HIV/AIDS rate is something like 1 in 5 - AND it's one of the "better off" parts of South Africa.
Yet somehow broadband will help these people out....give me a break. Their government takes in billions a year from diamonds, coal and pretty soon uranium....but 20%+ of the population will not make it to 40 years of age due to lack of health care, unsanitary living conditions, and rampant disease.
Yeah...go HSBC and Google!
Install fast internet. Help the 419 scammers. I may open up an internet shop and help impoverished people access the internet....1 chicken/hour. What? You can't afford that? Well it's gotta make someone money.
Oh...and while your at it, make them touch screens and speak....because the lack of education means that a good percentage of the population would be better using the computer case a hunting utensil.
I may be cynical, but i'm holding back my opinions on this because this isn't the place for it. I just don't see how a faster internet connection (or new) will help the people in South Africa who actually need it. | |
| | | | chlenEthically ChallengedPremium
join:2001-01-16
Albany, NY | Re: LMAO said by fcisler:Botswana? Botswana is better off than most areas - but it's only the rich that benefit from and own the diamond mines. Not to mention that half of the diamond mines are owned by the government. The rest of the nation is poor. The HIV/AIDS rate is something like 1 in 5 - AND it's one of the "better off" parts of South Africa. Yet somehow broadband will help these people out....give me a break. Their government takes in billions a year from diamonds, coal and pretty soon uranium....but 20%+ of the population will not make it to 40 years of age due to lack of health care, unsanitary living conditions, and rampant disease. Yeah...go HSBC and Google! Install fast internet. Help the 419 scammers. I may open up an internet shop and help impoverished people access the internet....1 chicken/hour. What? You can't afford that? Well it's gotta make someone money. Oh...and while your at it, make them touch screens and speak....because the lack of education means that a good percentage of the population would be better using the computer case a hunting utensil. I may be cynical, but i'm holding back my opinions on this because this isn't the place for it. I just don't see how a faster internet connection (or new) will help the people in South Africa who actually need it. Because it is not about the actual product. It is about the building of infrastructure. You are looking at the short term, but not in the long term. Mass media closes barriers between groups, social classes and trade.
It does not matter if it is google laying broadband or a natural gas pipeline, in the long run it is a base for skilled labor, it is new roads, it is massive build-outs.
Trust me when I say this that you are very wrong on this. Like I said this has already worked in the eastern block, China, Russia, India, South America. It is far away from perfect, but even a marginal improvement pays off big time.
BTW this is not just my opinion, it is from my dissertation for my MS in Public Policy and Information Management. My job is to make sure these kinds of projects work in rural US which faces the same type of basic problems that are in Africa.
Look at how cell phones have revolutionized Africa.
--
"He who is not afraid today to say 'no' to the repressive machinery of a criminal bureaucracy earns the right to be called a Human Being."
»lp.org/
Zion is our milk | |
| | | | | fcislerPremium
join:2004-06-14
Riverhead, NY | Re: LMAO While I do see your point and it is valid, I still disagree. You obviously have more experience than I do.
Comparing broadband to natural gas pipeline is apples and oranges. You could get someone to install a heater with the natural gas pipeline - and the people would benefit.
What about internet? "Free WiFi!". Now what when no one has a PC? Oh, free "Internet terminals"? Oh....they would need to be able to read. I am not in any way diminishing anyone's intelligence or insinuating that every person of the nation is illiterate, but it's almost a requirement for using a PC.
While in the long haul, it may pay off - but I only see it benefiting those who have money currently. At the prices, and a median income of around $16,000 (source: wikipedia) - who can currently afford an internet connection? I couldn't, and I make significantly more than that.
Ok, so now instead of $200/mo, it's $100/mo. "The People" still can't afford it....
You think this will cause, lets say, and internet cafe to lower it's prices? I highly doubt it.
While Natural Gas, Water and Phones (cell in this case) are considered "basic utility", the Internet is not. I would rather see a company invest in a water filtration system (several do - I'm talking about Google/HSBC) then Internet connections. | |
| | | | | | chlenEthically ChallengedPremium
join:2001-01-16
Albany, NY | Re: LMAO But that is the point more infrastructure means more people will learn to read, more fiber means more electricity to run pump stations etc...
The first businesses to go up after the fall of Baghdad were internet cafes with cheap old recycled PCs.
This investment pays off, and very well, HSBC and Google are not altruistic organizations, they know what they are doing.
They did this in China, India, South America and now moving to Africa. Sure, it will take time, but trust me or the experts at Google or HSBC, these ventures pay off. First will come cheap TV, then people will attend schools in one or two generations it will be the next cheap labor market, semi-skilled, literate and connected.
--
"He who is not afraid today to say 'no' to the repressive machinery of a criminal bureaucracy earns the right to be called a Human Being."
»lp.org/
Zion is our milk | |
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| | | | | | BTW this is not just my opinion, it is from my dissertation for my MS in Public Policy and Information Management. My job is to make sure these kinds of projects work in rural US which faces the same type of basic problems that are in Africa.
yea you have done a great job in rural America (not)give all Americans access to dsl or cable first then provide internet to whom ever you want to after that | |
| | | | | | | BTW this is not just my opinion, it is from my dissertation for my MS in Public Policy and Information Management. My job is to make sure these kinds of projects work in rural US which faces the same type of basic problems that are in Africa.
yea you have done a great job in rural america (not)give all americans access to dsl or cable first then provide internet to whom ever you want to after that | |
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| | | | said by chlen:actually Africa is abundant in natural resources, there are many wealthy centers From Dakar to Botswana to Djibouti but since you dont know what you are talking about I'll will let you slide, why dont you read what I wrote above. if so abundant,and wealthy why dont they pay for all this,plus food for their people rather than taking handouts from everybody else.why dont you just quit trying to make everybody think this is needed,because its needed like i need a hole in my head give me a fucking break | |
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| | | Could you be an even bigger tool? Let me guess, you didn't make it past the 10th grade in the wonderful TX public school system.
Judging from your icon you have some sort of right-aligned political agenda. OK. I'll bite. If anything, providing any sort of assistance improving the infrastructure in Africa and helping people meets basic human needs (food/shelter/health care) *helps* your right wing nut-job ideas/objections. How, you ask? Well, as the previous poster so eloquently indicated, stabilizing the continent in this manner helps the African populous become more self reliant and less likely to go along with Mr. Bin Laden and allow training camps or extremist view to thrive. We won't have to keep throwing money in a hole if we teach a man to fish, in other words. Increase the basic human living standards and economies of Africa, and you end up with a much less fertile ground for terrorists and extremists to take root (a la Somalia, etc.).
-Pedro | |
| | | | | | | | | Re: LMAO I don't need to register to continue a conversation on the internet (ROTFL). Someone your age should realize that.
Your rather myopic and naive comments prove my point. What sort of basic economics were you taught as a 'scholar'(?) Clearly the above poster's logic escapes you regarding how something so basic as providing running water or electricity to an African village could actually affect you so far away.
If you are voting age already contact your local politicians to start voting against the local monopolies who don't want any sort of competing technlogies rolled out. My basic understanding of the limitations of BPL is that the radio interference problem has not yet been adquately addressed, and that the cost/benefit is currently too high to make it practical on any sort of decent scale. There are some useful comments in the following threads-
»news.cnet.com/Broadbands-power-l···316.html
»techdirt.com/articles/20080503/2···23.shtml | |
| | | | | | | Re: LMAO look i could care less about Africa,and their people.how can you use the internet if you don't have power,computers or the know how to do it.big fucking waste of money spend it here in America on their own fucked up rural internet | |
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patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
kudos:1 | blimp broadband "high-speed satellite Internet"?????
Someone forgot about the latency.
Why not blimp broadband?  | |
| | iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO
kudos:2 Reviews:
·Comcast
·Verizon Online DSL
| Re: blimp broadband Anyone know whether the Hughes\WB sats are low earth orbit or not? Also, with Google they seem to be able to run their network right on the ground, so could probably get sub-500ms latency round trip from their sats. Also, they'll be selling bandwidth wholesale, so they'll probably just be an uplink provider for the various cell phone companies. If the cell companies can use cheap satellite access instead of running T1's through the underbrush (which they likely won't do) they can provide customers with EDGE or even 3G service. Granted, even an HSPA network would likely have 600 ms internet latency in this case, but it's cetainly better than nothing and Google is wanting to be a part in it. After all, more people connected means more eyeballs for their ads. It doesn't take a low-latency, high-bandwidth connection to deliver a few frames of AdSense 
Go Google! | |
| | | iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO
kudos:2 | Re: blimp broadband In short, people have to backhaul to somewhere and Google is that backhaul. | |
| | | | patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
kudos:1 | Re: blimp broadband
mmmmmmmmm google backhaul |
said by iansltx:In short, people have to backhaul to somewhere and Google is that backhaul. All that bandwidth and dark fiber that google has. | |
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 mrchrisOut and aroundPremium
join:2002-10-01
North Babylon, NY |  Waste of time!
Bring it here first before some shitty third world continent! | |
| | chlenEthically ChallengedPremium
join:2001-01-16
Albany, NY | Re: Waste of time! said by mrchris:It's more likely thieves will cut down copper if it's DSL and maybe coax if it's cable. Bring it here first before some shitty third world continent! nevermind the fact that it makes more money there...
--
"He who is not afraid today to say 'no' to the repressive machinery of a criminal bureaucracy earns the right to be called a Human Being."
»lp.org/
Zion is our milk | |
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| | Don't see this one going anywhere. Having traveled in Africa for work before I retired, I think this is unrealistic. As others have mentioned, there just isn't a base of personal computers--the average individual just can't afford such a luxury. Furthermore, speaking from first-hand experience, the infrastructure for the delivery of electricity isn't there, or hasn't been maintained in decades. (Power surges and outages in some areas with electrical lines is a common occurrence.) Google could better put their money to use in aid programs that deliver the necessities of life--food, shelter, clothing.
Now if this program were just directed toward connectivity in schools, it might have a better chance. Although, one big problem with aid, especially for schools, is whether the equipment will ever make it to it's intended recipients or whether it will be diverted by government officials and sold for personal enrichment. It was quite sad to see children unable to attend school in certain countries that I had to travel to--it was due to a lack of equipment, even though international aid programs had delivered enough school room supplies to stock over 75 percent of one country's schools, the supplies never made it to the children--officials diverted them, sold them and pocketed the money. There are never any repercussions for such blatant theft so it continues. | |
| | chlenEthically ChallengedPremium
join:2001-01-16
Albany, NY | Re: Don't see this one going anywhere. read my long post on infrastructure improvements since your last trip there. | |
| | | | | Re: Don't see this one going anywhere. chlen,
I do maintain contact with my former co-workers, many of whom still travel frequently throughout the African continent. Unfortunately, far too much of the existing infrastructures, including electrical lines and power plants, in many countries haven't been upgraded significantly since they were originally installed by European colonial powers. Degradation is a huge issue. (Although, granted it's a growing issue even in developed countries where budget pressures have lured local and federal governments in to ignoring recapitalization projects on basic infrastructures like water systems, electrical grids, etc.)
Cellphones are prevalent in some parts of Africa due to programs that are recycling old phones, mainly from Europe since they're on GSM, and distributing them free. However, cellphone penetration isn't nearly as extensive in Africa as other areas, given the fact that many people still just can't afford the service, even when given a free phone.
I really hope the focus of this effort is for schools. I believe that's more doable than expecting the average family to expend precious financial resources on a product they can't afford. | |
| | | | chlenEthically ChallengedPremium
join:2001-01-16
Albany, NY
1 edit | Re: Don't see this one going anywhere. said by voipdabbler:chlen, I do maintain contact with my former co-workers, many of whom still travel frequently throughout the African continent. Unfortunately, far too much of the existing infrastructures, including electrical lines and power plants, in many countries haven't been upgraded significantly since they were originally installed by European colonial powers. Degradation is a huge issue. (Although, granted it's a growing issue even in developed countries where budget pressures have lured local and federal governments in to ignoring recapitalization projects on basic infrastructures like water systems, electrical grids, etc.) Cellphones are prevalent in some parts of Africa due to programs that are recycling old phones, mainly from Europe since they're on GSM, and distributing them free. However, cellphone penetration isn't nearly as extensive in Africa as other areas, given the fact that many people still just can't afford the service, even when given a free phone. I really hope the focus of this effort is for schools. I believe that's more doable than expecting the average family to expend precious financial resources on a product they can't afford. I do agree that it is still in very poor condition, but my premise and the research I did indicating that installing cellular infrastructure, however limited, brought jobs, electricity, and sanitation systems to remote areas outside of urban centers. While I dont disagree with your writing at all or am saying there is now a fix for the sittuation, the penetration of chiefly western tephony companies like google make a significant inprovement over the conditions that exist and that saying they dont need it further put the continent away from parity even swith the poor part so SE Asia.
--
"He who is not afraid today to say 'no' to the repressive machinery of a criminal bureaucracy earns the right to be called a Human Being."
»lp.org/
Zion is our milk | |
| | | | | | "Cellphones are prevalent in some parts of Africa..."
You aren't thinking about this from the proper perspective, albeit you have lived there. Everyone there does not have to have a personal cell phone in order to make a positive impact on the economies of Africa. Since landlines are prohibitively expensive, or simply unavailable, it's often their *only* way to get connected to information that might affect their livelihood, such as a fisherman trying to find a market for his catch. Even a single phone for a small village can be a catalyst for small improvements. You really have to think out of the box- less about what *isn't* there yet as compared to western standards, but what *could* be there with a little help from more fortunate souls abroad.
I'm with you 110% on requiring/creating better educational opportunities, but sometimes it's the chicken that comes before the egg. If they have more economic opportunities, better schools can arise out of such an improved situation. | |
|
Asmodeus
join:2004-05-26
Spring Valley, CA | what a waste of my money... It's their money, but this is a classic case of throwing good money after bad. Africa as a continent is a lost cause. They are still tribalists, they are segmented by tribal culture and that will never change. They are primarily illiterates who barely have the concept of television, much less know what broadband is. But if it makes google feel good, I won't get in their way. | |
| | | us first why bring it there? vast majority of usa (including me) dont even have broadband access. | |
| | | | Re: us first they won't bring it here because HSBC is not based here. They're the world's largest bank | |
| | | | JFC- go talk to your local politicians and stop whining to us about why you don't have broadband where you live. It all starts at a locally based discussion, folks. Even better, move somewhere that does have it if you want it so bad(!) | |
| | | | | Re: us first i get so sick of people posting stupid shit like just move first you have to sell the house you live in,and let me tell you friend houses are not selling mine has been for sale for 2 years with the price reduced three times it still wont sell.
it should not matter where you live everybody in the USA deserves decent low priced internet long before they even think about providing internet to a third world country especially one that don't have allot more thing to worry about than internet Americans have got to be the most stupid people in the world just keep on helping everybody else,and keep letting our own economy go to hell before long they wont be any more money to give away when they bankrupt us | |
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| | i'm starting to wonder who runs google... could it be intelligent people? people looking for a quick buck? moronic environmentalist hippies? the 'do no evil' people?
africa doesn't need internet, what it needs is humanitarian aid and support to build an infrastructure (road, electricity, clean water deliver, hospitals, schools (gotta be literate to use the internet ya know?), and everything else that the developed world has), to build an agricultral system that ensure nearly all have a nutrious diet, a healthcare system to combat disease, perhaps ways to ensure the government isn't corrupt, and so on. i don't buy this crap that by giving a village the internet is better than giving them a truck full of food (or even better, the means to grow/catch food and be self sufficient), for most villages. i'm sure there are towns and cities that are at a point that the internet could be used. also, since when was the internet a necessity of life? i thought it was food, water, and shelter, not internet, food, water, and shelter. i don't buy into this lie of 'if they build technology related things (cell phone towers, internet acces) everything will magically be better (roads, agriculture, etc.). google's money would be better spent on giving to organizations that help africa for the basics than to do this worthless project, but i guess they won't see any chance of a profit. sure the internet can explain how to farm in better techniques, but it sure doesn't beat having a group of live human beings mentoring you. there is something lost when it comes to the internet, it is that human contact. it is the difference between, 'hey, someone actually cares about us' to 'what is this thing? a shovel?'. i'll have no pity for google if this fails.
i suppose one good thing is that they are sticking to what they know best... THE INTARNETZ. | |
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Other 3 Billion?
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If this isn't net neutrality, I like Google's version of non-net-neutrality