the little black box bringing the internet to Kenya

The BRCK is, in a sense, just like the archetypal little black box. It does what you need and you don’t have to worry about its inner workings.

The team developing it has a simple aim – to extend and stabilise internet access in Africa. The plan is to keep people connected when the realities of weak infrastructure, such as regular power outages and a map of internet terrestrial cabling that looks like a colonial map of Africa circa 1800 – means that is by no means a given.

The BRCK is a ruggedised modem and wireless access point. It mops up power from mains or battery as required; it hops from Ethernet to wi-fi to 3G or 4G networks, depending on what is available. It can be configured and adapted remotely and has the potential to help solve problems across the continent and beyond, wherever continuous flows of information are required. It can help with systematically recording disease diagnoses or can trigger alerts when technologies such as water pumps fail.

source: www.theconversation.com

iPad air contract prices in South Africa

The new iPad Air from Apple recently went on sale in South Africa, available through a number of retail chains, First National Bank (FNB), and Vodacom.

A Wi-Fi only iPad Air can be had from R5,999 (16GB) and a model with 3G/LTE support starts at R7,799 (16GB). A number of contract options were also available at launch.

Vodacom lists contracts on its 1GB, 2GB, and 3GB mobile data packages for the 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB iPad Air models.

iStore has also advertised that it is selling iPads on Vodacom contracts that are priced similarly to the deals on the mobile network’s website.

One deal not listed on the Vodacom website that is on offer at iStore is for a 16 GB Wi-Fi only iPad Air on Vodacom MyGig1 for R379/month.

There are also discounts on offer from iStore if you trade in your old iPad, with a reduction of at least R100/month promised on a functional, undamaged iPad 2.

Third and fourth generation iPads (iPad 3 & 4) may also be traded in, iStore said.

FNB cheque and private bank account holders are also able to buy iPads on monthly repayment plans, but without a cellular contract.

At the time of writing the bank bundled a cover, screen guard, and R100 iStore voucher with any iPad bought on its smart device promotion for clients.

source: www.mybroadband.co

mango called out over wifi services

Mango, the low-cost South African Airways subsidiary, has been forced to withdraw all advertising of its in-flight WiFi services after a passenger complained that he was unable to access the service.

Mango launched its in-flight WiFi service in the first half of 2012.

One Mr Kowen lodged a consumer complaint against Mango Airlines for its Internet and print advertising promoting the airline’s on-board wireless services.

He said that he had specifically chosen Mango instead of his preferred airline because of the service, and had to forego loyalty points as a result. This decision, he said, was solely based on the advertised WiFi in-flight internet.

“However, the two aircraft used did not have working WiFi. According to flight crew on one aircraft, the WiFi had not been working for more than a month. This clearly makes the promise of on-board WiFi misleading,” the complainant said.

According to the Mango adverts: “G-Connect will provide access to the Internet via 3G, WiFi, ADSL and In-Flight WiFi, with a single online account. There is no need for separate accounts from separate service providers and you can sign up for free at www.gconnect.co.za”.

An advert on the plane itself read: “Wi-Fi Internet available on this flight”.

The ASA took into consideration a charge of misleading claims by the airline, and the non-availability of advertised products.

In its defense, Mango submitted that the complainant has a choice of several airlines in South Africa to provide transportation between two cities.

source: www.bussiness.co

Rwanda rolls out free wireless

It's a scene any visitor would be surprised to see deep in central Africa: a tech-savvy consumer sitting in a restaurant and surfing a broadband connection with a smartphone, tablet and laptop.

But in a region long associated with war and genocide, Rwanda is busy trying to re-invent itself as a regional high tech hub by rolling out free citywide and eventually nationwide wireless connectivity.

"I came to use the internet. Sometimes I download video and books," said South Korean development worker Lee Il-mo, a resident of the Rwandan capital Kigali for the past two years.

"Before I went to restaurants or coffee bars and I had to buy a drink, but here it's a free area," he said, sitting in Kigali City Tower, a zone slated as the city's new tech hub and the one of the first steps of the so-called 'Smart Kigali' project.

Last month, the Rwandan government announced it had started to cover the lush green, rolling hills of the capital with wireless hotspots.

This was the first step of a plan to provide wifi coverage to all schools and public buildings, markets, bus stations and hotels in the city and, in the long-term, to the entire country.

Rwanda's minister in charge of Information Technology, Jean Philibert Nsengimana, said he wanted to see the plan "accelerate growth of the internet sector" and attract more investors.

"Connectivity is one of the most important draws for business in this age of digital economy," he said, asserting that free wifi was merely a step in the direction of a much bigger infrastructure goal -- that of fourth generation, or 4G, access.

In June, the Rwandan government signed South Korea's KT Corp to build a 4G network that it wants delivered to 95 per cent of the country, up from the estimated 10 per cent who currently have 3G access.

"Broadband access," said Nsengimana, "has to be considered as an essential, just like water and electricity".

For Rwanda's government, the stakes are high.

President Paul Kagame and his ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which has dominated Rwanda since ousting Hutu extremists and ending the genocide nearly 20 years ago, is attempting to push through a dramatic transformation from trauma to economic success story.

The country is ranked as one of the least corrupt countries in Africa, while the World Bank's ease of doing business index for 2013 ranked Rwanda 52nd out of 185 countries, the third best in sub-Saharan Africa.

au.finanace.yahoo.com

WIFI technology

WIMAX stands for Worldwide Interoperatibility for internet access. It is a wireless communication standards designed to provide data rates of 30-40 mbps. For  fixed  stations providing a speed of 1gbps. Mobile wimax was a replacement to GSM and CDMA in order to increase  the capacity.

The name WIMAX was created by Wimax forum. This forum describes Wimax as a standards based technology enabling the delivery of last mile wireless broadband access which provide an alternative to cable and DSL. Wimax is sometimes referred as “Wi-FI on steroids” and can be used for a number of applications including broadband connections, cellular backhaul, hotspots etc. This technology is similar to WI-FI , but it can enable usage at much greater distances. It is suitable in providing portable mobile broadband connectivity across cities and countries through a varity of devices. It provides a wireless alternative to cable and digital subscribers line for last mile broadband access. It provides data, VOIP, IPTV services. Wimax provides low costs associated with the deployment of a wimax network in comparison to 3G, HSDPA, it is now economically viable to provide last mile broadband internet access in remote locations.

In North America backhaul for urban operations is typically provided via one or more copper wire line connections, where as remote cellular operations are sometimes backhauled via satellite.Wimax has more substantial backhaul bandwidth requirements than legacy cellular applications. Wimax in this application competes with microwave, E-line and simple extension of the fiber network itself. Wimax directly supports the technologies that make triple play  service offering quality of service and multicasting. The cable companies will provide media services to other partners while gaining access to the wireless network as a mobile virtual network operator to provide triple play services. Devices that provide connectivity to a wimax network are known as subscribers stations. Portable units include handsets, PC peripherals and embeded devices in laptops which are now available for wifi services.