Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] What's on the Horizon?

[Ahmed Isah]

Dear GKD Members,

In response to the question asked on What's on the Horizon, to us in the
developing world it is more or less provision of basic connectivity,
integrating basic services in the connectivity and a lot of capacity
building. I wish to concentrate on educational delivery and discuss a
model that I have been toying about with as part of a process to improve
the quality of the educational delivery system in the nothern part of
Nigeria.

The model uses a VSAT link to the internet and wireless technology to
rapidly and cheaply spread access to cover many educational institutions
within a radius of 40 kilometers. The VSAT is located in the University
and will house educational databases and serves as an educational portal
to the higher institutions, secondary and primary schools in the area.
Such databases, which are to be updated periodically, will provide the
much needed access to educational materials with little need for access
to the net. Of course the servers will provide other services such as
web based email, DNS, web servers for local content creations, course
management software, etc.

Once this is put in place, a lot of skills development programs ranging
from basic computer skills to advanced networking and web based
technologies will be mounted. The key to the success of this model is
the maturity of the wireless technology. I believe this kind of model if
refined and implemented can be a rapid enabler to Connectivity for
All.

We have already started on this project using our University as the
base. VSATs and a lot of wireless devices have been deployed with very
good results. For instance, our two campuses separated by a distance of
15 kilometers have been linked with wireless. We are also able to cover
the two campuses with wireless signals. We are planning next to bring
our Teaching Hospital into the picture and one or two secondary schools
as a pilot scheme. However, the issues of funding, self sustainability
and adequate planning are among our greatest problems.

Any ideas that can be of help to us?

You can reach me at [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Ahmed Isah Chafe




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Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Bringing Connectivity to Under-Served Communities

[Ahmed Isah]

Hello all, 
  
In my opinion, Cornelio Hopmann got it all wrong. The issue is not to do
with selling a useless product that has no demand. Rather, it has to do
with whether the target market is really aware of the benefits of the
product to them. This then boils down to illiteracy of the benefits of
the Internet to the user. Take my case as an example. We provide a 24 PC
Internet connectivity in an academic environment in Nigeria with about
10,000 students and 400 academic staff. Yet, the connectivity was not
maximally utilised. However, when we embarked on Internet awareness
training to the students, we now have to plan for more PCs as the
students continue to troop in.

Yours, 
  
Chafe 



Cornelio Hopmann [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Jean-Marie starts off by saying at first that there is insufficient
 infrastructure, continuing then that there is limited income, not enough
 content and applications, no local expertise, no awareness. In any other
 field of market-economy the straight-forward conclusion would be that
 you try to sell a useless product and that therefore there is no demand
 and hence there are neither sales nor much product to sell.




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Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
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