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AFNOG 2001 Country Update: The Gambia

AFNOG 2001 Country Update: The Gambia. What is covered. History of Internet in The Gambia Current Situation Short-term Plans Issues & Constraints. History. Nov 1997 Gambia signs up to the UNDP Internet Initiative Project Oct. 1998 : Gateway inaugurated 512 K Bandwidth

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AFNOG 2001 Country Update: The Gambia

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  1. AFNOG 2001Country Update: The Gambia

  2. What is covered • History of Internet in The Gambia • Current Situation • Short-term Plans • Issues & Constraints

  3. History • Nov 1997 • Gambia signs up to the UNDP Internet Initiative Project • Oct. 1998: • Gateway inaugurated • 512 K Bandwidth • 2MbBps Full Internet backbone nationwide • 2 ISPs operational, PTT and Private

  4. Current Situation - connectivity • Basic Infrastructure: • Upgrade to 1 Megabit gateway link in December 2000 • Countrywide Internet backbone with 12 PoPs. • 210 dialup access lines (90 + 120) • 7 leased connections ( 64K or 128K) • Users • 1997< 150 • 2001 : 3000 - 5000

  5. Connectivity • Schools with access: • 8 - 12 in GBA (some with proxy) • 3 rural (dialup) • Academic centers • 3 Full connection (64K or more) GTMI, GTTI, MDI • UniGam, RDI Gambia College on Dialup • Research Centers: • 1 (MRC, Fajara & Farafenni

  6. Connectivity • NGOs • all on dialup except UNDP (64 kbps) • Hotels and Travel Agents • all on dialup • Government Departments • all on dialup

  7. Connectivity • Cyber cafes • >10 big ones in Urban area (using Proxies) • 1 in the provincial areas • Countless small ones around the city • VPNs • 1 customer

  8. Current Situation -Costs • Dialup Charges: • $17 unlimited access + ~1 cents/minute telephone charges • Leased Charges: • ~$1,300/month for 64K • ~$2,800/month for 128K • educational institutions ~$350 for duration of IIA project

  9. Current Situation - Sustainability • UNDP Internet Support Project • assisted key national institutions get connectivity including GTTI, MDI, • training of key personnel on Internet use and management • advocacy countrywide, newsletters, seminars, Internet Awareness Week

  10. Issues & Constraints • Policy and Regulation • National Information Communication Policy (NACIP) soon to be adopted • very little on Internet issues • PTT advises Ministry on regulatory issues

  11. Issues & Constraints • Connectivity • Very Low PC penetration: • Very low Computer literacy • Low telephone density: • urban centers congested circuits • provinces areas not readily availalable • Electricity problems: especially outside GBA;

  12. Issues & Constraints • Costing (ISP perspective) • ISP operational cost: • international access cost high • licensing fee ~US$4,000 one time • high initial equipment costs • running costs (electricity, salaries, security)

  13. Issues and Constraints • ICT Development • Keeping abreast with tech advancement • introduction of IT curriculum in Schools • Partnership and Advocacy • PTT & Private sector cooperation • ISOC Gambia Chapter operational • National Issues • .gm ccTLD issue still not resolved

  14. Short Term Plans - in the pipeline • Infrastructure • Multi-homed gateway - additional 1 - 2megabit by Dec 2001 • Regional connectivity - Looking into connectivity with Senegal • Support ISDN connections

  15. Short Term Plans - in the pipeline • Connectivity • University of Gambia to have 64 - 128K by end of year • Dept of State for Education Computerization of schools project • 16 Secondary schools to have 25 to 50 PC labs built with internet connectivity by Sept 2001 • Gamtel to set up rural community centers

  16. Short Term Plans - in the pipeline • Capacity Building • Cisco to set up a local Networking Academy • Collaboration • more PTT & Private sector cooperation • convening annual stakeholders meeting to discuss bottlenecks and how to reduce high operational costs

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