Comments on: Can ICT Replace Industrialization in Africa? http://www.marcopuccia.com/2009/02/can-ict-replace-industrialization-in-africa/ Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:04:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: TMS Ruge http://www.marcopuccia.com/2009/02/can-ict-replace-industrialization-in-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-165 TMS Ruge Thu, 14 May 2009 19:22:19 +0000 http://www.marcopuccia.com/?p=297#comment-165 Today, the road to Africa's future looks nothing like it did in 1975. Africa's yellow-bricked road is being built by ones and zeros, the digital super highway for development. It's what's making the future bright for the emerging BPO sector, and firms that are etching their growth in this sector are well-positioned. What's amazing is that BPO firms are sprouting up in spite of bandwidth infrastructure limitations that lag behind their Western counterparts. But that's changing. Currently there are 5 legitimate initiatives to connect Africa to the rest of the planet's broadband network. SEACOM goes live next month. EASSY, Google's O3B Networks' et al are a-lighting within the next 15 months. Digital infrastructure is in place for firms like Samasource to truly empower digital entrepreneurs in Africa's emerging markets. See the bigger picture.<br><br>But all this growth can not happen without the industrialization of certain sectors. The biggest of which is the energy sector. For all of it's growth, Africa's available energy to power an ever-expanding IT sector is anaemic at best.<br><br>More needs to be done to fully take advantage of all of this available bandwidth. Africa's growth is being stunted by a growing lack of energy. From South Africa, to Egypt. Nigeria to Kenya. Rolling blackout are the order of the day. We stutter as the rest of the world hums along at a break-neck 24/7 pace. Our inability to keep up is ever-apparent the more we try to stay connected to the rest of the world. Within the next two years, over 6 terabytes of backhaul broadband is going to be up for grabs in Africa. This will see an influx of new entrepreneurs bumping against energy limitations. See the bigger picture.<br><br>So, yes, ICT is Africa's industrialization, but it won't happen if we don't address critically deficient infrastructures. Today, the road to Africa's future looks nothing like it did in 1975. Africa's yellow-bricked road is being built by ones and zeros, the digital super highway for development. It's what's making the future bright for the emerging BPO sector, and firms that are etching their growth in this sector are well-positioned. What's amazing is that BPO firms are sprouting up in spite of bandwidth infrastructure limitations that lag behind their Western counterparts. But that's changing. Currently there are 5 legitimate initiatives to connect Africa to the rest of the planet's broadband network. SEACOM goes live next month. EASSY, Google's O3B Networks' et al are a-lighting within the next 15 months. Digital infrastructure is in place for firms like Samasource to truly empower digital entrepreneurs in Africa's emerging markets. See the bigger picture.

But all this growth can not happen without the industrialization of certain sectors. The biggest of which is the energy sector. For all of it's growth, Africa's available energy to power an ever-expanding IT sector is anaemic at best.

More needs to be done to fully take advantage of all of this available bandwidth. Africa's growth is being stunted by a growing lack of energy. From South Africa, to Egypt. Nigeria to Kenya. Rolling blackout are the order of the day. We stutter as the rest of the world hums along at a break-neck 24/7 pace. Our inability to keep up is ever-apparent the more we try to stay connected to the rest of the world. Within the next two years, over 6 terabytes of backhaul broadband is going to be up for grabs in Africa. This will see an influx of new entrepreneurs bumping against energy limitations. See the bigger picture.

So, yes, ICT is Africa's industrialization, but it won't happen if we don't address critically deficient infrastructures.

]]> By: TMS Ruge http://www.marcopuccia.com/2009/02/can-ict-replace-industrialization-in-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-18 TMS Ruge Thu, 14 May 2009 13:22:19 +0000 http://www.marcopuccia.com/?p=297#comment-18 Today, the road to Africa's future looks nothing like it did in 1975. Africa's yellow-bricked road is being built by ones and zeros, the digital super highway for development. It's what's making the future bright for the emerging BPO sector, and firms that are etching their growth in this sector are well-positioned. What's amazing is that BPO firms are sprouting up in spite of bandwidth infrastructure limitations that lag behind their Western counterparts. But that's changing. Currently there are 5 legitimate initiatives to connect Africa to the rest of the planet's broadband network. SEACOM goes live next month. EASSY, Google's O3B Networks' et al are a-lighting within the next 15 months. Digital infrastructure is in place for firms like Samasource to truly empower digital entrepreneurs in Africa's emerging markets. See the bigger picture.<br><br>But all this growth can not happen without the industrialization of certain sectors. The biggest of which is the energy sector. For all of it's growth, Africa's available energy to power an ever-expanding IT sector is anaemic at best.<br><br>More needs to be done to fully take advantage of all of this available bandwidth. Africa's growth is being stunted by a growing lack of energy. From South Africa, to Egypt. Nigeria to Kenya. Rolling blackout are the order of the day. We stutter as the rest of the world hums along at a break-neck 24/7 pace. Our inability to keep up is ever-apparent the more we try to stay connected to the rest of the world. Within the next two years, over 6 terabytes of backhaul broadband is going to be up for grabs in Africa. This will see an influx of new entrepreneurs bumping against energy limitations. See the bigger picture.<br><br>So, yes, ICT is Africa's industrialization, but it won't happen if we don't address critically deficient infrastructures. Today, the road to Africa's future looks nothing like it did in 1975. Africa's yellow-bricked road is being built by ones and zeros, the digital super highway for development. It's what's making the future bright for the emerging BPO sector, and firms that are etching their growth in this sector are well-positioned. What's amazing is that BPO firms are sprouting up in spite of bandwidth infrastructure limitations that lag behind their Western counterparts. But that's changing. Currently there are 5 legitimate initiatives to connect Africa to the rest of the planet's broadband network. SEACOM goes live next month. EASSY, Google's O3B Networks' et al are a-lighting within the next 15 months. Digital infrastructure is in place for firms like Samasource to truly empower digital entrepreneurs in Africa's emerging markets. See the bigger picture.

But all this growth can not happen without the industrialization of certain sectors. The biggest of which is the energy sector. For all of it's growth, Africa's available energy to power an ever-expanding IT sector is anaemic at best.

More needs to be done to fully take advantage of all of this available bandwidth. Africa's growth is being stunted by a growing lack of energy. From South Africa, to Egypt. Nigeria to Kenya. Rolling blackout are the order of the day. We stutter as the rest of the world hums along at a break-neck 24/7 pace. Our inability to keep up is ever-apparent the more we try to stay connected to the rest of the world. Within the next two years, over 6 terabytes of backhaul broadband is going to be up for grabs in Africa. This will see an influx of new entrepreneurs bumping against energy limitations. See the bigger picture.

So, yes, ICT is Africa's industrialization, but it won't happen if we don't address critically deficient infrastructures.

]]> By: Marco Puccia http://www.marcopuccia.com/2009/02/can-ict-replace-industrialization-in-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Marco Puccia Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:09:54 +0000 http://www.marcopuccia.com/?p=297#comment-14 Another ICT project bringing internet to Kenya this time:<br><br>From the NYT (Feb. 1, 2009):<br><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/technology/internet/02kenya.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/technology/in...</a> Another ICT project bringing internet to Kenya this time:

From the NYT (Feb. 1, 2009):
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/technology/in...

]]> By: Marco Puccia http://www.marcopuccia.com/2009/02/can-ict-replace-industrialization-in-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Marco Puccia Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:42:02 +0000 http://www.marcopuccia.com/?p=297#comment-12 Came across the "Macedonia Connects" project through Glenn Strachan on Twitter (@glennstrachan) -- amazing project and applicable to the discussion. <br><br>Check out the BBC article here: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/4427960.stm" rel="nofollow">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_onl...</a><br><br>And the BBC Video on Glenn's blog here: <a href="http://glennstrachancv.blogspot.com/2009/02/bbc-story-about-macedonia-connects.html" rel="nofollow">http://glennstrachancv.blogspot.com/2009/02/bbc...</a> Came across the “Macedonia Connects” project through Glenn Strachan on Twitter (@glennstrachan) — amazing project and applicable to the discussion.

Check out the BBC article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_onl...

And the BBC Video on Glenn's blog here: http://glennstrachancv.blogspot.com/2009/02/bbc...

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