Comments on: The Internet (or lack thereof) is driving me crazy! http://ictdchick.com/blog/2009/04/23/the-internet-or-lack-thereof-is-driving-me-crazy/ musings and meanderings of a multi-disciplinary researcher learning about information technology use in developing regions Mon, 21 Nov 2011 07:51:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Hayden Robertson http://ictdchick.com/blog/2009/04/23/the-internet-or-lack-thereof-is-driving-me-crazy/comment-page-1/#comment-486 Hayden Robertson Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:53:38 +0000 http://ictdchick.com/blog/?p=137#comment-486 Wimax would be the solution to the ever congested bandwidth of 3G,": Wimax would be the solution to the ever congested bandwidth of 3G,”:

]]> By: melissa http://ictdchick.com/blog/2009/04/23/the-internet-or-lack-thereof-is-driving-me-crazy/comment-page-1/#comment-361 melissa Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:09:47 +0000 http://ictdchick.com/blog/?p=137#comment-361 You can get an unlocked modem while you are in the US, if you know where to order one ahead of time. Although, you are probably fine waiting to come to Kampala to get one here too, as long as Warid isn't out of stock. I think, also if you are willing to pay the extra money for an unlocked modem ($150-$200 total) then stockouts shouldn't be a problem, someone might be able to find one for you if you ask nicely at Warid. Zain is also a perfectly fine option, and either one will probably work with a bluetooth enabled phone, so you might not even need an external modem. What kind of computer do you have? If you have a Mac, for example, you'll be fine with an unlocked quad-band GSM bluetooth phone, such as a motorola razr or a Palm Treo. You can get an unlocked modem while you are in the US, if you know where to order one ahead of time. Although, you are probably fine waiting to come to Kampala to get one here too, as long as Warid isn’t out of stock. I think, also if you are willing to pay the extra money for an unlocked modem ($150-$200 total) then stockouts shouldn’t be a problem, someone might be able to find one for you if you ask nicely at Warid.

Zain is also a perfectly fine option, and either one will probably work with a bluetooth enabled phone, so you might not even need an external modem. What kind of computer do you have?

If you have a Mac, for example, you’ll be fine with an unlocked quad-band GSM bluetooth phone, such as a motorola razr or a Palm Treo.

]]> By: john http://ictdchick.com/blog/2009/04/23/the-internet-or-lack-thereof-is-driving-me-crazy/comment-page-1/#comment-360 john Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:23:02 +0000 http://ictdchick.com/blog/?p=137#comment-360 Hi, I am desperate to find a solution to this issue and did not realize until I stumbled on your site that it was a true issue. I am new to the country and working for a one person development NGO out in Bulenga. It is really inconvenient to get into the city center. For just two people using the same connection (one at a time). Can you make a suggestion? thanks so much! I really appreciate it. John Hi, I am desperate to find a solution to this issue and did not realize until I stumbled on your site that it was a true issue.
I am new to the country and working for a one person development NGO out in Bulenga. It is really inconvenient to get into the city center. For just two people using the same connection (one at a time). Can you make a suggestion?
thanks so much! I really appreciate it.

John

]]> By: Cyril http://ictdchick.com/blog/2009/04/23/the-internet-or-lack-thereof-is-driving-me-crazy/comment-page-1/#comment-365 Cyril Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:28:52 +0000 http://ictdchick.com/blog/?p=137#comment-365 Great information! I also hope that the bandwidth increase brought by the completion of the undersea optical fiber will radically bring down the cost, especially since there is a lot of competition for customers. Great information! I also hope that the bandwidth increase brought by the completion of the undersea optical fiber will radically bring down the cost, especially since there is a lot of competition for customers.

]]> By: Alaina http://ictdchick.com/blog/2009/04/23/the-internet-or-lack-thereof-is-driving-me-crazy/comment-page-1/#comment-364 Alaina Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:17:54 +0000 http://ictdchick.com/blog/?p=137#comment-364 I will be working in Rakai over the summer and want to get an external modem for my computer to hook up to the internet. Warid Telecom seems like a good option. Can I get it in the U.S. before I go or should I wait until I arrive in Kampala? Any details/information is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Alaina I will be working in Rakai over the summer and want to get an external modem for my computer to hook up to the internet. Warid Telecom seems like a good option. Can I get it in the U.S. before I go or should I wait until I arrive in Kampala? Any details/information is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Alaina

]]> By: melissa http://ictdchick.com/blog/2009/04/23/the-internet-or-lack-thereof-is-driving-me-crazy/comment-page-1/#comment-353 melissa Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:59:52 +0000 http://ictdchick.com/blog/?p=137#comment-353 Hi Zul Javaid, Thanks for your clarifications. My information on Waridtel's services is based on what I've learned from the sales representatives in the Customer Service offices in Mbarara - I noticed the brochure for the business WiMax offering, and inquired in early March about availability, when I tried to acquire the GPRS modem. At that time I was told that WiMax would be available towards the end of April. Based on my experiences in Ghana, when the "end of June" didn't happen until the beginning of August (and even then I thought I was fortunate), I am just interested to know that you have decided to offer this service. I hope that commercial fiber gets put into place... I'm glad also to hear that your GPRS/EDGE modems are selling like hotcakes. I had to wait about a month for mine to become available - and then I was tempted to buy 2 or 3 in case they ran out! I based the 128kbps number off of the approximate theoretical capabilities of GPRS - and that I have actually seen download speeds of up to 14KB/s on the modem. EDGE should be capable of 236.8 kbps... It's perhaps wise not to advertise a particular data rate since the practicalities of the experienced data rate are out of your control, as MTN has experienced, at least not without spending a lot more capital on over-provisioning the network! Is it worth it? Perhaps not.. Best of luck with both your WiMax and your Mobile businesses! Melissa Hi Zul Javaid,

Thanks for your clarifications. My information on Waridtel’s services is based on what I’ve learned from the sales representatives in the Customer Service offices in Mbarara – I noticed the brochure for the business WiMax offering, and inquired in early March about availability, when I tried to acquire the GPRS modem. At that time I was told that WiMax would be available towards the end of April. Based on my experiences in Ghana, when the “end of June” didn’t happen until the beginning of August (and even then I thought I was fortunate), I am just interested to know that you have decided to offer this service. I hope that commercial fiber gets put into place…

I’m glad also to hear that your GPRS/EDGE modems are selling like hotcakes. I had to wait about a month for mine to become available – and then I was tempted to buy 2 or 3 in case they ran out! I based the 128kbps number off of the approximate theoretical capabilities of GPRS – and that I have actually seen download speeds of up to 14KB/s on the modem. EDGE should be capable of 236.8 kbps… It’s perhaps wise not to advertise a particular data rate since the practicalities of the experienced data rate are out of your control, as MTN has experienced, at least not without spending a lot more capital on over-provisioning the network! Is it worth it? Perhaps not..

Best of luck with both your WiMax and your Mobile businesses!

Melissa

]]> By: Zul Javaid http://ictdchick.com/blog/2009/04/23/the-internet-or-lack-thereof-is-driving-me-crazy/comment-page-1/#comment-354 Zul Javaid Fri, 24 Apr 2009 05:48:49 +0000 http://ictdchick.com/blog/?p=137#comment-354 Hi Blogger, Just wanted to let you know that Warid doesn't advertise its GPRS modem with any speeds. In fact, we don't even advertise it. Yet its been selling like hotcakes and has sold out of stock twice in the past 3 months. I don't know who misled you that the modem gives 128kbps, we don't make any such claims. It's a GPRS modem, and in Kampala and Eastern Uganda it operates on our Edge network, so we all know that the best kind of speed it is likely to deliver is 40-50 kbps (which seems to be what you're getting at 5KB) As for Wimax, yes, we have a couple of hundred customers on Wimax in Kampala now, and they're generally happy because the big difference between ours vs. competitors is our MO which includes a pre-sale survey of the customers premises. And just to clarify the other misconception, Warid has not claimed to be ready to extend the wimax service beyond Kampala, Jinja and Mukono for the time being. Its extension to Mbarara and other places will take place after some commercial fiber has been put in place (could be late 2009 or early 2010). We are dependent on other people for that. Zul Javaid CEO - Warid Telecom Uganda Ltd. Hi Blogger,

Just wanted to let you know that Warid doesn’t advertise its GPRS modem with any speeds. In fact, we don’t even advertise it. Yet its been selling like hotcakes and has sold out of stock twice in the past 3 months.
I don’t know who misled you that the modem gives 128kbps, we don’t make any such claims. It’s a GPRS modem, and in Kampala and Eastern Uganda it operates on our Edge network, so we all know that the best kind of speed it is likely to deliver is 40-50 kbps (which seems to be what you’re getting at 5KB)
As for Wimax, yes, we have a couple of hundred customers on Wimax in Kampala now, and they’re generally happy because the big difference between ours vs. competitors is our MO which includes a pre-sale survey of the customers premises.
And just to clarify the other misconception, Warid has not claimed to be ready to extend the wimax service beyond Kampala, Jinja and Mukono for the time being. Its extension to Mbarara and other places will take place after some commercial fiber has been put in place (could be late 2009 or early 2010). We are dependent on other people for that.

Zul Javaid
CEO – Warid Telecom Uganda Ltd.

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