ICT in Tanzania 2007. Quick evaluation.

TTCL which boasts the widest network of copper and microwave in the country has moved a stage further in grabbing its share of internet subscribers. The (trial?) provision of mobile phone-cum-wireless-modem with flat-rate subscription of about a dollar a day was received with enthusiasm to the point of the pipe being congested making the connection reallly slow.

This month they changed the business model and, while still prepaid, the user will be charged per megabyte, which is fine for anyone not downloading huge files.

Such a move is welcome although one wonders where they were all along...

Meanwhile Vodacom, whom I've regarded as greediest cellphone service provider, made a bold move of leapfrogging the rest by introducing 3G services. I don't know if they will have infrastructure to have the service far and wide, though. Besides, the 3G services require much more expensive handsets that I doubt will be embraced easily by the clientele.

Zantel who don't have own infrastructure on Tz mainland, (roaming using Vodacom network) has launched a bold advertising campaign that has covered everything in green. They also claim lowest tariffs. I don't know what area they cover, and if they can continue piggybacking on vodacom which has its own teething problem with value-added services being introduced rather late after the rest of networks had done so.

TCCIA has a very ambitious plan of having a country-wide network of VSATS at all regional headquarters, providing a high-speed internet connection to small LANs for their members. With a hub at SatCom Network in Dar, this project may be key to internet reaching even further than ever, and starting radiating to district headquarters. Similar WANs are being set up by the Open University of Tanzania. I wonder, though, about sustainability of these two efforts, which begin with donor funding.

The losers in near future seem to be Internet Cafes. With all schools and colleges about to have Internet-connected LANs, and individuals having unlimited internet at home for as little as TShs 15,000 per month, I'm not seeing much prosperity in the once very successful biz venture.

We wait and see...but one thing is sure: things are getting better and better for end users, as more and more players are making more and more efforts in ICT.