Rwanda sees bright hope in new fiber-optic ring
Holding promise of providing high-speed internet access for East Africa, a national fiber-optic ring will go online before the end of this year, at the turn of year 2010. The link will have undersea cables connecting Kenya to the internet in less than two months, and go further to provide internet access to Rwanda as well.
For an impoverished and war-besieged country, Rwanda now sees itself an advanced player in development with this recent news of internet access. Despite its being among the poorest nations thriving on agricultural activities, Rwanda deemed it necessary to gain progress with information and communications technology pursuits, along with their plight to have electricity, water and stable livelihood undertakings.
At present, there are very few internet providers mostly found in the capital, Kugali. Heavily reliant on only one satellite for their communications, the few internet service providers charge expensively and at limited speed and availability. This seemingly vastness of poverty extends to lack of skills and education in the field of computers, very low numbers of mobile phone users, and lack of electricity connection. Considering these three are essential to progressing in the field of information and communications technology, Rwanda’s present condition does seem dim and in dire need for connection to the rest of the developed world.
The arrival of East Africa’s fiber-optic cables is seen a step toward changing all these bleak scenario, and further boosts the Rwandan aspiration to make technology be the solid base of their other undertakings, be it economic, health and educational, basic utilities, communications and peace and order in their country.
Despite being dubbed as a too-great-a-leap for his constituents, Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame, considers the fiber-optic ring project to alleviate living conditions of the citizens. Indeed, the news of having high-speed internet opens more opportunities for this country that dreams of being the “Singapore of Africa.”
Click here for related information: BBC news
