Wow...
If I follow your train of logic none of us should ever invest in equipment because it is always getting cheaper and better. I still use an old IBM ThinkPad because it works. But again you are missing the point... people in the remote and rural villages DO NOT have access to buy the cheap technology you are talking about nor are they clamoring for it as they do not know how to use it. I am not underestimating their skills or intelligence, but it seems obvious to me that you have an Nairobian perspective.
Equipment breakdown is covered under the maintenance plan and our field volunteers have tech training. In terms of security, the kiosks are community owned. It is the community's responsibility to keep them safe. Would you refuse to own a car just because it has a risk of being stolen? This is also what insurance is for.
It seems as though it is easy to try to find faults and poke holes, but what tangible solutions have others on this list come up with? I can answer questions all day, no problem, but honestly people love to complain that there is high unemployment, high poverty, and a lack of local content, but when someone is trying to resolve the issues all we get is more complaints. Not very encouraging, now is it?
Crystal
P.S. Happy holidays...
On Mon, Dec 28, 2009 at 3:56 PM,
<ashok+skunkworks@parliaments.info> wrote:
On Mon, Dec 28, 2009 at 1:22 PM, Crystal Watley Kigoni
<
crystal@voicesofafrica.org> wrote:
> Dear Alex,
> a) No other capital necessary other than human capital :)
> b) The monthly cost of 128/512+ satellite access on Astra2Connect Triple
> Play with IPTV and VoIP is $100 per month. This price wil be reduced when
> the O3B network is launched.
of mobile modems drops ... and the price of internet access via the
modems drops too ? What will happen to the kiosks ?
Secondly, in many rural areas the logistics is a bigger problem ...
equipment breakdown, vandalization (having a fixed kiosk with
expensive equipment makes it a sitting duck ), support and service
etc...
With a mobile modem infrastructure cost is very low (laptop + mobile
modem) .. and replacement cost is limited to either a modem or a
laptop
I think you are underestimating people in rural areas that they may
require formal training... i dont think anyone was trained how to use
a mobile phone or a service like m-pesa ?
--
Crystal "Naliaka" Watley Kigoni
Voices of Africa for Sustainable Development
crystal@voicesofafrica.org
http://www.voicesofafrica.org/"You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi