Truths About Tech in Africa: Internet Access, Affordability (a16z Podcast)

"We often hear stats like “more people have mobile phones than toilets” about places like Africa, but what does that actually mean for people? “It is b.s.,” (no pun intended!), argues one of the guests on this episode. Then there are statistical predictions about mobile penetration and usage — for example, that there will be one mobile phone per African within just three years. But how do we make sense of such stats, in context? It may make more sense to measure household per device(s) not just per person … and whether women, too, truly have such access given power structures. Finally, since access is mainly about affordability, what good is a smartphone with an internet connection if data plans are prohibitively expensive? Watching just one 7-second YouTube video could cost a low-income African family an entire month of groceries. 

"With three experts from various backgrounds and regions of Africa — Nkiru Balonwu of international music media company Spinlet; Alan Knott-Craig of free wi-fi non-profit Project Isiszwe; and Nanjira Sambuli of Kenyan startup incubator iHub — we explore the nuances of what connectivity in Africa really means. How does this change app design? What does it mean for doing business with Africa? What does it mean for businesses in Africa trying to compete with Silicon Valley (is there really local advantage)?" Internet access, affordability--all this and more in this episode of the a16z Podcast.

Companies/organizations referenced:

Spinlet @spinlet - Music, music app (Lagos, San Francisco & Tampere) - Domain: spinlet.com

Project Isizwe @ProjectIsizwe - free wi-fi for South Africa - Domain: projectisizwe.org

iHub @iHub - Nairobi's Innovation Hub - Domain: ihub.co.ke

Tweets by @iHub

Andreessen Horowitz (domain: a16z.com) is a Silicon Valley based venture capital firm that "backs bold entrepreneurs who move fast, think big, and are committed to building the next major franchises in technology." Founders: Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. The firm "provides entrepreneurs with access to expertise and insights in innovation, executive and technical talent, market intelligence, policy and regulatory affairs, business development, and marketing and brand-building."


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DISCLAIMER

Google Wireless Service, Project Fi, $20 Monthly for Talk, Text, Wi-Fi

Google launched its wireless service, Project Fi, today, innovating in connectivity and communication (see video here), and announced particulars on its blog--excerpts and summary below (source: Google):

Project Fi --fi.google.com--Google's new technology intelligently connects to the fastest available network at your location whether it's Wi-Fi or one of its two partner LTE networks. Project Fi automatically connects to more than a million free, open Wi-Fi hotspots Google has verified as fast and reliable. Once connected, data is secured through encryption. When not on Wi-Fi, Google connects to whichever of its partner networks is delivering the fastest 4G LTE speed. Learn more about the network of networks. 

With Project Fi, your phone number lives in the cloud, so you can talk and text with your number on just about any phone, tablet or laptop. If you misplace your phone, you can stay connected using another screen. Check out how it works.

One simple plan at one price with 24/7 support: for $20 a month you get all the basics (talk, text, Wi-Fi tethering, and international coverage in 120+ countries), and then it's a flat $10 per GB for cellular data while in the U.S. and abroad. 1GB is $10/month, 2GB is $20/month, 3GB is $30/month, and so on, with credit for the full value of your unused data. Get all the details about the plan.

Project Fi's Early Access Program now available on the Nexus 6, which Google developed with Motorola and is the first smartphone that supports the hardware and software to work with Google's service. If you live where Google has coverage in the U.S., request an invite at fi.google.com to get started. (source of the above: Google)

Find out more at fi.google.com

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Internet In Cuba: Hope And Yearning For An Object Of Desire

Internet In Cuba: Hope And Yearning For An Object Of Desire

"....What you quickly find out here in Cuba is that the Internet has become an object of desire: something as rare and valuable as strawberries that everybody wants. By any measure, Cuba's Internet penetration rate is dismal. The government says that about 25 percent of Cubans have access to the Internet. But Freedom House, a watchdog that promotes freedom globally, says that number refers to Cubans who have access to a government-run intranet. According to Freedom House's experts, only about 5 percent of Cubans have access to the open Internet. That's why Facebook and the World Wide Web have become a kind of promised land. As we walk through G Street, we notice that many of the kids clutch smartphones. Out here, they're essentially useless, because the only real way to get on a Wi-Fi network is to pay $5 an hour at a tourist hotel...." (read more here)


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