The scope of Africa’s economic boom, together with the success of South Africa-based civil engineering firms in projects north of our borders, has created a pressing need for firms and individuals to collaborate better on projects, sometimes on several projects at once. This is becoming more and more easy in Africa as Internet access improves across the continent – mobile networks all over, fibre coverage growing, undersea cables providing ultra-low latency, high capacity connections to information services all over the world. At the same time, intelligent and autonomous actuators and sensors are forming an “Internet of Things”, inter-connected Cloud services allow data to be aggregated and sliced and diced cheaply and quickly, and video communications allows people all over the world to interact with each other and visit remote sites without having to leave their desks. What is the best way to connect people and sites across the continent? What technologies are available? What’s changed, what’s new? What do you connect, and how do you connect it?

1. Cross-Continent Collaboration
Possibilities As Africa’s
Internet Technology Advances
Roger Hislop
Internet Solutions

2. We can reach around the world without even trying.

3. But distances are real.

4. Out with the old.

5. In with the not even terribly new.

6. Microwave
Any number of flavours
Relatively cheap, fast, high latency.
Future? New satellites and
constellations with ~100ms RTT
and Gbps speeds
Satellite
Several options, from big teleport-
based links to on-premise VSAT.
Expensive, slow, high latency.
Future? New satellites and
constellations with ~100ms RTT
and Gbps speeds

7. In with the new.

8. Mobile
Basic EDGE, or 3G, or LTE
Expensive, slow, moderate latency.
Future? LTE has promise, and ubiquitous
Wi-Fi
Off-the-shelf, flexible, well understood
Cheap, fast(ish), but unlicensed.
Future? Licensing in many African
countries could be more flexible, and
interference will only increase

9. Low(ish) frequency, long distance, shared spectrum

10. Pick a bit of a country, any bit.

11. Small. Powerful. Infinitely flexible.

13. You’re going to be doing a lot more of these.

15. What do you want to sense today?

16. We must not forget about the bad guys.

17. The future is faster, smoother, better.

18. The future is what we make it.

19. Discussion…