The SAT-3 submarine communications cable — which runs from Europe down Africa's west coast — is currently monopolised by a consortium of state-owned and private telecommunications providers in different countries, and pricing structures have been the subject of criticism.
That monopoly ends in June, which could open up internet access for west African nations.
"In our universities you've got 18,000 students and 1,000 teachers using the same amount of bandwidth as an American household," said Sawyerr at a conference on African development at the UK-based Open University last week (16–17 May).
"The more people that use it, the slower it works. And because of the monopoly pricing in Africa, that university will pay 50 times more per unit than the American household."
"The monopolies run out in June and it is very important that before our governments renew their licenses we persuade them that these companies could give away a portion of their lines at a discounted rate to us," Sawyerr said.
clipped from: www.scidev.net