According to a recent NY Times article we see that the majority of Internet traffic is expected to shift to congestion-prone mobile networks. This is creating a unique problem for the bandwidth gatekeepers. Should operators of the networks should be allowed to treat Web users differently, based on the users’ consumption? Most users would rather not see this happen. However, in reality, it is happening already. On most networks, bandwidth is regulated quite heavily. The article reads, according to the operators: Networks have never been neutral. They have always been actively managed to some extent since their inception in the... Continue reading

In a recent IT News Africa article, we learn of a plan to implement brand new fiber optic cables from capital Kigali to Gatuna border, through Uganda, Kenya and the East African coast. The article continues, "Operators in the country will be also able to link their existing fiber optic infrastructure with the pipe, to provide more affordable and reliable telecom services in Rwanda." As of this article, Rwandatel has spent close to $200,000 US dollars monthly on hiring microwave technology which has shown to be faulty and inconsistent in foul weather conditions. Fiber Optic capacity allows for a much... Continue reading

The One Laptop Per Child is a very interesting endeavor. This organization at its core wishes to distribute fully functional laptop computers to children and students in areas of the world which cannot normally afford to have them. Libya, Nigeria, Egypt, and Ethiopia, among others all have received these computers starting in 2007. The computers are bought in bulk by the respective governments at a very low price, of about $100 to $200 dollars, and then distributed to children in schools and even sometimes children outside of schools, who are economically unable to afford a computer. In a PC World... Continue reading

On today's show we delved into the following topics. Afghanistan, and the way in which the United States influences media there. Iran, and the censorship of music, along with the censorship of social networking sites such as Twitter. Pakistan and internet usage. Also, how the internet usage there is making it easier for illegal gambling to take place. As always, comments and questions are welcomed. Click here to listen! Continue reading

As of the year 2000 the amount of internet users in Pakistan has been steadily increasing. Internet usage as of the year 2005 was marked to be at about 10.5 Million, while in the following year it was predicted to be at just over 12 Million. According to this statistical analysis website we see that Internet reliability on the whole in the country is quite low. There are over 30 Internet Service Providers in which users can potentially connect. Most users in Pakistan connect to the Internet via a dial up modem, while Internet Cafes usually split one DSL connection... Continue reading

Gaming around the world is increasing. Whether it be on-line or off, people are playing games. Whether it be together or alone, people are playing games. According to this Gamespot article, the United States has seen an increase in on-line gaming of 10% just this past year alone. That is impressive, however, Korea is one such location where gaming has made the transition from hobby to way of life. More than three-quarters of households enjoy ultrafast connections to the internet in Korea. They are the connectivity kings of the world. So it would only seem natural that users there would... Continue reading

Advertising plays a large role in any countries economy. China is no exception to this, however, when dealing with advertisement in a country which is so heavily censored by the Government, you must approach the subject with a bit of skepticism. Are Chinese companies allowed to advertise as they would like? Or are they under strict censorship and only permitted to release Government approved advertisement? Are foreign companies allowed to distribute and display advertisements in China, and are they under the same level of supervision from the Chinese Government. Google, is one such company which is fighting the machine. In... Continue reading

China, with a population closing in on 1.5 billion people can be an incredibly lucrative location for an IT company looking to enter its market. Google, one of the world's most popular search engines threatened to stop it's search service in the country on Monday February 1st after the company was the target of repeated cyber attacks throughout the month of January. This can only mean more good news for Bai-Du, the Chinese search giant. Shares of Bai-Du have risen 3.7 percent to $426.83 in afternoon trading in the wake of Google's threat to stop it's search service. Google is... Continue reading