Kenya has faster mobile internet speed than US.

[RV Pundit]

Glad your Wikipedia quote Akamai - because here is the latest from Akamai - 2016. Kenya is ranked 23 globally - we are averaging 15mbps - with likes of Jamii chepkwony talking big game - we could be doing 1Gbps by 2020!

Pundit is pulling a Mwale on us:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Internet_connection_speeds

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

I missed this one too.  I think I am now used to a slower forum.  Those are interesting numbers.  There is a caveat though, I think, in what akamai is measuring and the methodology.  I have heard that you tend to get slower readings with their methodolody than what is actually available, in a country like the US because they use a lot of streaming services. 

When I run speedtest on my cellphone, I tend to get download numbers between 20 MB and 30 MB, with uploads going at about 10MB for 4G.  It might be slower if I am in the countryside.  And I am on the slowest of the major cellphone networks.  Last I measured, normal broadband(on cable) is about 150 MB downloads, and 30 something MB uploads.

[Nefertiti]

I missed this one too.  I think I am now used to a slower forum.  Those are interesting numbers.  There is a caveat though, I think, in what akamai is measuring and the methodology.  I have heard that you tend to get slower readings with their methodolody than what is actually available, in a country like the US because they use a lot of streaming services. 

When I run speedtest on my cellphone, I tend to get download numbers between 20 MB and 30 MB, with uploads going at about 10MB for 4G.  It might be slower if I am in the countryside.  And I am on the slowest of the major cellphone networks.  Last I measured, normal broadband(on cable) is about 150 MB downloads, and 30 something MB uploads.

Why are downloads faster? -are they aided by gravity?

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

I missed this one too.  I think I am now used to a slower forum.  Those are interesting numbers.  There is a caveat though, I think, in what akamai is measuring and the methodology.  I have heard that you tend to get slower readings with their methodolody than what is actually available, in a country like the US because they use a lot of streaming services. 

When I run speedtest on my cellphone, I tend to get download numbers between 20 MB and 30 MB, with uploads going at about 10MB for 4G.  It might be slower if I am in the countryside.  And I am on the slowest of the major cellphone networks.  Last I measured, normal broadband(on cable) is about 150 MB downloads, and 30 something MB uploads.

Why are downloads faster? -are they aided by gravity?

Never thought of it like that.  But that is almost apt.  There is more bandwidth allocated for downloads(pull requests) than uploads(push requests).  There is nothing intrinsically faster about a download though.  It's purely a decision of the companies that own the bandwidth, informed by typical usage.

[MOON Ki]

Kenya well on it's way to becoming the tech capital of Africa - if you combine what M-pesa is doing as next payment platform with kenya investment in broadband..then clearly Kenya is going place.

Future investment like the Kenya school digital programme and laying fiber to every school - means next generation of kenyans may become the global leader of tech.

Perhaps.   As things stand, the global leaders of tech actually do relatively poorly on your chosen parameter, but there is little reason to believe that they will soon lose their leadership or that the "mobile" hotshots will quickly rise up the ladder.

Globalcitizen might be rough-and-ready in his language, but the essence of his comments are on the mark: as much as we love it, a place like Kenya means nothing on the global ICT scene.   Things like M-PESA will arouse some curiosity ....  but see my comment at the end.

I missed this one too.  I think I am now used to a slower forum.  Those are interesting numbers.  There is a caveat though, I think, in what akamai is measuring and the methodology.  I have heard that you tend to get slower readings with their methodolody than what is actually available, in a country like the US because they use a lot of streaming services. 

Also, a great deal depends on what one wishes to look at and the significance that one attaches to it--e.g. what proportion of people use what, to what extent, where they are located, etc..   Those figures causing excitement are for "mobile" connections, and I don't find it surprising that Kenya, where mobile is probably the main option, does relatively well on that score, especially given that all sorts have been working to improve internet access in the country. 

To the extent that one might relate internet connectivity to the national economy, I'd rather look at connectivity speeds and broadband adoption.   In that regard:

* South Korea, which is probably the most connected place in the world, is No. 1 in the Q1 2017 figures.   But it ranks below Kenya on "mobile".

* Singapore is another heavily connected place.   On the "connectivity speed and broadband", it is No. 7.   But on "mobile", it is well below Kenya.

* The USA is No. 8 on "connectivity speed and broadband".

* Kenya is "above" Israel, Taiwan, etc. on "mobile"

Etc.

Is Kenya doing well on the internet front?   Definitely.  And good for the Motherland.  But, for all sorts of reasons, I would not extrapolate too much from that.   Partly because of historical reasons---language, "island in ocean of mindless mayhem", etc.---Kenya has long been a "nice" place for all sorts to experiment, a place to keep a foot in if one must have a foot "there", etc.   For example, the much-praised M-PESA is not so much a reflection of Kenya ICT ingenuity as it of a willingness to allow experimentation by Vodafone.

As for the next Kenyan generation, I'd rather first feed them, make sure that schooling infrastructures were up to scratch, ensure that they don't die from "small diseases", etc.   To my mind, if they are fit and healthy, mentally and physically---or even just alive!---they can afford to do without a few years of gadgets.

[Omollo]

I have not bothered to get in to this diversion but something is definitely wrong somewhere. I can't put my finger on it yet

I was in Sweden when the country heavily invested in fibre optics. The amounts spent were huge and easily the budgets of a few African countries combined. I witnessed the same in the rest of the Nordic countries (Finland, Iceland, Denmark) as they rolled out the infrastructure to even lightly populated villages.

I witnessed the same  in Switzerland and France.

Then it came to rolling out the 3 G network and Germany charged a hefty fee. Sweden shocked the world by awarding the license for a total of 0 (ZERO Kronor). They explained that they chose the company based on the viability of the plans and cost was a major factor. They wanted the provider to have enough money to deliver and not to recover the money from consumers by raising rates and defeating the entire purpose of the innovation - to connect people, that is. It was a shocker around the world.

So you want to tell me, Kenya without investing a coin and while robbing citizen blue through the providers (safaricom being the greatest highwayman) has somehow managed to beat the world?!!!

I notice Moon Ki's more sober post making a clear distinction between cable and mobile. Mobile networks are as helpful and reliable as Kenya Power Company electricity during a storm.

[MOON Ki]

Go slow on the french and the insults.It make you look more stupid than usual. I guess you never heard of Jubilees Online Ajira - which is now mainstream - where GOK is looking at training 100,000 on BPO opportunities.

https://www.ajiradigital.go.ke/

We've already done Ajira.    But if I may ask: exactly what sort of training are providing, and how many people have they trained do far?   One of the reasons I ask is that I am supposed to be one of their trainers.   If you recall, I got quite "excited" by the opportunities being offered by Ajira and registered with them, as a job seeker.   

This thread:   http://www.nipate.org/index.php?topic=3925.0

I never heard anything of the promised lucrative BPO jobs, but I did get asked if I would be willing to train someone, who, "like" me, was probably "unemployed" but really unemployed.   There was no offer of payment with the request.

Looking at their webpage just now, here is the training deal:

The training is a ONE WEEK LONG training bootcamp being carried out in the month of June. All sessions will start 8:00am to 17:00 DAILY for 5 days. You will need to be available for ALL 5 days to graduate and receive a certificate for the training. The Training Sessions available will be on the below dates:

    Week 1: Monday 5th June to Friday 9th June
    Week 2: Monday 12th June to Friday 16th June
    Week 3: Monday 19th June to Friday 23rd June
    Week 4: Monday 26th June to Friday 30th June
    Week 5: Monday 3rd July to Friday 7th July (only for Kisumu, Nakuru and Mombasa)

https://www.ajiradigital.go.ke/training/faqs

All over the country.

They will certainly rack up large numbers fairly quickly, but how many of those will be ready for the "BPO opportunities" after the week of "bootcamp training", even if they "graduate and receive a certificate for the training"?

It's like children playing a game called "Country": this little kid is the "minister/CS" for that and is doing whatever, that other kid is in a similar position has "initiatives" for the other, and so on. 

[Nefertiti]

Why are downloads faster? -are they aided by gravity?

Never thought of it like that.  But that is almost apt.  There is more bandwidth allocated for downloads(pull requests) than uploads(push requests).  There is nothing intrinsically faster about a download though.  It's purely a decision of the companies that own the bandwidth, informed by typical usage.

Getting on or off the busy highway. Ulizo la utani.

[RV Pundit]

This didn't not happen by chance. Kenya less than 10yrs ago had slow internet that relied on two main sat station - one in Gilgil & Kericho - owned by Telkom - then Bitange Ndemo happened - and soon enough we had 3 undersea cable connecting kenya through Mombasa - Teams, Seacom, Eassy and I think couple more have been added or capacity lighten -- that pretty much sorted our international bandwidth. Then there has been ferocious investment of fiber around the country - first through GOK -  which connected every district in kenya including turkana with fiber - then likes of Kenya power did the same on their power lines - and then pretty much small companies dug up every corner of Nairobi & Mombasa and laid fiber -- some big players now include Jamii, Safaricom & Liquid (KDN formerly) - all have invested huge amount of billions in this. Pretty much you can get fiber in nearly every town in Kenya - and soon enough GoK is talking of taking fiber to every school - and Kenya Power at least in Nairobi have laid Zuku's coaxical cables along power lines.

Kenya is shinning in matters tech .. from m-pesa to broadband to incubator hubs...we are certainly far ahead from sub-sahara standards and are starting to pop up globally.

Right now with 1.2M tablets for every kid  coupled with fiber & electricity to every school - we are at cusp of something big - certainly next generation of kenyans will be among the most tech savvy worldwide.

As regard mobile broadband - 4G - was given out for "free" to Safaricom - they in turn invested 15B to set up security cameras/number plate recognition in Nairobi & Mombasa worth 15b...now Jubilee want this done in other major towns too. Jammi telcom have got 4-5G license for trial and soon we will have crazy speeds.

This things don't just happen..you need visionaries like Bitange Ndemo (as opposed to Dr Ndiis) and of course huge billions of investment.

Now with Jubilee vision of getting fiber to every school - which will be few meters from every home - we may soon become one of first country in the world to do that - I mean even US only lays fiber on main cities..but many rural areas including some few Kms from New York don't even have 2G network leave alone internet.
 

I have not bothered to get in to this diversion but something is definitely wrong somewhere. I can't put my finger on it yet

I was in Sweden when the country heavily invested in fibre optics. The amounts spent were huge and easily the budgets of a few African countries combined. I witnessed the same in the rest of the Nordic countries (Finland, Iceland, Denmark) as they rolled out the infrastructure to even lightly populated villages.

I witnessed the same  in Switzerland and France.

Then it came to rolling out the 3 G network and Germany charged a hefty fee. Sweden shocked the world by awarding the license for a total of 0 (ZERO Kronor). They explained that they chose the company based on the viability of the plans and cost was a major factor. They wanted the provider to have enough money to deliver and not to recover the money from consumers by raising rates and defeating the entire purpose of the innovation - to connect people, that is. It was a shocker around the world.

So you want to tell me, Kenya without investing a coin and while robbing citizen blue through the providers (safaricom being the greatest highwayman) has somehow managed to beat the world?!!!

I notice Moon Ki's more sober post making a clear distinction between cable and mobile. Mobile networks are as helpful and reliable as Kenya Power Company electricity during a storm.

[Globalcitizen12]

Tablets are bullshit.. I have 6 tablets in my house and they haven't improved my kids tech skills. There is nothing in computing as unreliable as a table.. Kenya should have spent the money equipping computer labs and just buy 10 laptops and 10 desk tops per school. An Android phone is more reliable than a tablet.

[RV Pundit]

Just admit you're too old and cannot keep up technology. Desktop & Laptops are going extinct. Most of new laptops are tablets...with tiny screen and keyboards..but you do most stuff by touch. Computer Lab is so 90s.

Tablet are cheap and easy to deploy - it's the future - in org that I work for - we are equipping our staff with tablets - not laptops. We have to train them..in the future..we won't need to..they'd have use tablets all their lives.

Like Uhuru told NASA - Computer Labs & text book are last century ideas - this century idea is to buy kids tablet, wire their school to fiber so they can get online content and have e-books loaded to their tabs.

We have to follow Estonia example and dream big.

Tablets are bullshit.. I have 6 tablets in my house and they haven't improved my kids tech skills. There is nothing in computing as unreliable as a table.. Kenya should have spent the money equipping computer labs and just buy 10 laptops and 10 desk tops per school. An Android phone is more reliable than a tablet.

[Nefertiti]

MOON Ki = Dr Doom

[Omollo]

MOON Ki = Dr Doom

Unapenda ushari na uchokozi wewe?