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nairaland.net • View topic - Internet access via existing cable TV installation

Internet access via existing cable TV installation

Internet access via existing cable TV installation

Postby Richard Akindele » Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:11 pm

Internet access in Nigeria is difficult and can be expensive.

Most of Nigeria currently relies on wireless technology for connecting to the Internet. Unfortunately, wireless technology for Internet access does not work reliably. Wireless systems are adversely affected by blockage, i.e, the signal quality diminishes, the more obstables there are in the way of that wireless signal.

Nigeria is at a point now, where reliable connectivity to the Internet is paramount. Any society that wants to advance, must provide its citizens with stable means of accessing the net, and at reasonable cost.

The advanced nations rely on wireless mainly for mobile communication, such as for cellphones. Businesses and homes however, predominantly connect to the Internet through some form of hard wired technology, such as ADSL, fiber optic, cable modem, etc. These wired forms of access is one thing Nigeria currently lacks.

In the beginning, satellite was the only available method of connecting Nigeria to the rest of the Internet world. Globacom has accomplished the major feat of installing undersea cables that connect Nigeria to the Internet. However, that installation is currently not being utilized in the most ideal manner. Last mile connectivity is still predominantly wireless for most Nigerians.

What Glo-1 needs to do, is probably form an alliance with cable TV companies. Most homes in Nigeria are already wired for Cable TV. That means that the wiring is already in place.
So, adding an extra layer of service (Internet access) through the same cable TV infrastructure, should not be a major challenge.

I get three services from my cable company here in the USA: cable TV, Phone, Internet.

The cable company provides me with a modem called DOCSIS modem. This modem has hook-ups for cable TV, phone, and the Internet. So, from a single coaxial cable hook-up that comes into my home, I am able to watch TV, talk on the phone, and have an always-on Internet access. My Internet is always on, and very stable.

Another option for wired Internet, is ADSL, which involves carrying internet data through existing wired phone lines. Unfortunately, since very few Nigerian homes are wired for landlines, ADSL is not the best solution for the country.

If a stable Internet service can be provided through existing cable TV systems, most current cable TV subscribers would sign-up for that Internet service. Particularly, if they are educated about the tremendous value of having a 24/7 stable Internet, such as VOIP, running servers, sharing one connection with a whole LAN, running e-commerce stores, doing onlne banking, configuring 802.11n wifi, etc.

Education is the key to mass adoption of a new technology. My local library offers Internet classes to the public. These classes teach anything from computer/mouse use to even office products like wordprocessors, spreadsheets, etc. These kinds of classes help particularly the older generation adopt new technology. We need this as well in Nigeria.

A mass adoption of Internet access via cable TV systems, would significantly bring down the cost of subscription for the individual. The farther the price falls, the more people who would be able to afford it. This is good for the subscribers, for the cable/ADSL comapnies, and very good for Globacom. Also, at some point, faster Internet may become necessary, as the current glo-1 system is overloaded.

This would boost the Information Technology business in Nigeria, and provide employment for a lot of Nigerians.

The framework is there for a really big business opportunity. Now what is left is for Globacom to make the first move of aligning with the cable companies.

The cable TV companies could conduct feasibility studies about how cable TV companies do it overseas to provide Internet access through existing coax cables. They can then lease lines from Globacom, for deployment to their current cable TV customers.

Internet access is a necessity today. So every Nigerian, should have access, no matter their income level. The whole nation needs to graduate to true broadband Internet connectivity. Depending on you ask, broadband can be defined as 4Mbps (USA FCC), 2Mbps (EU), 1.5Mbps (Canada).

The vast majority of Nigerians today cannot watch youtube videos, since our Internet is still at dial-up speeds. This is quite pathetic, since video websites are such a tremendous source of education and entertainmemt, that never existed before. Video rental is fast becoming a thing of the past now with the advent of smart TVs. People simply stream movies to their homes from services such as Netflix, Hulu+, youtube, etc.

Furthermore, there are people making six figure salaries from their youtube videos. Basically, the more people that watch your video, the more money google pays you. Nigerians are missing out on this massive stream of income, due to a lack of broadband Internet.

Nigeria needs to step into the newage and provide broadband Internet at reasonable cost to everybody. In my view, braodband is the Internet speed that allows you to stream online videos to your computer without buffering.
Richard Akindele
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