High speed connectivity is crucial for universities in the conduct of teaching, learning, research and administration (see fiber possibilities) .The overwhelming majority of academic institutions in African countries still rely on satellite connectivity that is very expensive and has constraints of low bandwidth and latency. Download Document

International Bandwidth by 2011

Coupled with lack of financial resources, this leads to marginalization of Africa based researchers and educators who cannot exploit their full potential within the knowledge society. Access to fibre connectivity is regarded by the UbuntuNet Alliance as the main route out of the current bandwidth challenges.

Successful deployment of optical fibre networks requires investment across the whole supply chain including

1. international connectivity to the rest of the world,

2. regional or cross- border back hauls that interconnect countries,

3. national backbone that extend access to

4. major towns, and

5. last mile connection to the universities.

Significant progress, in terms of financing closure and actual implementation, has been made in bringing international submarine fibre connectivity to Africa and building national backbones; but progress in regional and cross-border connectivity remains very slow due to differences in political, regulatory and economic environments among African countries. The establishment of National Research and Education Networks has stimulated interests in last mile connectivity to the universities in Africa in recent years, but the policy and regulatory environments are not clear with regards to university’ ownership and operation of fibre links. This paper looks at the overall supply chain of fibre connectivity to the Universities in the UbuntuNet region. Visit site