Connectivity Providers Database

Date: Sun, 11 Aug 2002 01:40:48 -0700 From: Peter Dickinson <pdickinson@mercycorps.org> To: Steven G. Huter <sghuter@nsrc.org>, Carl W. Kalbfleisch <cwk@verio.net> Cc: Randy Bush <randy@nsrc.org>, NSRC Tech Crew <nsrc@nsrc.org>, David Tagliani <tagliani@hotmail.com>,Hayley Hawes <hhawes@mercycorps.org>, Joel Jaeggli <joelja@darkwing.uoregon.edu> Subject: Internet access for NGOs Hi Steve, We have two miniVSATs in Afghanistan, one in Kabul and one in Kandahar. These installations were coordinated by David. The local service provider is www.broadbandivs.com, using Websat. They use 1.8m dish and two PCI cards. Download up to 350 KBS, upload burstable 64 KBS. Cost of dish/electronics approx. 3500 USD. Usage based pricing: 460 down and 40 up @ 200 USD per month. 910 down and 90 up, 300 USD month. Can also buy "overdraft" protection if your balance dips below 0 before end of month. (My memory on the pricing has a margin of error. :-) On David's last trip to Kabul, it appeared that their local representative was no longer on site. David and I believe that PacTec, currently in Kabul using Walker- Bentley and Hughes satellite, if I recall correctly, is probably a more prudent choice of vendors at this time. (They were not present when David set stuff up for us this spring.) Contact is Dave Pedersen (sp?). Regretably, I don't have his email address with me. You might try dave.pedersen@pactec.com if the spelling is correct. We plan to use PacTec as as the vendor for the NetHope pilot with three NGOs: CARE and Save the Children in Kabul; Mercy Corps in Taloqan. Vendor's installation costs and usage costs are comparable. For further information on NetHope, see www.nethope.org If you have any other questions, let me know. I will be plugged in Monday (GMT+7) and again on Friday. Best regards, Peter Dickinson <pdickinson@mercycorps.org>