Connectivity Providers Database

Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2000 09:13:58 +0200 GMT From: Antonio Godinho <antonio@nambu.uem.mz> To: Steven G. Huter <sghuter@nsrc.org>, Karl Kurien <kkurien@nsrc.org> Subject: Re: State of the Internet in Mozambique > 1) Could you please provide a brief technical description of your > networking environment (operating systems, networking software, > hardware) etc., including the connectivity of Eduardo Mondlane > University to the Internet ? At the University we have a mixed networking environment. There are servers running Redhat linux 6.0, Solaris 2.6, Solaris 2.4, Novell Netware 4.1, Windows NT 4.0, BSDI 4.0, HP-UX 9.04 and 10.20. For workstations we use mostly windows 95/98. For the ISP part we use also access routers from Portmaster and a pool of modems. For routing we use cisco routers, mostly 2500 series and some 1600 series. Since the University is scattered all over the city in different campuses and Administration buildings we have put up a wireless network to interconnect them. At the moment this network only connects the main campus to the Administration building downtown. The university has it's own link to the Internet through a Satellite connection to the US. This link is a shared link of 1Mbps downlink and 256 Kbps Uplink. > 2) Could you please provide a description of Mozambique's > international connectivity to the global Internet - upstream > provider(s), international bandwidth of the link(s), etc. ? The University as described above is connected to the US to Lyman Brothers and apart from the University there are only two other providers that are connected to the outside. These providers are the local PTT and Teledata. ISP in MZ Link Type Bandwidth Upstream ISP POP location ========= ======== ======== =========== ============ TDM SAT 512K Lyman Goonhilly? Teledata SAT 192K Marconi Portugal University SAT 1M - 256K Lyman Goonhilly-US Tropical net Leased 128K TDM Maputo Virconn Leased 128K+64K TDM MAputo EMIL Leased 64K TDM Maputo This are the main ISP's. There are some others but I don't have any information of those and they are too small with only a few hundred or less than hundred customers. As can be seen from above the rest of the ISP that aren't connected by satellite are connected to the TDM (local PTT). The TDM only provides services to the ISP's and not to end users. > 3) What is the current cost of a 64k leased line IP connection > in Mozambique (including dedicated line charges to the telco) ? The current cost is about US$400.00 for only the leased line and another US$400.00 for internet access (At the University). The cost of the leased line however depends on the distance between the two points. > 4) How about wireless connectivity ? What services are currently > available, what equipment is used, and how is current pricing > structured for wireless IP service ? We have a dedicated wireless solution offered by the university to some customers. This solution is proprietary from CSIR in South Africa and the routers for each outstation are ordered from South Africa. The equipment consists of a PC running FreeBSD and having a wireless card and a ethernet card and these PC's communicate through antennas, either omni-directional or directional provided there is a line of sight. The link speed is 2Mbps. The current pricing for this type of equipment is around US$5000.00 for each point of access (PC + antenna) and the monthly connection charge of around US$400.00. > 5) Is Internet connectivity available outside of Maputo ? Do any > secondary cities, or rural areas, currently have any access ? Yes. There are now POP's present in most provincial capitals. these are provided by Teledata. there is also access from other areas through normal dial-up connections through phonelines to any of the providers. There are now two telecentres that have been put up and are connected to the University. This is a pilot project being managed by the university to study the sustainability of telecentres in rural areas so as to go ahead with more if positive. > 6) What do you see as the prospects for Internet growth in MZ; > what would help it, and what are currently the major obstacles ? I think Internet growth in Mozambique could be better if the infrastructure so allowed. Basically the main obstacles are poor communication infrastructures and high prices of the same. Cheers, Antonio Godinho B.Sc., MCP, MCP+Internet, MCSE Address:Av. Julius Nyerere 947 3rd floor esq Maputo - Mozambique Phone : 258-1-490860 e-mail : ANTONIO@nambu.uem.mz