N.B. - Special thanks to Lishan Adam for compiling the country reports to make this document. Subject: Connectivity in Africa Situation of the connectivity in African countries Situation de la connectivite dans les pays africains July/juillet 1996 This document presents the situation of connectivity in each African country represented at the INET'96 conference. The participants have been asked to present very briefly the current situation and the future plans in their respective countries and their reports have been merged to form the below document. The reports have been presented in their original version (this is why you find some of them in English and the others in French). 1. BENIN Participants AGBAHOLOU Louis, OPT Cotnou, Benin ASSOGBA K. Marc, College Polytechnique Universitaire. Universite Nationale du Benin Cotonou, Benin Existants Principales arteres numerisees. Autocommutateurs numerises. Fibre Optique a Cotonou. Transmission de donnees Videotex. Reseau de transmission des donnees (BENINPAC). Internet Noeud d'acces FULL IP a 64 kb/s (OPT Cotonou ) Reseau REFER a l'Universite Nationale du Benin. 2. BURKINA FASO Mission Members: Zongo, Sylvain Congo, Felix Ouedraogo, Adolphe Ouattara, Soumaila Nana, Leonard Internet Situation 1. Now (Actuellement) E-mail : UUCP (ORSTOM) E-mail : REFER-INTERNET (SYFED) 2. Future (Prochainement) 64 Kbps IP connection (ONATEL) scheduling: July (Juillet) 1996 Data (Contenu) : University, Health Care (Sante), Regional Health Care project (sante) Environment (Environnement) Culture : FESPACO, SIAO National Phone Directory (Annuaire Telephonique) Actors (Acteurs): DELGI : Computing General Delegation of Burkina Faso University of Ouagadougou and CUPB (Centre Universitaire Polytechnique de Bobo) ONATEL ( National Telecommunications operator) FESPACO CONAGES MBDA CENATRIN ORSTOM SYFED Co-operation : G7, Europa 3. CAMEROUN Participants Dr. Lot TCHEEKO Dr. Emmanuel TONYE Dr. Paul Martin LOLO Mr. Jacques MOUGAN Le Cameroun dispose d'un reseau a commutation par paquet (CAMPAC) ayant des acces au NTI de Paris. Actuellement, l'Universite de Yaounde I s'est dote d'un reseau de campus a base de technologie Ethernet sur des supports en fibre optique et du materiel SUN dans les points de terminaison. L'approche securitaire a ete prise en compte par le redoublement des serveurs. Ce reseau est relie a l'Internet via un serveur de messagerie en UUCP/X25 installe et administre par l'ecole Polytechnique. Avant la fin de l annee, la connectivite totale sur Internet sera realise par la mise en place d'une ligne a 64 Kb. Par ailleurs l'ecole Polytechnique abrite deux autres serveurs de messagerie en Fidonet/RTC: Healthnet et Camfido, non encore relies au reseau de Campus. Enfin l'ecole Polytechnique abrite le point SYFED du reseau de l'AUPELF-UREF. Cet environnement comprenant deux serveurs SS20, six stations Spark, vingt terminaux X type NCD19r repartis dans deux salles en libre service, des micro-ordinateurs de type PC, permet ainsi a l Universite de Yaounde I d'offrir un cadre approprie pour des formations nationales et regionales. Une autre consequence de l'utilisation de cet environnement est la participation de l'ecole Polytechnique a deux projets internationaux: le projet de tele-enseignement distant soutenu par la Communaute Europeenne et le projet RDD (Reseau de Developpement Durable) soutenu par la Banque Mondiale et le PNUD. 4. COTE D'IVOIRE Situation Internet Pas d'acces "FULL IP" propose par les trois principaux fornisseurs: - Le plus ancien, ORSTOM/INSET- Yamoussokro qui gere le domaine CI ( E-Mail UUCP), - SYFED a Abidjan qui propose E-Mail et WEB - SICTOR propose des services Compuserve sur le reseau SITA. Les acces a l'Internet se font par IP/X25 a 9600 bps. Apres une reflexion nationale sur les Autoroutes ivoiriennes de l'information qui a dure 6 mois des actions a court terme ont ete retenues, parmi lesquelles la connection a l'Internet par une liaison a haut debit (64 kbps). La CI-TELCOM a commence les amenagements de sa station terrienne dans ce sens. La creation d'une fondation Internet est aussi a l'etude. 5. ETHIOPIA Participants: Lishan Adam, Dawit Bekele Telecommunications: Public Dial up, VSAT, digital and analogue leased lines of maximum capacity 64Kbps. Telecom owned by government. Connectivity: Fidonet operational since 1990 User base estimated to >2000 Installed sites >600 UUCP link to Wolfnet since March 1996 Major actors PADIS, CABECA Future plans: BITE (Bringing Internet to Ethiopia) plans to set up an IP link. The National Telecom finalised a deal with Sprint to put in full IP link as of August. PADIS plans to upgrade its current uucp connection to full IP once granted a license by the PT&T. 6. GABON Participants Gabonais: Guebo Antoine, Telecommunications Internationales Gabonaises (TIG) Ndombi Simon Pierre, Direction Generale de l'Informatique (DGI) Issoufou Mamadou, Institut Africain d'Informatique (IAI) 1) Existant 1.1 Telecom Principales arteres numerisees; Autocommutateurs numeriques; Couverture nationale par le reseau domestique EQUASAT (segment spatial INTELSAT); Fibre optique a Libreville. 1.2 Transmission des donnees et Videotex Reseau national de transmission des donnees (GABONPAC) avec un acces international (X.75) a 9,6 kb/s; Passerelle telematique (COMTEL) relie les serveurs videotex nationaux a travers le reseau GABONPAC; Services Telematiques accessibles par Minitel [Annuaire telephonique, administratif (TELEMI), Messagerie national, Services bancaires, Horaires de vol, etc...]. COMTEL est interconnecte a Teletel France (3619 code Gabon). 1.3 Internet * Acces IP/X.25 du Centre International de Recherche Medical de Franceville (CIRMF); Messagerie et WWW sur la primatologie (singes, chimpanzes, ...); * Refer a l'Universite Omar Bongo (UOB); 2) Projets 2.1 Arteres de communication * Liaison X.75 a 64Kb/s en Aout 96; * Noeud d'acces en FULL IP a 64Kb/s par la TIG en Aout 96; 2.2 Serveurs * SDNP: Reseau National de Developpement Durable subdivise en 8 sous reseaux representatifs des secteurs prioritaires (Education/Recherche, Culture, Environnement, Commerce et Tourisme, Media, etc...) co-finance par l'etat Gabonais et le PNUD; * Information Scientique et Technique (IST) par la Cooperation francaise; * RIO a l'IAI; * RINAF; * PRGIE: finance par la Banque Mondiale pour les six pays de l'Afrique Centrale. 7. GAMBIA Three networks: GAMNETS - an X25 packet switched network operated by the Gambia Telecommunications Ltd GAMTEL. Connected to TYMNET in the UK and operate a COMPUSERVE franchise. Services offered include e-mail, WEB and online bulletin board services. HEALTHNET Gambia - A Fidonet node with over 30 points. Primarily serves the health community. Services include e-mail, echomail (conferences) and literature search. GHAISNET - a Fidonet node polled from UK by GreenNet. Used by the environmental protection agency. Plans afoot to introduce full IP connectivity probably connecting to Senegal. 8. GUINEE TELECOM Projet d'installation d'une liaison 64 Kbit/s pour Juillet 96. Internet Reseau RIO de l'ORSTOM Reseau SYFED (Aupelf Uref) Liaison satellite pour US-AID Acces Telephonique sur Serveur UUCP (GuineeNET) dans le cadre du projet INFODEV de la Banque Mondiale sur les Etats Unis Connexion avec Universite de Conakry - ONG et Prives Projet d'extension : Universite de Kankan et tropis etablissement d'enseignement superieur. Reseau de l'Administration, Ministeres, Directions Enseignement et distance NB: Toutes les communications sont taxees sur une base locale. 9. KENYA 15 commercial & public providers co-exist in Kenya. ARCC was the first NGO to provide full IP (9600 bps). Now at least 2 commercial ISP offer full IP (64 Kbps). Other ISP have also applied for 64 K lines. KPTC has launched its Internet service (KenStream - 2x 64 Kbps on copper) recently but it is not clear if they will just offer the pipe or full services to the end-users. 10. LESOTHO E-mail (UUCP - dial-up to Rhodes univ. SA) only exists at the university campus. Individuals are also calling ISP in SA. There is a proposal to have a 64 Kbps line for full IP. 11. MADAGASCAR Internet 3 Reseaux : Reseau RIO de l'ORSTOM. Liaison UUCP avec Orstom France sur X25 Reseau SYFED (Aupelf Uref). IP/X25 (9600 bps) DTS Filiale de Telecom Malagasy et France Cable Radio (Full-IP VSAT 64KB) 12. MALI Prep. par: Ousmane A. SECK (Sotelma) Mamadou DIAMOUTANI (Orstom) Assa SIMBARA (Bintta-SA) Oumar Kanoute (Bintta-SA) Alpha MAIGA (Cerpod) Oumar DOUCOURE(IER) Eric STEVANCE(Bintta-SA) 1. Situation Internet au MALI: L'operateur des telecoms "SOTELMA" (Ste des telecommunications du Mali), en collaboration avec l'Usaid (dans le cadre du projet 'Initiative Leland'), va bientot installer un noeud national d'acces a Internet avec un debit de 128 Kbps (ext. a 512Kbps voir 2Mbps) dans les mois a venir. La connexion sera du full IP avec tous les services et une cooperation est prevue de concert avec les potentiels fournisseurs de service. Actuellement il existe un reseau de donnees Malipac exploite par Sotelma. 2. Fournisseurs de Services: Orstom: UUCP sur X25(Malipac) a 9600 bps; Bintta: Malinet,UUCP sur X25(Malipac) a 9600 bps; Toolnet (repr. par une ONG); Calcom (repr. par Burotics Service). 13. MAURITANIE Situation actuelle Quelques ONG ont des lignes specialisees a bas debit. 3 a 4 organismes financiers ont des boites aux lettres a Paris qu'elles consultent en utilisant des lignes RTC. Projets: Installation d'un noeud national (court terme) Installation d'un centre SYFED de l'AUPELF / UREF Projets de connexions (administration, Universite, fournisseurs de services) 14. MAURITIUS (ILE MAURICE) Status of telecom infrastructures Digital communication technology: ISDN, X25, Fiber Optic, Digital Switches, Backbone (SONET) Analogue communications technology: Dial up access, Satellite links (Intelsat) Internet Services Providers Carrier Company: Mauritius Telecom Parastatal Bodies: Mauritius Network devices (MNS), Export Processing Zone Development Authority (EPZDA) Internet Status Mauritius Telecom has established dedicated X25 link operating at 64 Kbits with France telecom. The Internet link is thus via the french TRANSPAC. The BW of the link is likely to increase in the future. The University of Mauritius has established an X25 dedicated link with Mauritius Telecom to provide full Internet connection on the campus. The current speed is 19.2 Kbps. The University will play a key role in supporting future Internet development in the country in general. 15. NAMIBIA Univ. of Namibia pioneered e-mail service via UniNet SA. When enough users shown interest in full IP & enough $ was available, an NGO operating on donated time by several people, decided to get a 9600 bps leased line to SA. This line will soon be updated to 19.2 Kbps. Unlimited full IP only cost 10$/mo! Now that the NGO has initiated enough interest for private investors (ISP) to take off, it will release the service to them and concentrate on building the national network. Excellent example to follow! 16. NIGERIA Compuserve & other private ISP are already operating full IP, plus other e-mail only (Fido & UUCP). There is a proposal from the government to collaborate with the private sector to build the national network for non-profit inst. 17. SENEGAL Telecommunications Reseau Numerique , RTC, X25, ISDN VN4, Centraux Numeriques E10B (Alcatel) et EWSD (Siemens) Reseau de transmission numerise ( Fibre Optique, FH Numerique, Cables MICs) Internet Depuis 1992, Offre de service E-mail par UUCP par ORSTOM sur debit faible (1200, 2400, 4800 ou 9600 bit/s). De nombreuses ONGs disposent de connexions indivuelles encapsulees pour utiliser le E-mail. En Mars 1996, mise en place de point d'acces avec connectivite Full IP par la societe nationale des telecommunications (SONATEL). Offre de connexion Dialup ( SLIP ou PPP) jusqu'a 28.8 Kbit/s. Offre de connexion IP sur liaison a 64 Kbit/s pour les entreprises et les providers. Connexion X25 et ISDN disponible mais non commercialise. Une institution est deja connectee a 64 Kbit/s (AUPELF ). Web Server: www.refer.sn Un ISP a deja une connection 64 Kbit/s ( Arc Informatique) UNE DIZAINE DE DEMANDES DE CONNEXION EST EN COURS DE REALISATION. 18. TANZANIA I. Present Situation Tanzania has four major e-mail service providers. The service currently being provided is based on Fido technology. The providers include : Tanzania commission for science and Technology (COSTECH) Computer center of the University of Dar-es-Salam (UNIDAR) Healthnet Based at the Mulhimbili University college of Health Sciences. Marie Node Located in the northern city of Arusha, Tanzania. In addition to the above providers, Tanzanians living abroad have established their network called TANZANET. They co-ordinate their activities through Tanzanet board with its current chairman based in California, USA. There are also about four commercial service providers operating. These include Tanzania online and CyberTwiga. II. Future plans The Tanzania communication commission, a government body for regulating communication aspects has given 4 private companies licenses to be official data carrier providers. SITA is one of them. The commercial e-mail providers intend to get IT connectivity by the end of this year through leased lines from the carrier providers. UNIDAR is in its final stages of getting a 64 Kbps VSAT which will connect them to South Africa. COSTECH is executing a RINAF project to establish a national gateway for scientific based institutions. Establishment of a National Electronic Communication Network is underway. A national Network Plan is being prepared. It is the intention of the above national providers to increase the user base nationally. An association of electronic communication user group for Tanzania is in its early stages of being formed. 19. TCHAD Participant Mr Berneal MADJIREBAYE Situation Internet En dehors des activites de la SITA, le Tchad se presente comme un terrain completement vierge du point de vue de sa connectivite a l'INTERNET. Un seul reseau, de TCHADPAC permet a quelques usagers avertis d'echanger du courrier electronique via le reseau TRANSPAC Francais. Le Centre National d'appui a la recherche a reussi a installer un serveur tournant sous le logiciel FD (FrontDoor). Ce serveur est connecte au noeud Globe-Net du reseau FidoNet a Paris. A titre experimental, il n'a pas ete veritablement ouvert au public. Des projets sont en cours d'etude pour rendre possible la connection du pays a l'Internet. 20. TOGO Situation actuelle Reseau syfed et REFER inaugure le 13 Juin. Liaison X 25, avec miroir a Paris Reseau ORSTOM avec une liaison UUCP (arrete depuis 1992 Mais techniquement fonctionel) Reseau Cafe Informatique (en Cours: Provider) Reseau Public X25 (2 noeuds; 1 a Lome et 1 a Kara) avec ouverture international Via le NTI a 9600 bps REFER et ORSTOM accedent a l'INTERNET via le reseau X 25 Reseau Cafe dispose d'un acces direct avec un fournisseur d'acces en France Serveur Minitel d'information fonctionnel et en experimentation sur le campus Construction de reseau intranet campus a l Universite du Benin tournant sous Linus. service messagerie et HTML. Projets: Offre Ls internationale a 64 Kbps par l'OPTT Ouverture sur Internet par l'operateur telecom avec offre d'acces aux providers locaux. 21. UGANDA 2 commercial ISPs operating on VSAT to the USA and Norway. Infomail(U) Ltd. - VSAT on a 64 KB link to Colorado in the USA. Operational since August '95, present user base estimated at over 600 users. User charges range from: US$30 - 500 per month. Has had stable operation with only a brief interruption due to a damaged amplifier. Offers consulting services for WEB, mailing lists, gopher service. Can be reached Infomail of Expatriates with strong attachments in business and media in Uganda. Starcom: VSAT on 64 KB link to Norway then marine cable to Digex Inc. in NY - USA. Has an estimated 300 users, started operation in January '96. Has had stable operations largely guarenteed in an ownership relation with Telenor . Starcom is also in a partnership agreement with MUKLA -- The accademic and Research Network -- for provision of free acccess on a 9.6 KB link. Starcom price regime ranges from US$ 30 for basic e-mail only service to US$2000 for full leased line access. Mukla, on full IP since May '96 running on a linux server via a 9.6KB HF radio link (will change to Cylink modem Spread Spectrum by September '96) to Starcom. In operation since 1991 has a user base of 300 installed sites averaging 3 user per site (est. 900 users) up until now giving e-mail, cheap fax gateway services, electronic conferences (echos, selected usenet news and mailing lists). User fees range from: US$ 10 for students, US$ 20 university staff and US$ 30 for others. Mukla has satellite nodes in four other sites elsewhere in Uganda: Entebbe (3 nodes), Jinja (2 nodes), and Mbarara (1 node). The Healthnet network site at Makerere Medical School is also supported and is closely linked to Mukla. Other providers are: Transmal(U) Ltd..E-mail only on a fido based host and InfomaNet(U) Ltd. A UUCP host to New Jersey - US Not much statistics is available?? SatelLife Uganda HealthNet Project. A project to link health professional and workers. Supported and closely linked to Mukla. Operates out of Makerere University Medical School. Has a user base of approx. 70 users plus over 200 medical students. Uses same user tariffs as Mukla. 22. ZAIRE PTC is moving from analogue to digital. This will allow commercial initiatives to offer full IP. ZedNet (NGO) is collaborating with UNDP to bring Internet into the country. WFP has installed a successful link using radio-modems between Kinshasa & Kampala (novell server - cc:mail).