Zimbabwe satellite Internet link restored
Zimbabwe's Reserve Bank authorized release of TelOne's, the state communications operator, payment of satellite charges to Intelsat in foreign currency. Intelsat restored its satellite link, which was the primary Internet connection for most ISPs in Zimbabwe. To raise hard currency, TelOne is trying to get diplomatic missions and ISPs to pay in foreign currency for Internet service.
I'm a little surprised they came back up. I can certainly see the benefit for the regime to have - unavoidably, no money! - no Internet for the public (whilst they no doubt have private bgan/thuraya/whatever). On 9/28/06, Sean Donelan <sean@donelan.com> wrote:
Zimbabwe's Reserve Bank authorized release of TelOne's, the state communications operator, payment of satellite charges to Intelsat in foreign currency. Intelsat restored its satellite link, which was the primary Internet connection for most ISPs in Zimbabwe.
To raise hard currency, TelOne is trying to get diplomatic missions and ISPs to pay in foreign currency for Internet service.
On Thu, Sep 28, 2006 at 09:58:42AM +0100, Alexander Harrowell wrote:
I'm a little surprised they came back up. I can certainly see the benefit for the regime to have - unavoidably, no money! - no Internet for the public (whilst they no doubt have private bgan/thuraya/whatever).
Or it could be a sign that the internet is sufficently valuable to the government that they must restore the link. Some may be a bit suspicious of the internet being that critical, but it just may be the case. - Jared -- Jared Mauch | pgp key available via finger from jared@puck.nether.net clue++; | http://puck.nether.net/~jared/ My statements are only mine.
And sufficiently heavily demanded by the regime that having their own satellite access is insufficient.
On Thu, Sep 28, 2006 at 09:24:30AM -0400, Jared Mauch wrote:
On Thu, Sep 28, 2006 at 09:58:42AM +0100, Alexander Harrowell wrote:
I'm a little surprised they came back up. I can certainly see the benefit for the regime to have - unavoidably, no money! - no Internet for the public (whilst they no doubt have private bgan/thuraya/whatever).
Or it could be a sign that the internet is sufficently valuable to the government that they must restore the link. Some may be a bit suspicious of the internet being that critical, but it just may be the case.
Of course it's valuable. If the major donors to the government coffers say so. (Apologies if that's TOO cynical, but it seems to be a trend in some countries having that kind of problem.) -- Joe Yao ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This message is not an official statement of OSIS Center policies.
participants (4)
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Alexander Harrowell -
Jared Mauch -
Joseph S D Yao -
Sean Donelan