![\"rural](\"http:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/WP1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/community.jpg\" "\\"Community")
Connect Africa is an \u201cImpact Enterprise\u201d registered in Zambia\u00a0(Limited) and South Africa (Section 21) that leverages\u00a0innovative communication technologies for socioeconomic\u00a0development in Africa.<\/p>\nConnect Africa is an \u201cImpact Enterprise\u201d registered in Zambia\u00a0(Limited) and South Africa (Section 21) that leverages\u00a0innovative communication technologies for socioeconomic\u00a0development in Africa.<\/p>\n
We have successfully piloted sustainable rural service delivery
\nmodels in both countries over the last eight years and now,\u00a0with cutting edge low tower, low power technology, we are
\nembarking on a project to deliver GSM coverage (voice, SMS,\u00a0GPRS and EDGE) to remote communities across Zambia and\u00a0beyond.<\/p>\n
The Connect Africa business model is based on providing \u201cfit\u00a0for purpose\u201d technology to facilitate the delivery of multiple\u00a0public and private sector services directly to the rural people\u00a0of Africa.<\/p>\n
Our on-the ground network of rural service operators,\u00a0established at each infrastructure site is what makes this\u00a0possible \u2013 and what gives our model its entrepreneurial spirit
\nand dynamism.<\/p>\n
Each of the local operators is based in their own\u00a0underserved rural community and will use a variety of\u00a0ICT to deliver a range of services.\u00a0 These services will\u00a0include communications (voice, SMS and data), public\u00a0sector (agriculture, education & health) and private sector\u00a0(banking, insurance, advertising, market research) services.\u00a0The operator also provides first level maintenance for any\u00a0coverage technology at or near his\/her location.<\/p>\n
We have adapted different elements of our business model\u00a0to meet the needs of the different communities we serve and\u00a0to ensure that service delivery is sustainable. For example,\u00a0only the most remote of rural communities in South Africa\u00a0are still without access to communications \u2013 less than 10%\u00a0of the country. As a result there is not enough demand for\u00a0communications services on a daily basis to cover the high\u00a0cost of reaching these communities.<\/p>\n
In order to ensure the\u00a0sustainability of the Connect Africa Rural Service Network\u00a0in South Africa we successfully trialed a mobile rural service\u00a0centre that visited each of the deep rural communities on a\u00a0fixed weekly schedule. The mobile rural service centre used
\nsatellite or cellular technologies to deliver voice and data\u00a0communications services while also facilitating the delivery of\u00a0several local and provincial government services directly to
\nthe rural communities.<\/p>\n
In contrast to the South African model, communications\u00a0penetration is predominantly in towns, cities and along\u00a0the lines of rail in Zambia. Upwards of 40% of the country\u00a0remains \u201cuncovered\u201d and, with new low tower, low power\u00a0GSM technology solutions, there is enough demand in\u00a0underserved communities to sustain a rural service operator\u2019s
\nbusiness at a fixed location in the community.<\/p>\n
Following our successful trials in Mumbwa District, in the\u00a0Central Province of Zambia, we are now working with a\u00a0leading Mobile Network Operator (MNO) to test, integrate and \u00a0deploy a network of low tower, low power base stations across\u00a0rural Zambia.<\/p>\n
The funding for the development of Connect Africa\u2019s business\u00a0model has, to date, relied on donor funding – provided by the\u00a0Southern Africa Trust, the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation ACP-EU and the Development Bank\u00a0of Southern Africa (DBSA).<\/p>\n
We continue to build on these relationships while also moving\u00a0towards a more sustainable commercially focused business\u00a0model.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Connect Africa is an \u201cImpact Enterprise\u201d registered in Zambia\u00a0(Limited) and South Africa (Section 21) that leverages\u00a0innovative communication technologies for socioeconomic\u00a0development in Africa. We have successfully piloted sustainable rural service delivery models in both countries over the last eight years and … Continue reading