March 2012

AfriConnect lauch 4G in Zambia !!, a new connectivity product.

A low cost 4G connectivity product from iConnect solves problems for users trying to connect ofver WiMax in Zambia. AfriConnect's UK founder launches ground breaking connectivity in Lusaka

Read more: iConnect 4g Launch

May 2011

Fast Google and YouTube

AfriConnect in Lusaka actually host the Google and YouTube caches for Zambia, meaning almost instant access when searching or viewing from within our iConnect network in Zambia (and through our link to the Zambia Internet exchange for other Zambian users) .

January 2011

Long term AfriConnect VSAT client features in BBC Click program about the digital revolution program in Africa

Africonnect is pleased to be the VSAT provider for MACHA which features in the BBC Click January 2011 program showing Zambian villages push for a connected future.

Africonnect provides MACHA with its VSAT Connectivity to the LinkNet project which based in the village of Macha in Zambia. Macha is some 50 miles away from the nearest town and mobile connectivity has only recently arrived. LinkNet use a Mesh WiFi based network to interconnect all the various aspects of the village community. You can see the main Cband VSAT antenna and the smaller backup KU band one alongside the WiFi mast at Macha's ICT building used to interconnect the community. AfriConnect has been directly and heavily involved in ad-hoc consultancy, ICT hardware, Support and VSAT service provision to LinkNet for many years.

Driven and inspired by its founder, Gertjan van Stam, Linknet also have a series of container based systems which incorporate an AfriConnect Ku band VSAT system, together with a diesel AC generator. This supplies up to 10 or so LCD based thin client desktops linked to a container PC which handles authentication (voucher PAYG) and some degree of content filtering and front ends the VSAT connection.

The village of Chikanta's VSAT container mentioned in the BBC programme went live to the internet on the 1st July 2010. It is one of several such LinkNet containers dotted around Zambia's least connected communities.

The BBC Click magazine can be read here and program seen via the BBC iPlayer in the UK online here .
A 226Mb MS windows media file with digital rights management for up to one months uk use is available for download here

July 2010

Vodacom Gateway acquires AfriConnect Zambia

Africonnect is pleased to report that its subsiduary in Zambia was taken over by Vodacom Gateway Mauritius, part of the Gateway Group Pty, which in turn is a subsidiary of the Vodacom Group - majority owned by Vodafone - the world`s largest mobile and communications operator.
This brings AfriConnect Zambia into a group that has over 323 million customers spread across the world, generating annual revenues of $65 billion and has a proven success in rolling out high-quality data networks.

The operation will become part of the Gateway Business division, who are responsible for providing satellite and fibre data solutions to customers across Africa, and with operations in over 20 African Countries.

AfriConnect Zambia are confident that the resulting capital investment will ensure that AfriConnect cements its position as the market leader within Zambia where it is known under its iConnect branding, in an ever increasingly competitive environment .

Current staff and management team, including AfriConnect Managing Director Mark Bennett, Commercial Director Ian Ferrao, and Technical Director Bill Sangiwa, remain in Lusaka to continue to take the company forward as part of this world class group of companies.

AfriConnect Zambia, with its core iConnect.zm high-speed wireless broadband product, and its iSpot widespread hotspot services, already delivers more Internet bandwidth into Zambia than any of its competitors.

Mark Bennett, Managing Director of AfriConnect stated: ... Since starting in Lusaka in 2005, AfriConnect has been committed to Zambia's development, promoting all the benefits that good connectivity and communications can bring to economic growth. We will continue to support education via the iSchool.zm eLearning project, as well as work in other development sectors such as health and rural growth...

October 2009

Centre Pasteur Cameroon celebrated with AfriConnect

Africonnect is pleased to note that one of the Institut Pasteur sites, where they have been the preferred supplier of non-terrestrial connectivity internationally, is celebrating their 50th Anniversary!In addition to providing VSAT connectivity to Institut Pasteur in Yaounde, Cameroon, AfriConnect also host their website and manage their DNS and mail services. Click here for their website - seulement en francais, naturellement.

March 2008

Bandwidth Optimisation goes to South America

Africonnect continued to provide software and training for the Bandwidth Optimisation Training being co-ordinated by International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP). AfriConnect have facilitated several hands-on network traffic monitoring and analysis workshops in various universities throughout Africa and in Europe as part of this programme.

This March saw the course being taken out to its first South America institution - the University of Cuenca in Ecuador.

(All the courses are funded through organisations like VLIR and CIDR)

January 2008

Latest Web site designed and implemented by AfriConnect

AfriConnect Zambia have designed the website for the Football Federation of Zambia and their teams entry in the prestigious Cup of Nations being played in Ghana in 2008. It is being hosted on one of the AfriConnect webservers in the UK.

People throughout Zambia are or can be easily connected to the Internet through the AfriConnect Zambia iConnect service.

March 2004 to September 2007

Bandwidth Optimisation

Africonnect Systems Director Dick Elleray has provided software and training material for the Bandwidth Optimisation Training being co-ordinated by International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP). He helped in the world-wide needs analysis and subsequent programme definition as part of the INASP BMO team.. He then personally facilitated several hands-on network traffic monitoring and analysis workshops in various universities throughout Africa and in Europe as part of this programme. Participants received a Linux based bootable CD network toolkit, recommendations on building a simple to administer Linux based network monitoring system, and a CD compendium of possible tools and white papers, in addition to electronic copies of all workshop materials.

The course has also been given in French and in other countries under Dick's guidance.

Further information can be see on the cached INASP website by clicking here.

Subsequent to the course a book "How to Accelerate your Internet: A Practical Guide to Bandwidth Management and Optimization using Open Source Software" has been prepared by others in the team, based on the material in the course. It available as a pdf download from here or you can order a printed and bound copy of the book from Lulu.com, a print-on-demand service from the site.

September 2006

Updated Website Launch

Africonnect relaunch its improved website www.africonnect.com with more services, products and information than ever before. New facilities include the Service Self Select option.

January 2006

New pricing structures announced for SatWidth and SatIP.

AfriConnect have improved their pricing structures for the SatWidth and SatIP VSAT connectivity solutions.

For more details about SatWidth and SatIP, read the datasheets here: SatWidth | SatIP

To receive further details about available options and pricing structures, contact us.