Kenya being part of the internet super-highway, the sky is the limit

Much has been said about the connection of Africa to internet super highway and the excitement is everywhere. But how exactly will people take advantage of the broadband connection is still lost in translations. The most talked about is BPO(Business Process Outsourcing) which many has declared has having potential to change the lives of many Kenyans and Africans for that matter. But there are reality checks on the horizon when come to BPO: First, the current credit crunch has made many companies in US and Europe to cut back their overseas operations, essentially reducing the number of business functions they used to outsource. That is a fact that will not change today just because we have faster internet. Secondly, the current US administration policies are geared towards discouraging US companies from outsourcing jobs abroad. Obama said several times during his campaign that he would give tax breaks to companies in US who reserve the jobs for Americans instead of outsourcing them abroad. Furthermore the citizens of US and Europe are losing jobs too, at this uncertain times I guess they are probably ready to do the mundane work which was left to be outsourced to other countries. That should tell you something, Kenyans should get other ways to benefit from the fast internet.

To Business

Cut the expenses: Broadband or super fast internet provides incredible way to get high-quality information to bigger audiences almost instantly. Instead of long enduring journeys to attend equally boring meetings, the business could simply organize Web conferencing. The same was show cased by Seacom during the launch of its operations in the region. The back and forth interactions among people from the different launching points, capped by the speech by Tanzania President Mr. Jakayo Kikwete was awesome.

Better company internal communications: The employees get easier access of files at click of a button through the broadband network. No more waiting for emails from the busy coworkers, just click it.

Large data backup: The business operate at ease knowing that they are in a position to backup their data much faster regardless of the size.

High level of awareness; The Internet is one of the most useful sources of information for the companies. Be it the new product launched by rival in far away country on the other continent, be it new promotions, or a new way of doing business. At the end the entire world wide web is your world.

To Wanjikus

Cyber
Cyber

First internet connectivity is not limited to serving only large scale business operations, actually the field is open and free for all. That is why there has been intense debate about the cost of accessing internet. For the common Kenyan citizens to feel the impact and benefit of the broadband the cost has to be right, meaning affordable.

For the leisure purposes, Kenyans majority who spent their entire browsing time chatting or commenting on their friends Facebook status would be able to get ?always on? connection. Due to their heavy nature, currently chatting on social network sites like Iborian.com, Facebook is abit frustrating but with the fast internet, that would not be the case. The Iborian users would be able to communicate without one user going offline, leaving the chat partner grinding his or her teeth. How about those beautiful pictures by her majesty the beautiful queen, I guarantee you the eye sight would be the limit in this case.

To The Hustlers

Fast internet provides a flexible work experience to small business and the self-employed. It gives you a real opportunity to work at home-office saving you a fortune in terms of office rent, furniture and other office consumables. For a long time people have talked about briefcase companies, you know those ones whose owners either operate from home or basically through communication on phones or online. But now I think the inventors and users of English language should go back to the drawing board. The biggest business names known around at the moment operate on the sky. For example two years ago, I signed up to Google adsense account, two years down the line I have received a substantial amount of cash in terms of a real cheque from Google. One thing you should understand here is that I have no idea where Google?s physical location or office is, even for the branch in Kenya, apart from the fact that the headquarter is in US and the Kenyan branch is somewhere in Westland. The real need for the physical location or offices might not be there anymore in the near future.

By the way, Wanjikus and Hustlers should be warned of the internet scam sites. They claim to have made a fortune and now ready to share with you the secret and all you need to do is to pay them. Anybody on the know will tell you not to attempt. Free money from whatever angle has never been there in the history of mankind. For you to get paid, you have to be ready to do something and for such websites the question one should be asking them is what in it that you are going to do to earn that money that fast. In most cases, the look of the design of such site, will tell you that they are not legitimate business entity.

To Programmers and Software developers:

For this let me quote my friend Idd Salim, writing a Facebook note he had this to say:

:: Programmers
No more excuses. The only limit will be your imagination. Being Kenyans, I know Africa is there for the taking. Everyone of you respectable people will be able to run their own ‘ANYTHING’. LBS, LBA, GeoCaching, Video, SIP.. U name it. I will be VERY annoyed and disappointed if we don’t have at least 5 Kenyan .com USD millionaires by Dec this year.

Kennedy Kachwanya1087 Posts

--- Kennedy Kachwanya is a technology blogger interested in mobile phones both smart and dumb, mobile apps, mobile money, social media, startups ecosystem and digital Savannah. New media must not forget the strength of old tech.

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