Paul English is the entrepreneur who created Kayak.com, a commercially successful travel website. He has a plan to provide the entire continent of Africa with Wi-Fi access in the hope of spurring economic development there:
Link | Image: NASA
English plans to kick off the nonprofit/for-profit hybrid this summer and begin creating partnerships between JoinAfrica and local African for-profit telcos. JoinAfrica would first branch out existing Web connections in villages using, for example, simple WiMAC hubs. Through these hubs, JoinAfrica would provide residents with free basic Web service, including access to email, Google, Wikipedia, and various news sources. Downloads of data-rich video, porn, or other non-essential sites would be limited (similar to what libraries in the U.S. do now), via a process called "bandwidth shaping." Local for-profits would charge for upgraded access and faster connection speeds, and English is also searching for ways to make sure these local companies continuously improve the service and lay more fiber.
Link | Image: NASA
I am writing to you with a sincere heart, and I hope I can help you out today. I am the son of a wealthy American Senator who has been disgraced by the American media, and my vast earnings are in danger of being stolen by our corrupt politicians that surrounded my father. I am willing to send all of my wealth, between 10 and 14 million dollars, to a secure account in your wonderful country...
I'll take 3! Do you accept credit?
How about medicine, food and clean water? Nah, this is a much better idea. They can all play Bejeweled on their on their fancy handheld computers and laptops. Wait a minute...
"We shouldn't build roads because they need medicine, food, and water, first."
High technology will give Africans access to information which will help them solve their problems.
What could go wrong???
I'd sooner have a road than an Internet connection, to actually bring me my food and medicine.
Trouble is that nothing given to Africa will work if the people in charge of their countries don't share access to it.