The Sierra Leone Submarine Fibre Optic Cable is presently making steady progress under the control of SALCAB.<\/p>\n
The Government\u2019s idea to take full ownership of the project is currently paying dividends to the public while many continue to enjoy a free flow of fast and reliable internet service.<\/p>\n
The backbone cable is presently under massive installation countrywide amidst criticism and negative efforts by incumbents of the industry.<\/p>\n
The decision taken by the Government to ensure that Sierra Leoneans own the Submarine Fibre Optic Cable was a way of enabling a positive environment in which the private sector can flourish.<\/p>\n
Historically, service providers have charged exorbitant rates – the highest in Sub Saharan Africa – for unreliable service.<\/p>\n
The landing of the Submarine Fibre Optic Cable has reduced the cost of bandwidth from approximately Two Thousand Seven Hundred United States dollars per Megabyte Per Seconds (Mbps) to a mere Two Hundred United States Dollars ($200) per Mbps.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, most service providers have yet to reduce pricing and continue to charge rates that are unfair to the hardworking people of this country.<\/p>\n
The main issue I see as a media practitioner but mostly as a proud Sierra Leonean is that a couple of the ISPs are causing a lot of negativity around this important resource.<\/p>\n
As water can flourish the fields, the internet can flourish the mind.<\/p>\n
We as a country cannot allow these troublemakers to affect this important gift supported by the World Bank.<\/p>\n
The schools of Sierra Leone are now receiving free internet and free Wi-Fi hotspots are growing daily.<\/p>\n
Let’s not allow a few; well rooted Internet Service Providers (ISPs) motivated by self serving interests ruin this gift for the rest of us.<\/p>\n
This kind of success story is exactly why the Government must remain in control of SALCAB and the Submarine Fibre Optic Cable.<\/p>\n
If the current positive trend of a well managed and operated project continues, the Government will consider further reducing the cost of data.<\/p>\n
A reduction from Two Hundred United States Dollars ($200) to One Hundred United States Dollars ($100) would earn Sierra Leone the title of first ever to charge less than Two Hundred United States Dollars n ($200) per Mbps.<\/p>\n
We urge World Bank to understand the importance of supporting the Government of Sierra Leone on this project.<\/p>\n
Allow corporate protection to continue so private investors feel safe investing time and resources into delivering better services for Sierra Leoneans.<\/p>\n
The country will benefit from increased jobs, better schooling and free access to information.<\/p>\n
It is time that the people of Sierra Leone to stand up for their rights and demand accountability from those who have the privilege of doing business here.<\/p>\n
Companies who continue to cheat us with high rates for slow service will no longer be accepted as the standard.<\/p>\n
By Abdul R. Bedor Kamara<\/i><\/p>\n
Stay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n The Sierra Leone Submarine Fibre Optic Cable is presently making steady progress under the control of SALCAB. The Government\u2019s idea to take full ownership of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":48338,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[671,7154,7006,7010],"tags":[10370,202],"class_list":["post-67196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-ict-for-development","category-ict-in-education","category-technology","tag-fibre-optic-cable","tag-internet"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=67196"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67196\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=67196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=67196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=67196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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