12/08/2019
Internet access comes with a cost in emerging economies
by Jason Deign
A start-up comes up with an innovative way to give people internet access in the world's poorest countries.
When web expert and founder toured sub-Saharan Africa to ask what people were getting from the Internet, he thought he would see smiles all round. Instead he was shocked. "You're not aware how costly it is for people to get online in Africa," he says.
"In rural areas, people were spending up to 70 percent of their total income on their mobile phone, buying top-ups. I spoke to mothers in Malawi who could not send all their children to school because they would not have enough money for their mobile phones."
The stories taught Santer a lesson: for people such as a Malawi teacher who would have to spend a full month's pay just for a single iTunes movie download, the oft-cited mantra that the internet makes you better off simply does not hold true.
Instead, in Africa "many people are making very harsh choices to connect," Santer says.
This is not to say we should give up trying to connect these people. But those in charge need to be smart about how they design and roll out programs. It is vital to work closely with people on the ground to make sure funding yields real results.
It is also key to find ways to help even the poorest afford internet access. This is what Santer chose to do after his visit to Africa. He set up , which aims to offer offline content to those who cannot access the internet due to cost, coverage, or device capability.
