SATELLITE CONNECTIVITY HOLDS THE KEY TO UNLOCKING TANZANIA’S ECONOMIC POTENTIAL

By Farhad Khan, Chief Commercial Officer Yahsat

According a recent report by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), approximately two fifths of Tanzanians now have access to the internet with majority of those people living in urban areas.

One significant outcome of this growth in Internet penetration and usage has been the creation of more socio-economic opportunities. However, for people living outside of large urban areas, the opportunity to connect to the internet and take advantage of all the prospects it offers remains limited.

 

Helping to connect the unconnected is satellite broadband which is a far more viable internet alternative for these communities in comparison to a fixed-line solution. Since satellite broadband is not subject to the same physical and infrastructure limitations of cable-based systems, it can significantly improve connectivity in rural areas for individuals and businesses.

In Tanzania and across Africa the deployment of satellite technology is changing people’s lives. Many people in across the continent that were unserved and under-served in rural areas are now enjoying the benefits of connectivity.

In South Africa, approximately 10 per cent of pensioners were either unaware of the value of their pensions or unable to access them. Hence, the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) launched an outreach project aimed at engaging with pensioners.

An always-on broadband connectivity facilitated real-time access to pension data, no matter how remote the location of the pensioner. Today 1.2 million people have the opportunity to manage their finances online, something that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. 

Much closer to home, Tanzania’s next-door neighbor Kenya provides an example of how satellite connectivity can transform a country’s healthcare industry. In Kiambu County, satellite connectivity has contributed to quicker and more effective patient care through the sharing of knowledge and resources via satellite broadband.

Through the availability of internet connectivity and the implementation of new software, the local healthcare facilities are now able to share critical information, which helps them better manage patient inquiries, and handle cases in the clinics.

Since medical records are now available to connected healthcare facilities within the county, anyone can go to the nearest facility and receive the consultation and medicine they need within a matter of minutes. This is saving patients time that would have otherwise been spent traveling.

Other sectors in Kenya, such as education, are experiencing the benefits as well. Today, a student is able to access vast amounts of e-learning tools with a simple click of a button. Information that is essential to learn, grow and pursue their ambitions is now more readily available.

These are just some of the first-hand benefits that satellite connectivity is bringing to communities and individuals across Africa, and here in Tanzania with the continued rollout of connectivity across the country.

Satellite broadband has the capacity to jumpstart the process of giving Tanzanian communities access to more services, and changing for the better the way children are educated or healthcare is provided.

Governments, technology partners and businesses should work together to support the rapid deployment of high-speed satellite connectivity across Tanzania, especially in rural areas, and place previously remote communities at the heart of the next generation of the country’s connectivity deployment.

Ends