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Expensive Infrastructure Limiting Internet Usage - ExpertSep 06, 2010 (The Monitor/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- Access-related barriers such as inadequate local content and the expensive infrastructure are among the factors hampering Uganda's internet penetration, a Google official has said. Google product and engineering Vice President for Europe, Middle East and Africa Nelson Mattos said out of 14 per cent of the world's population that use internet, the African continent accounts for only 2 per cent. Mr Mattos was speaking at the opening of a two-day web and mobile conference for tech savvy entrepreneurs and developers in Uganda dubbed G-Uganda in Kampala on Wednesday. Internet opportunities The conference, focused on Google's developer and business technologies including android and mobile development to highlight opportunities presented by internet. G-Uganda further sought to train citizens on Google's products and online business skills, discuss the future of web application development and encourage developers innovate relevant local content to build a viable and sustainable internet ecosystem. Expensive broadband Mr Mattos said the fragmented nature of the continent makes broadband connectivity 10 times more expensive than in Europe, driving internet prices high thereby hindering usage. The software company's mission in Africa, he said, is to make internet an integral part of everyday life in Africa by increasing its relevance and usefulness through eliminating access barriers such as connectivity and costs for potential users and developing products that are meaningful for people. He called upon businesses and government to increase their interference with the potential buyers through online presence and increased relevant of local content for increased productivity. |