[kictanet] Faith in local web hosting

Mon Nov 26 23:14:25 EAT 2007

You think 250 USD for 4U is expensive? Ask London Telehouse!

Surely, as long as the content is not relevant for the local market, then
you will need international capacity (which is expensive ..) ...

Kai

-----Original Message-----
From: Odhiambo Washington [mailto:odhiambo at gmail.com] 
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 18:42
To: Kai Wulff
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Faith in local web hosting

On Nov 26, 2007 1:19 PM, Kai Wulff <kai.wulff at kdn.co.ke> wrote:
>
>
> Strange!
>
> I thought this is what we do since 4 years! A Rack Space, good enough for
> TBs of hosted Webspace is USD 250,- per month. The KIXP link is on fiber
and
> international bandwidth can be bought separately!

Kai,
Doesn't that still support (albeit partially) the cost factor?
There is also the stability of the links (LL). KIXP is on fiber, but
some participants' pipes are always full and inefficient. They invest
more on Int'l traffic than local, just as you'd expect. I believe
Mucheru's explanation would help out, but in general, ISP are still
not that generous with their charges either.
Before we lose track of the original post, there are definately
pertinent reasons why even some ISPs still prefer to host outside, not
just the webhosting companies, and it kinda comes back to what we all
know - bandwidth charges - as the major reason.

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Joseph Mucheru
> To: kai.wulff at kdn.co.ke
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
> Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 12:29
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Faith in local web hosting
>
> Hi Eric and Washington,
>
> There is another way to look at this. Why is it cheaper overseas? the
> obvious answer is that bandwidth there is local. In which case the hosting
> companies are not charged high fees for bandwidth. The infact primarily
pay
> for peering with other networks. In our case we are yet to give hosting
> companies access  to the IXP.
>
> One way to solve this is for ISPs to provide an "unbundled" hosting
service;
> a) Local part $x per MB
> b) International part $x per MB
> c) Rack Space $x
>
> With such a setup it is much easier for webhosting companies to emerge and
> be very creative and at the same time compete with international players.
> This would make the business case better for most hosting business and
they
> would not have to pay the high costs. Right now the high bandwidth cost is
> still paid for by the consumer since they still have to access the
> internationally hosted sites via the ISP.
>
> Joe Mucheru
>
>
>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Nov 26, 2007 7:48 AM, Eric Osiakwan <eric at afrispa.org> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Dear Mr. Washington,
> > >
> > >
> > > You have stated the obvious which is the challenge but let me try to
> share some light on how to solve the problem.
> > >
> > >
> > > It is really a chicken an egg situation, the localhosting business
would
> develop based on demand but like you said demand is relative to cost.
> > >
> > >
> > > However in the interest of developing our countries and continent if
we
> all commit to having country code top level domain (in this case .ke) and
> host them locally, the demand would trigger supply.
> > >
> > >
> > > On the other hand if the local entrepreneurs can invest in
> infrastructure and based on market study provide competitive rates (with
the
> generic TLDs) then again the supply could trigger the demand.
> > >
> > >
> > > Having said that, i have noticed something under the sun, which is
that
> for some reason African just dont like using what other Africans produce
so
> in some ways the former strategy would work better if we deal with the
> attitudinal change.
> > >
> > >
> > > Eric here
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On 26 Nov 2007, at 08:35, Odhiambo Washington wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Nov 26, 2007 8:03 AM, robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi all,
> > >
> > >
> > > I have raised this issue before when I did a search and found out that
> the
> > > CCK web site was hosted overseas and thus how can we expect them to
> monitor
> > > the service quality levels of the ISP's.
> > >
> > >
> > > On Sunday I visited the Kibaki web site, I experienced unstable audio
> > > streaming so I decided to find out where the site was hosted, yes you
> guest
> > > it overseas.   The other 2 presidential candidates web sites are no
> better
> > > they are not locally hosted.  Is this a reflection of who the targets
of
> > > this web sites are?
> > >
> > >
> > > The Kibaki site is developed by one 3Mice, if I remember right, which
> has
> > > some association with newly appointed ICT Board Managing Director
> Kokubo.
> > >
> > >
> > > Regards
> > >  Robert Yawe
> > > KAY System Technologies Ltd
> > > Phoenix House, 6th Floor
> > > P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
> > > KEnya
> > >
> > >
> > > It's not the faith the people have in local hosting, but rather the
> > > cost factor. Last time I looked at this web hosting biz, one company
> > > was charging KES 1,000+VAT per month, which was what was though to be
> > > competitive. Another one entered into the fray with hype about reduced
> > > costing charges, but I am not sure how much business they managed to
> > > pick. All the same, their charges did not compare with what is charged
> > > internationally (I mean in Europe and the US).
> > > Websites is not something that has caught up with many Kenyans,
> > > otherwise the volumes would help sustain such businesses locally.
> > > I believe the lack of volumes is one of the factors that makes
> > > entities like 3Mice to host overseas. Top-notch Kenyan techies have
> > > been hosting their Blog with blogspot (overseas). Bandwidth costs is
> > > another. In Europe and the US, individuals can afford to connect
> > > 10MBps in their kitchens while in Kenya, that kind of bandwidth can
> > > only be purchased by ISPs.
> > > One last question though: Do you know any reliable webhosting company
> > > that hosts it's websites locally, and has reliable and efficient
> > > access to those websites? If there is one, they are not marketing
> > > themselves enough.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Best regards,
> > > Odhiambo WASHINGTON,
> > > Nairobi,KE
> > > +254733744121/+254722743223
> > > _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
> > >
> > >
> > > "Oh My God! They killed init! You Bastards!"
> > >                         --from a /. post
> > >
> > >
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> > >
> > >
> > > This message was sent to: eric at afrispa.org
> > > Unsubscribe or change your options at
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> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Eric M.K Osiakwan
> > > Executive Secretary
> > > AfrISPA ( www.afrispa.org)
> > > Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031
> > > Fax: + 233.21.258811
> > > Cell: + 233.244.386792
> > > Handle: eosiakwan
> > > Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North
> > > Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North
> > > Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/
> > > Slang: "Tomorrow Now"
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Joe Mucheru
> > Office Lead, East Africa
> > Google Kenya
> > 7th Floor, Purshottam Place
> > Westlands Road
> > P O Box 66217 - 00800 Westlands
> > Nairobi,
> > KENYA
> >
> > +254 20 360 1701 Office
> > +254 20 360 1100 Fax
> > +254 20 360 1000 Switch Board (Regus)
> >
> > +254 722522135 Mobile
> >
> >
> > http://www.google.com
> >
> > This email may be confidential or privileged.  If you received this
> communication by mistake, please don't forward it to anyone else, please
> erase all copies and attachments, and please let me know that it went to
the
> wrong person.  Thanks.
>
>
>
> --
> Joe Mucheru
> Office Lead, East Africa
> Google Kenya
> 7th Floor, Purshottam Place
> Westlands Road
> P O Box 66217 - 00800 Westlands
> Nairobi,
> KENYA
>
> +254 20 360 1701 Office
> +254 20 360 1100 Fax
> +254 20 360 1000 Switch Board (Regus)
>
> +254 722522135 Mobile
>
>
> http://www.google.com
>
> This email may be confidential or privileged.  If you received this
> communication by mistake, please don't forward it to anyone else, please
> erase all copies and attachments, and please let me know that it went to
the
> wrong person.  Thanks.
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-- 
Best regards,
Odhiambo WASHINGTON,
Nairobi,KE
+254733744121/+254722743223
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Oh My God! They killed init! You Bastards!"
                        --from a /. post

-- 
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.