[kictanet] [ke-internetusers] JKIA-Lack of wireless internet

Thu Jan 28 17:30:46 EAT 2010

Wesley/Waudo:

If our local press was to be believed we have had WiFi at JKIA since 2004
provided by Ericonet (who are they?) -- "Kenya becomes the second country
Africa to have hotspots at its international airports."  "Speaking during
the launch July 6 [2004], KAA managing director George Muhoho said, "This
the first step to making our airports world- class.""

I recall reading this article, I can't find the original on the East
African's website (are they embarrassed about their old reports so they take
them down?) but thankfully the Mars group has a copy
here<http://www.marsgroupkenya.org/multimedia/?StoryID=70369&storydate=2004-07-19&page=2>
.

Waudo ask your friend what happened to this contract that they loudly touted
6 years ago.  What happened?  Did they deliver?  Were they paid?  We as a
country are always procuring, when do we get vendors to deliver?

-Mw

Here's a copy of the article:

THE JOMO Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has become the first airport
> in Eastern Africa to go wireless after Ericonet Ltd, a Wireless ISP company,
> commissioned the first public hotspot in the country.
>
> This means that travelers can now access the Internet anytime at designated
> areas called "hotspots," within the airport using personal laptop computers
> or other Wi-Fi enabled handheld devices, such as mobile phones.
>
> Kenya becomes the second country Africa to have hotspots at its
> international airports. Three South African international airports; Johannes
> burg, Cape Town and Durban are wireless.
>
> A hotspot is a place where wireless base station that allows anyone with a
> Wi-Fi equipped computer or handheld device access the Internet has been up.
> Wi-Fi, short for wireless fidelity allows laptops and other mobile devices
> to connect to Internet wirelessly and at broadband speeds.
>
> Ericonet has also just unwired the Dar es Salaam International Airport and
> the Golden Tulip Tanzania, in addition to ]KIA and several other wireless
> networks in the region. The Dar es Salaam International Airport, however,
> yet to be commissioned, says Ericonect director Morris.
>
> Ericonet, a Wireless Internet Service Provider in East Africa, is
> partnering with the Kenya Airports Authority to roll out hotspots in
> airports in Kenya.
>
> Speaking during the launch July 6, KAA managing director George Muhoho
> said, "This the first step to making our airports world- class."
>
> The JKIA hotspots are integrated with the rapidly growing Global Broadband
> Internet Access (GBIA) network, which has integrated several Wireless ISPs
> and is already providing access in over 4, 000 locations including major
> airports around the world. Global Broadband Internet Access GBIA) is an
> international network of independent Wireless ISPs.
>
> The hotspots situated KIA will target both the international and local
> business travellers who would like spend the so called "dead waiting for
> connecting flights to access their office network, file reports and access
> e-mail.
>
> Global travellers will now able to roam seamlessly between GBIA-integrated
> airports in Kenya and all Over world without changing any settings on their
> laptop, using their existing user name and password and applying the payment
> method of their choice.
>
> PicoPoint, a Dutch company based in Amsterdam, will ply Ericonet with a
> centrally managed back-office and roaming solution, providing essential
> authentication, authorization, accounting, billing and settlement services
> that will enable Ericonet to offer a carrier-grade Wi-Pi network at the
> Kenyan airports.
>
> Together PicoPoint, Ericonet will offer clients the freedom to move work
> freely without the inconvenience of cables and operate within wireless
> networks is expected that in the years, most companies attempt to execute
> wireless application strategies, bringing number of wireless data users to
> 36 million by the end this year.
>
> The Wireless Local Network will be the way get there since it is the
> fastest, most economical way for enabling business wirelessly.

On Thu, Jan 28, 2010 at 8:54 AM, waudo siganga <emailsignet at mailcan.com>wrote:

>  Antony Wachira, head of ICT at KAA tells me that they are at procurement
> stage. The service will be concessioned and will be available at JKIA and
> Moi Airport at a fee to users.
>
> Waudo
> On Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:59 +0300, "Joseph Mucheru" <mucheru at google.com>
> wrote:
>
> On Wed, Jan 27, 2010 at 7:10 PM, waudo siganga <emailsignet at mailcan.com>wrote:
>
>   Robert, Wesley - I am attending a conference in Mombasa with the head of
> ICT at KAA - so I will mention this to him tomorrow and hear what he says. I
> agree its a problem. There should be pervasive airside and landside
> wireless, preferably free like in Singapore and Dubai airports.
>
>
>
>
> And Rwanda!
>
>
>
>
>   Waudo
>
>
>
> On Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:10 +0000, "robert yawe" <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
>   Wesley,
>
> They are called ISPs, you can take the donkey to the river but you cannot
> make it drink.
>
> Regards
>
> Robert Yawe
> KAY System Technologies Ltd
> Phoenix House, 6th Floor
> P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
> Kenya
>
> Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>
> --- On *Tue, 26/1/10, wesley kirinya <kiriinya2000 at yahoo.com>* wrote:
>
>
> From: wesley kirinya <kiriinya2000 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [ke-internetusers] JKIA-Lack of wireless internet
> To: "ke-users" <ke-internetusers at bdix.net>
> Date: Tuesday, 26 January, 2010, 15:46
>
>   *Sigh* I lack words on how to start this. I don't have to explain it.
> Can something be done ASAP so that JKIA can have free, fast WiFi Internet
> accessible everywhere (even from the toilets). Now, how can Kenya boast of
> broadband when the gateway to Africa (JKIA) has nothing to show of it.
> Imagine the very many passengers who use KQ (and other airlines) from all
> around Africa who pass by our airport: Company Directors, CEOs, CTOs, CFOs,
> ... Basically people who Kenya is trying to reach in order to attract
> investments in various sectors including IT. These are the same people going
> to invest in the rest of Africa. It's beyond my thinking why JKIA has never
> tapped into this even before the fibres came.
>
> It's been a couple of months since I was there. Perhaps someone who was
> there more recently can give us an update on the current situation. I sure
> hope it has changed.
>
> 8~(
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
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> --
> Joe Mũcherũ
> Regional Lead, Sub-Saharan Africa
> Google Kenya
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