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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks Alex for the info,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This is actually a great idea. Would you have
a contact number or email address for Alunite? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Joan Walumbe</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=alex.gakuru@yahoo.com href="mailto:alex.gakuru@yahoo.com">Alex
Gakuru</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=kictanet@kictanet.or.ke
href="mailto:kictanet@kictanet.or.ke">Kictanet</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, April 23, 2007 8:57
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [kictanet] Fwd:
[ke-internetusers] Free PC and cheap Internet forSMEs and Home Users</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><BR><BR><B><I>Alex Gakuru <<A
href="mailto:gakuru@gmail.com">gakuru@gmail.com</A>></I></B> wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid">Date:
Mon, 23 Apr 2007 08:51:01 +0300<BR>From: "Alex Gakuru" <<A
href="mailto:gakuru@gmail.com">gakuru@gmail.com</A>><BR>To: <A
href="mailto:ke-internetusers@bdix.net">ke-internetusers@bdix.net</A><BR>Subject:
[ke-internetusers] Free PC and cheap Internet for SMEs and
Home<BR>Users<BR><BR>[This brightens a new dawn for Kenya's connectivity. I
have often<BR>argued that lesser city traffic jams and higher national
productivity<BR>can be achieved by taking internet outside the city centre,
Nairobi<BR>currently having 80% of Kenya's internet. Many are bound to
choose<BR>working from home to save on expensive city office rent overheads
and<BR>"outsourcing" will definitely benefit considering the time
differences<BR>become less of a problem, security is also a
consideration.<BR><BR>Forecasting on this possibility at a stakeholders
workshop on 22 March<BR>2007, I warned that it would only take "one clever
ISP" to realise<BR>this enormous small business and home user waiting market
away from<BR>the current "corporates-only" internet (used between 8am to 5
pm and<BR>half-days on Saturdays which drops at lunch-time. (see the first
graph<BR>at http://www.isoc.or.ke/connectivity.html - website
under<BR>development)]<BR>-----------------------<BR>[Business
Daily]<BR><BR>ISP targets home users with free PC's<BR>Written by Okkutah
Mark<BR>Monday, 23 April 2007 [NAIROBI]<BR><BR>While most Internet Service
Providers (ISPs) target corporate users,<BR>one new entrant into the online
market is banking on capturing<BR>residential, small and home business users
with a unique offer: a free<BR>computer.<BR><BR>The company, Alunite, says
most Kenyans would love to be connected to<BR>a high-speed DSL Internet
connection from home, but the lack of<BR>affordable personal computers, and
high bandwidth costs have kept most<BR>out of the loop.<BR><BR>Lucy Kimani,
the ISPs executive director said Alunite was partnering<BR>with Kenya Data
Networks (KDN) and Keysde, a local company involved in<BR>computer assembly
in which Keysde will provide PCs, under a guarantee<BR>that the ISP settles
the bill within 90 days.<BR><BR>KDN will provide the DSL linkage to it's
Metro optical fibre.<BR><BR>"As an ISP we are linking the home subscribers
to the KDN's link which<BR>will provide them with a high-speed connection,"
said Ms Kimani. "We<BR>also realised that a majority of people don't own
computers, and<BR>that's why we looked how we could solve this
problem."<BR><BR>The deal does come with a catch though. In exchange for a
free<BR>computer, subscribers must sign a one-year agreement to subscribe
to<BR>Alunite's Internet sevices, which cost 5,945 per month.<BR><BR>The
computer—an Intel Pentium 1.2 Ghz PC—retails for Sh10,300 in local
shops.<BR><BR>But Ms Kimani said it was more than just a freebie.<BR><BR>"We
eliminate the hassle of dealing with a separate connectivity<BR>provider and
provide attentive customer service," she said. "Our<BR>company coordinates
all aspects of the installation of the service<BR>including site
inspection."<BR><BR><HTTP:
index.php?option="com_content&task=view&id=708&Itemid=3092"
bdafrica.com=""><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>ke-internetusers
mailing
list<BR>ke-internetusers@bdix.net<BR>http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers<BR></HTTP:></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
<P>
<HR SIZE=1>
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