The first Electronic Mail link in Angola was set up in 1990 under the auspices of Programme Angola-Canada. At that time, a communications node was set in Development Workshop (DW), an international NGO working in Angola since 1980. The purpose was to link Programme Angola's NGO members in Canada with their partners in Angola. When Programma Angola ended in 1993, this E-Mail link ceased to operate. Development Workshop thus sought assistance from the Regional Initiatives Fund of the Canadian International Development Agency, Canadian High Commission (CIDA-CHC) in Harare, Zimbawe to upgrade the regional E-Mail Link and to extend its services to other nationals and internationals NGOs in Angola.
In february of 1994, with assistance from CABECA project( Capacity Building Electronic Communication in Africa) was set Angonet node. Through the establishment of the Angonet E-Mail services, the project seeks to increase communications and information exchange among and between Angolan, regional and international organizations.
Angonet Node, located at DW office serves as the host computer servicing users groups in Angola. A user support support service is providing to assist them in maximizing the potential benefits offered by Angonet, this include user training and ongoing technical support. A management and maintenance system for the network is designed with the aim of recovering operational costs of the system.
At the same time, UNDP was actively involved with the creation and development of a network meant to exchange information related to environment and sustainable development. The feasibility study in 1992, as well the firsts SDN-Angola projects activities in 1993, were supported by an interregional UNDP project wish was crated to finance the creation of a network in a few pilot countries, wish were connected to worldwide network.
In april of 1994 was ready set up the second operational host in Angola. SDN-Angola was enable to exchange information on environment and sustainable development with the regional and international similar organizations involved in SDN initiative. Received information is achieved and delivered via E-mail or posted to individuals and local institutions.
The second phase of the SDNP project was approved in January/95, with a budject of 103,900 usd including a Sweden Government contribution of 35,000 usd for equipment acquisition.
Since the SDNP international telephone line is not installed yet, international traffic is routed through Angonet.
2. ANGONET PROJECT PERFORMANCE
Angonet project had being implemented in three phases: development, set up and expansion. The main activities during each phase are follows:
Development Phase:
Angonet is participating in the World Bank project to improve Internet connectivity in Africa. The objective is to get full Internet, in this sence our principal concern is become the system selfsustainable after the funds are finished, that's why the Angonet staff is seriusly analyzing more than one technical alternatives.
The difficulties that do exist relate mainly to two areas: the erratic supply of electricity and the low quality of the telephone lines.
2. SERVICES
Angonet is an APC associated node linked to GreenNet (GN), one of major APC Node (Association for Progressive Communication Network) in Europe. Three times daily GN polls to Angonet node to both receive and send information from/to international networks, it allows Angonet users are beneffited from most important of Internet Services, ie electronic mail, file transfer and others.
The current services offered are the Electronic Mail, News Bulletin and Conferences. SDNP public information services are available in Angonet.
Twelve Conferences and News Bulletin are currently offered:
3. USERS
At the moment there are 70 organizations, including SDNP, connected to Angonet, and the user demand is rapidly increasing. Classifying users by type of organizations:
NGOs: 55%
Intl: 40%
Natl: 15%
Academic Inst.: 15%
Government Orgs: 20%
Women Groups: 5%
Regional Orgs: 5%
Statistics
Dec/94 to July/95
Total Traffic: 18 MB
Intl. Traffic: 16 MB
Natl. Traffic: 2 MB (only 12% of the total)
4.COSTSDevelopmemt Workshop have subsidized national non-profit organizations and Governments users during the first phase of Angonet Project, but it is an objective to make the system sustainable through cost recovery system.
One of our principal concern in this regard is the inability of both Government and Local NGOs to financially their share of costs, due to current economic crisis in Angola. We have had to look for sponsors to assist in covering the regular users costs of national members.
Angonet design the following costs recovery scheme:
Member Contributions: Users contributions to the maintenance costs of the system will cover only running costs, technical and administrative support, and replacement costs for equipment.
Modem Loan Scheme: Angonet can make available a limited number of modems to user organizations. Priority is given to local network members who may have difficulty purchasing appropriate equipment. International users are encouraged to purchase their own modems.
Partner Sponsors: A sponsor system, allowing international users to subsidise the costs of a local network partner. Angonet also assists international or commercial organizations to donate used and old PCs to meet local partner's communication needs.
Set up and development of the electronics networks in countries like Angola becomes a difficult, given the general unreliability of all communications systems.
The most important negative factors are:
Angonet is one of the southern african networking innitiaves included in the World Bank project to improve Internet communications in Africa.
For more info on Angonet:
Haymee Perez Cogle
Angonet System Operator
Development Workshop
Rua Rey Katyavala, 113
Telef: 244-2-396-107/348-371
Email: hperez@angonet.gn.apc.org
Home Page: http://www.gn.apc.org/gn/partners/angonet/about.html
POBOX 3360
Luanda, Angola
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