German Engineering Targets Affordable, Efficient Communication Infrastructure for Rural Communities

23.11.2010

Innovative Internet connectivity for structurally weak areas: Fraunhofer FOKUS demonstrates tailor-made communication technologies in Cape Town

Berlin / Cape Town, 24th of November 2010 – It is no surprise that a continent as vast as Africa has become the world’s most rapid adopter of cell phone technology. But for millions of people, appropriate Internet access is still hampered by poor infrastructure and limited connectivity. Exacerbating the problem is the high cost of Internet usage: According to the International Telecommunication Union, the cost of ICT services in Africa is as much as 41 per cent of average monthly income. Aiming to connect rural areas to the Internet, Berlin-based Fraunhofer FOKUS (Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems) breathed life into FOKUS NET4DC.