Sunday, March 23, 2014

Internet censorship costing service providers

"Our revenue losses are great and will get greater" says an internet service provider in response to a question we posed to him this evening via VONAGE.

During our interview with a senior official of one of the biggest internet companies in The Gambia, a desperate and disgruntled sounding businessman warned that if the "current system" is maintained for any extended period of time, "I venture to say" the official opined, "it will have a devastating effect on many of us".  When asked what he meant by "us", he responded by saying he was referring to "all internet companies without exception" by further stating emphatically that there is not a single internet company that can withstand the precipitous drop in revenue that they have experienced in the past week of service suspension and constant interruption since service resumed.

Equipment damage is a major concern to service providers which will have long-term and long-lasting impact on future service delivery and their bottom line.  It is, therefore, imperative that the regime restores service immediately so that customer confidence can be restored.  Otherwise, an irreparable harm will be inflicted in a young and important industry in the economic development of The Gambia.