Broadband Performance and Internet Measurements Data in Africa
by Geraldo Barros | A spotlight on a 2018 Global Sprint project
Sarah Kiden is Ford-Mozilla Open Web Fellow hosted by Research ICT Africa, working on a broadband performance and Internet measurements project. She is a technologist and researcher, and is interested in open access and Internet policy. She is from Kampala, Uganda and is currently based in Cape Town, South Africa. Sarah were selected to join the current round of Mozilla Open Leaders with their project Broadband Performance and Internet Measurements Data in Africa.
I interviewed Sarah to learn more about Broadband Performance and Internet Measurements Data in Africa and how you can help at the Mozilla’s Global Sprint 2018.
What is Broadband Performance and Internet Measurements Data in Africa?
This project aims at conducting evidence-based research, by collecting and analysing speeds (download/upload) of network connections, latency, coverage (2G, 3G, 4G, fibre), subscribers, etc, and providing quality of service assessments about Internet performance in Africa. The goal is to build an open data platform containing information from the assessments, to create an environment for better policy regulations while ensuring better service delivery, improved network performance and market transparency.
Why did you start Broadband Performance and Internet Measurements Data in Africa?
This project is part of broader work by Research ICT Africa on ICT policy and regulation to facilitate policy making for improved access in the region. Particularly, there are few people conducting Internet measurements in Africa. Additionally, less than 36% of the people in Africa have access to broadband or to the Internet. It is important to first understand both demand-side and supply-side issues, which have created barriers to access. Internet performance and quality of service, pricing, speeds, divides are just a few of them.
Why is broadband performance relevant?
In order to create a healthy, open and stable Internet, we need to know how we are currently performing. Measuring broadband performance increases market transparency as it gives consumers choice before purchasing a service, helps providers to improve and regulators to have better policy while ensuring better service delivery.
What challenges have you faced working on this project?
The data is mostly hard to come by because there has not been extensive research into the area. For example, telecommunication regulators in countries are required to publish quarterly and annual market and industry reports about the performance of the different network operators and Internet service providers in terms of growth, number of subscribers, infrastructure, pricing, complaints, etc, but very few regulators share this information. The other challenge is that there is generally little interest in the subject, yet the results affect all of us and the core of the Internet.
What kind of skills do I need to help you?
Since many people use the Internet, anyone can be part of the project.
- End users can contribute by downloading one of the many speed test applications and testing their broadband speeds. I am currently working with Netradar, SpeedChecker, Princeton University’s Speed Test. These vendors have generously agreed to provide raw data to Research ICT Africa, containing anonymous tests conducted in Africa for the period 2013–2018. Network engineers are also welcome to conduct tests on their networks and share findings.
- Researchers can help with finding relevant documentation about the subject matter, especially in the region. This includes journals, articles, publications, portals, and other case studies that we can learn from.
- Data visualisation experts can help interpret the data in a way that makes sense to different audiences: end users, regulators, service providers. Maps, graphs, charts are preferable, but other tools are welcome.
- Open data experts or web designers can give guidance on how to develop an interactive and open data portal that will contain this information.
- Anyone interested in Internet measurements is welcome to give guidance or work with us to build a community of people interested in the subject and to develop a solution.
How can others join your project at #mozsprint 2018?
The project is on GitHub; feel free to fork the repository, make changes, submit pull requests and contribute to one of the issues. We are in the process of identifying a favourable communication channel, which will be added in the communication section of the repository. Thank you for your interest, and we look forward to working with you!
What meme or gif best represents your project?
Join us wherever you are May 10–11 at Mozilla’s Global Sprint to work on many amazing open projects! Join a diverse network of scientists, educators, artists, engineers and others in person and online to hack and build projects for a health Internet. Register today
This post by Geraldo Barros is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
