Broadband Africa
I’ve always taken the time to look around cities that I visit for a good Internet cafe.
I recently visited Montreal with my Powerbook and was happy to find that most of the Starbucks offered free wireless Internet access, something rarely utilized back in London.
At the moment I am in Cape Town, way down in the Southwestern tip of South Africa visiting my parents and family. It’s been quite the contrast in web accessibility; broadband Internet is expensive and slow (512kb ADSL for around $160 per month!). This does of course write off any real chance of a fairly substantial Internet cafe starting up.
Things are moving forward though, costs are reducing due to increased competition, and people in South Africa are starting to warm to the idea of a fast internet connection.
My parents who live here in Cape Town are looking into the idea of opening a sandwich bar/Internet cafe somewhere in the city. What do you look for when choosing an Internet cafe on your travels?
Personally, the price is a big factor for me, but other factors like privacy, atmosphere and speed definitely play a part in my decision.
It would be interesting to hear what people consider before walking into an Internet cafe, and what you would personally like to see, whether it be good food, a friendly atmosphere, or even a room packed full of G5’s.
5 People Added Their Comments
It really depends..
Basically, there is no practical need of visiting internet cafe’s. It’s possible to check emails and RSS with a good GSM cell phone or pocket PC. Some of them even has the capability of browsing the Internet with Opera.
I’m pretty much turned off by the thought of visiting internet cafe’s after some “interesting” experiences in Eastern Europe, where internet security isn’t a top priority most places.
Should I ever visit an internet cafe again I would go for comfort (nice soft chairs and space for elbows), security (possibility of deleting cookies, history etc. from the browser) and finally a decent menu of foods and beverages .
Hi,
Welcome back to Cape Town! I have also return to SA, since things are looking better in SA. I work from my “home” office and the ADSL is not to bad! only thing that really bothers me is the 3GIG cap! Anyway. have a nice xmas in SA,
Regards
Jacobus
I love internet cafes. Not everybody has those fancy cell phones or likes the tiny screens on them (I for one, do not). And hey, satellites have been known to get knocked out from time to time. Anyway, I think its nice when cafes have a little reading section, and a place to leave cards or flyers for websites.
Interesting. The only time i’ve been amazed when walking into a net caf√© was when I entered the MacLee Express Store. woa !! 21″ widescreen Sony Displays with dual processor 4gb RAM g5 s!!!! Yikes I was in an euphoric stated of ming.
Depends what i am looking for, but good hardware is a must, and high speed internet.
Cost is a big factor, but when i know i will only spend 5 min or less, i dont really care about the price, but i f i am spending 30 min or more, i shop for the best price.