[afrinic-discuss] BIG DISH SELECTED AS THIRD REGIONAL CARRIER BY AfrISPA

[Eric Osiakwan]

19th September, 2006
Press Release
For Immediate Release 
(Contact; Eric M.K Osiakwan =96 eric at afrispa.org, +233.244.386792)

BIG DISH SELECTED AS THIRD REGIONAL CARRIER BY AfrISPA
Big Dish have also been selected by the African ISP association, AfrISPA, i=
n response to its 
Request for Service for data transport between the different ISP members of=
 local Internet 
Exchange Points. Big Dish Ltd, a new satellite provider incorporated in Mau=
ritius has joined 
the two earlier bidders that successfully met the Request For Service (RFS)=
 criteria to provide 
an African Regional Internet Traffic solution. The peering point design can=
 be extended to 
allow additional Internet Exchanges to join the network with ease at any ti=
me in the future.?
?


AfrISPA wants to establish true inter-country connectivity within the Afric=
an continent, to 
remove the current dependence upon overseas carriers and to promote the est=
ablishment 
and growth of African regional data carriers. The establishment of a networ=
k of Internet 
Exchange Points (IXPs) within Africa would also result in reduced costs, im=
proved speeds and 
the improvement of the Internet backbone within Africa as a whole.?
?


Big Dish has implemented a project that will revolutionise Internet access =
in Africa by 
breaking the current paradigm of Interconnection charges.  This is achieved=
 by buying 
substantial amounts of bandwidth where it is inexpensive, and delivering it=
 via a leased 
Teleport and bulk space segment.  This yields the capacity to deliver bandw=
idth 
via 5 satellites to any corner of Africa, using VSATs and proprietary modem=
s. 
  
This project can help ISPs in the African market who are currently struggli=
ng with 
high interconnection charges.  Simultaneously, the Big Dish network can bec=
ome 
a regional transit and interconnection provider. The project is being used =
to easily realize the 
dream of establishing a Pan African Virtual Internet Exchange (PAVIX) by se=
lling transit at 
each IXP and offering interconnection between all African IXPs. 

According to Matthew Rudd who is the CEO of Big Dish, =93Big Dish can lever=
age its 
inexpensive bandwidth, burst capabilities and thousands of square feet of r=
ack space into a 
Point to Multipoint configuration.  We can connect every national IXP to ea=
ch other, and thus 
exceed the requirements of the original RFS.=94

About AfrISPA?
and Big Dish
AfrISPA is a continental association of ISP associations. AfrISPA=92s objec=
tives include 
promoting the development of key Internet infrastructure on the African con=
tinent. 
Contact details: - Brian Longwe, General Manager, AfrISPA, Brian at pure-id.co=
m, 
+254.733.518.744 -

Big Dish Ltd, a new satellite provider incorporated in Mauritius, has imple=
mented 
a project that will revolutionise Internet access in Africa by breaking the=
 current 
paradigm of Interconnection charges.
Contact details: - Matthew Rudd, CEO, Big Dish Ltd, Mauritius, bigdish at bush=
net.net 
+254.733.625.340  



--
Eric M.K Osiakwan
Executive Secretary
AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org)
Tel: + 233.21.258800
Fax: + 233.21.258811
Cell: + 233.244.386792
Handle: eosiakwan
Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North
Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North 
Blog: http://afrispa.skybuilders.com/users/Eric/blog.html
Slang: "Tomorrow Now"
--

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