'Lights please?' - The Dark Continent No More

I'd like to think I stay reasonably abreast of technological advances as well as innovative concepts through my weekly consumption of tech-related Internet portals.

In most cases, I will either read then shelve the information in the back of my mind; other times I am moved to tweet about it, hopefully getting  the word out to like-minded folks.

 On rare occasions, I will try and assimilate this new knowledge / technology into my own projects either to improve them or just to see how the implementation would work in a South African context.
Sadly, though, being based in South Africa can limiting in terms of what one can do to leverage new technologies in the Information Technology and Communications (ITC) sector.


South Africa has, traditionally, always been last on the queue for everything in terms of new technology - stoves, mobile phones, auto mobiles, computers and we won't even mention the subject of broadband but I’m sure you get the idea.
Most will argue that implementing new technology is expensive as a rule anywhere in Africa. This being so due to low technology penetration.

They would be mostly right, it is indeed costly. However there are innovations that piggy-back off the existing infrastructure, a good example would be the telecommunications networks.


On closer examination, a different picture emerges as you find that the bottle-neck in technological progress moves from being socio-economic to just being economic.


You may find a single entity fighting to keep a monopoly on ITC systems or  entities run by "dinosaur" executives afraid to embrace the ever-changing information technology landscape. A classic case of 'don't mess with a working formula' syndrome. In some cases the "dark continent" is simply being overlooked as a market by key decision-makers because of misconceptions.

It's interesting to note that those business entities, like MTN, who dared to venture into Africa, have been rewarded with healthy profits as locals of various age groups embraced those technologies whole-heartedly.
Even my 83-year-old grandmother has joined the technology bandwagon, she doesn't part with her mobile phone. Introducing her to Nintendo’s Wii gaming console should make for interesting results.

These are exciting times and the message to all players in the ITC field is simple: Adapt or 'go out gently into the night'.
The consumer is now in the driving seat, Nokia and Apple know know all about that. The former only realising that after losing considerable market share in a short period of time. - T. Bengu