VoIP In Africa

After a number of successful VoIP conferences - one recently in Lagos - several African countries are warm to the technology and are pushing for it’s deployment [AllAfrica.com]. In fact, several top officials feel that not only will VoIP bring connectedness to several countries, it will change lives. I’d have to say that this is the most positive perspective of VoIP that I’ve come across to date, and I agree with it. The AllAfrica article states that Africa has been a continent with the lowest number of telephone lines. VoIP could change that with affordable calling to more places.

You’ve might have seen television documentaries on how some African miners live hundreds of miles away from family for most of the year and for little pay and thus can barely afford to visit family. So you can probably already see how some people’s lives will be improved by affordable VoIP calling. In Australia, there are now VoIP payphones, so why not not in African countries? Some enterprising soul might see the benefit of such an endeavour. Of course, not only individuals but businesses, too, will benefit from VoIP, which would make business outside geographical boundaries more affordable.

Overall, I think that Africa just might be a continent that collectively benefits more from VoIP and related services than anywhere else in the world. They have more to gain from implementing the technology.