Africa information infrastructure status

Abstract

Communications and information infrastructure has improved dramatically in Africa over the past 5 years. The Internet satellite television, cellular phones and itemised billing are now widespread on the continent. But what might have been unthinkable a decade ago is still a dream for the majority of Africans those who do not live in the capital cities and are not part of the elite. Access to telephones is still very scarce on the continent - there are only about 14 million lines installed - fewer than the number of phones in Manhattan or Tokyo, and most of the lines are concentrated in the urban areas, while over 70% of the population is rural.