Intelsat has shutdown the primary satellite link for Zimbabwe's state communications company for non-payment, which has affected most of the ISPs in the country.
I can't really blame them. I doubt the Internet is considered critical
infrastructure over there yet, and I doubt Intelsat would care... but this
is interesting in the sense that even if you can't fault intelsat in any
way... Intelsat, Inmarsat, etc. run quite a bit, and if it's a
"country" that gets disconnected, that is a problem even if it's not
"their" problem.
Gadi.
Gadi Evron wrote:
Intelsat has shutdown the primary satellite link for Zimbabwe's state communications company for non-payment, which has affected most of the ISPs in the country.
I can't really blame them. I doubt the Internet is considered critical
infrastructure over there yet, and I doubt Intelsat would care... but this
is interesting in the sense that even if you can't fault intelsat in any
way... Intelsat, Inmarsat, etc. run quite a bit, and if it's a
"country" that gets disconnected, that is a problem even if it's not
"their" problem.Gadi.
% Information related to '194.133.122.0 - 194.133.122.255'
inetnum: 194.133.122.0 - 194.133.122.255
netname: TelOne-BLK01
descr: TelOne (formerly ZPTC)
country: ZW
The nameservers and internet sites can be seen here (europe)
but they are slow.
Kind regards
Peter and Karin
Does any fiber run into Zimbabwe? Or is everything via satellite? There has to be a remaining uplink (albeit low-capacity) if nameservers within the country are still accessible.
-brandon
> Intelsat has shutdown the primary satellite link for Zimbabwe's state
> communications company for non-payment, which has affected most of the
> ISPs in the country.I can't really blame them. I doubt the Internet is considered critical
infrastructure over there yet,
i guess that would depend on who you are, i'm sure a number of aid
organizations and other NGO's are quite dependent on the internet.
and I doubt Intelsat would care... but this
is interesting in the sense that even if you can't fault intelsat in any
way... Intelsat, Inmarsat, etc. run quite a bit, and if it's a
"country" that gets disconnected, that is a problem even if it's not
"their" problem.
i would imagine that this was a last option for intelsat, as they have been
the backbone for many places, especially those away from western infrastucture
for a long time.
"The state company TelOne acknowledged receiving a final demand for payment of
its satellite arrears last month and asked the central bank to provide hard
currency which has so far not been allocated."
Does any fiber run into Zimbabwe? Or is everything via satellite?
Having fibre to your neighbiour is the exception in Africa, not the rule.
There has to be a remaining uplink (albeit low-capacity) if nameservers within the country are still accessible.
There's more than one satellite operator with footprints that cover Zimbabwe.
Joe
Remember the (proposed? built?) circum-Africa oceanic cable, with drops to
each (coastal) country? Avoid the politics and instability of depending
on a neighbor.
--Steven M. Bellovin, http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~smb
Brandon Galbraith wrote:
Does any fiber run into Zimbabwe? Or is everything via satellite? There has to be a remaining uplink (albeit low-capacity) if nameservers within the country are still accessible.
Zimbabwe's government owned telephone company controls Internet access. When I was working there in 98ish, it was mandatory for all providers to interlink with the telephone company and use their satellite uplink at outrageous pricing. There was a few exceptions, mostly companies that were faster than the telco at setting up Internet connections and had the political power to hold on to them. The only other connectivity feeding Zimbabwe outside of the satellite uplinks was microwave to South Africa where it picked up fiber. I believe this link was primarily for phone, and not Internet.
I doubt much has changed since I was there. Towards the end of my visit, riots broke out and shortly after I left it paid not to be white in Zimbabwe and definitely not a white farmer. The economy didn't fare well. A beautiful country, but unfortunately not very ideal for a network engineer.
Jack Bates
Many countries, not just developing ones, have the same issues or at least
had them when the Internet was originally introduced. In Israel we were
under the iron fist of a government owned telco for a long time, paying
quite a bit per minute.
That changed significantly since `94 when Hank introduced us to the
Internet, but it's a known issue wherever you turn. Naturally, we di dnot
have riots to overthrow the government.... so I am not sure how true the
comparison is.
On another level, Brazil which is now introduced to the broadband
revolution has many of the massive security issues impacting the Internet,
much like Israel used to have when we underwent the Internet revolution.
(not to say anything against Brazil. Nice people, serious professionals
and very hot (and fun!) women).
Gadi.
And numerous licensed ISPs in the country, some with their own external connectivity arrangements.
http://www.nsrc.org/db/lookup/country.php?ISO=ZW
Steve Huter
Gadi Evron wrote:
On another level, Brazil which is now introduced to the broadband
revolution has many of the massive security issues impacting the Internet,
much like Israel used to have when we underwent the Internet revolution.
Heh. We do indeed have lots of windows zombies on the DSLs, yes, but our infrastructure is not that bad security-wise. Now tell me any country that doesnt have lots of windows zombies around 
Of course, we miss some RESPONSIVE attack mitigation desks, as I am tired of submitting abuse reports and never getting a reply/solution 
I know some companies that have excellent desks at work, some of which have friends of mine at work
(not to say anything against Brazil. Nice people, serious professionals
and very hot (and fun!) women).
Haha! Yes, I love my country!
Gadi
Greetings from Brazil
Evaldo