Virtual offices, could this be the future possibility if wireless intenet was to be vigorously spread across the country? It is evident, firstly the introduction of internet at rural Macha has made significant developments in the community,Macha is in Choma district of Southern province of Zambia. The availability of internet has defeated the high poverty levels in the community, poor road network until it was tired in 2010, no fm or shortwave radio signal until vision community radio Macha came back to life in March 2010, no access to landline telephone network through zamtel until Celtel came in end of 2007, no access to international market for example buying of second hand vehicles from Japan, limited access to medical facilities, the list goes on....
Secondly, the flooding of smartphones with wifi and 3G network on the international market whose functions are similar to that of a laptop and desk-top computer have completely changed the ways of communication. At rural Macha, people who own smart phones no longer need to be in their offices, this is due to the expansion of internet network which covers the range of 3KM radius at rural Macha. This has enabled experts like doctors, teachers, farmers and members of the community to have access to internet wherever they are! yesterday while going to the hospital, I found a person under the shed accessing internet through wifi and when I greeted him, he did not respond to me because he was badly taken by our fast wireless network.
Is Maintenance of the Network sustainable?
Yes, our vibrant wireless internet is well maintained by our local heroes, these local heroes have been trained in Macha and they have trained local heroes from other rural communities across the country.
How does the future of internet perceived in rural areas?
In the near future people will no longer have physical offices, as they will be able to access internet where ever they shall be, people will no longer carry heavy machines like laptops, but shall instead carry smartphones, kindles, Ipads, Ipods and other portable gadgets, people shall no longer gather in one place for meetings, the world will no longer be a global village but a global family, virtual universities shall be many.
However to achieve this, internet costs should be lowered in order for an ordinary Zambia citizen to have access to internet. The ICT policy has to be perfected by ICT experts but not only politicians who may not see or know its valuable use.
Please our government, help us in rural areas and Zambia at large by subsidizing the internet costs.
No Internet, no good economy, no future!!!!
Right now, Virtual offices come quite handy for those new companies who can't afford to own offices just yet. These are pretty useful for those home-based companies that also want to cut costs by removing the need of an office. And for those who will have to personally meet their clients or customers, meeting rooms are quite easy to rent and schedule!
ReplyDeleteBlake Mitchell