Burkina Faso is a landlocked country that lies in Western Africa, North of Ghana. It is a relatively flat country, with some hills and is home to a population of 17.4 million people. The economy of Burkina Faso is mainly comprised of agriculture (mainly livestock), gold and cotton. It is the fourth largest gold producer in Africa. There is also some tourism, which contributes to its overall GDP.
Regulatory and Infrastructural Challenges
The development of telecommunications across Burkina Faso has been hindered by regulatory challenges and also by infrastructure that requires development. The country does have some access to submarine cables via Ghana, which has helped to bring down the cost of connectivity somewhat, but the penetration rate for fixed line Internet is very low (0.4 percent) and only 11.4 percent of the population have access to the Internet. There has been strong growth in mobile telephony and limited services are offered by the three mobile operators in the country. However, a 2013 ITU Study on international Internet connectivity in sub-Saharan Africa stated that the Internet market in Burkina Faso was not competitive and that Internet capable phones cost over six times the more than a basic mobile phone. Coupled with the fact that Internet services are very cost prohibitive, this is slowing down adoption of mobile Internet across the country.
VSAT services provided by BusinessCom Networks can accelerate access to the Internet. Quick to deploy, easy to operate and with installers in-country, BusinessCom Networks can provide Internet access to wherever it is needed and assist at every step of installation, configuration and operation.
Farming
An Internet connection can enable communities to deal with everyday challenges. For farming communities, the Internet is a rich source of knowledge and education which can lead to the growth of crop yields. Access to important weather reports and also advice on farming techniques can transform the fortunes of small farms. Growth of crop yield can result in surplus crops that are available for sale and this can also be facilitated through the use of the Internet which opens up a marketplace to farming communities.
Opportunities in Education and Healthcare
VSAT technology can also be used in other sectors such as education and healthcare. The Burkinabe government is committed to improving its healthcare system, promoting greater access. VSAT has the potential to play a critical role in the implementation of an accessible healthcare system where it can enable remote clinics and telemedicine through connections with urban medical centres. In terms of education, outreach to rural areas is very important. School fees are high in Burkina Faso, and promotion of education for girls is of growing importance. Therefore, access to the Internet can help young people to inform and educate themselves. Community Internet hubs can provide a place where learning tools may be easily accessed and can improve the community through development of its farming practices, potential crop sales, healthcare and education.
BusinessCom Networks provides the tools that can help to empower organisations and communities via satellite across Burkina Faso. The company’s extensive product and service portfolio can be tailored for individual needs in the most cost-effective way possible.
BusinessCom offers the following satellite internet services in Burkina Faso:
- Broadband Internet access
- Toll quality VoIP and Videoconferencing with CIR
- Reliable SLA through FDMA and D-TDMA with 98% efficiency on payload
- Star, Mesh and hybrid Star/Mesh topology networks
- Full support of accelerated VPN, CITRIX, ERM and other business applications
- Highly secure operation with optional AES embedded encryption
- Global C-Band coverage and sub-Sahara Ku-Band
- Landing at top tier redundant IP facilities in Western Europe and United States
- Sentinel-based QoS, bandwidth management and optimization platform
