Algerian Internet service providers complain of sector's underdevelopment
2007-09-26
Algeria is lagging behind in making information available on the Internet. There are scarcely 5000 domain names in Algeria and only 200,000 ADSL subscribers.
By Lyes Aflou for Magharebia in Algiers –26/09/07
 [Getty Images] Algeria's mobile telephone revolution has not been followed by an Internet revolution. |
Internet service providers say Algeria has not caught up with the rest of the region in internet use. They blame the authorities for not encouraging the development of the Information Technology (IT) sector. Algeria has 5,000 domain names, while Tunisia has 16,000.
During a September 20th forum for internet service providers held in Algiers, Mohamed Saïdi, managing director of an IT firm, said Algeria has fallen behind other countries which have turned the IT niche into a major arm of their strategic development.
Saïdi discussed India which, thanks to the Internet, managed to export services worth $25 billion in 2005. He used the example of the United States, whose share of worldwide expenditure on the Internet is around 65%.
Ali Kehlane, managing director of Satinker, a service provider, further expressed regret that the development of mobile telephony had not been followed by that of the Internet. He said that there are only 2.1 million Internet users in Algeria, compared with 21 million mobile telephone subscribers. A large proportion of state institutions do not have websites, he added, and those that do exist are updated infrequently to never.
A government project to link all of the country's ministries by intranet, launched with great fanfare in 2004, and originally due for completion in 2006, has not seen the light of day. According to Kehlane, this lag means that Algeria relies entirely on online products from abroad.
"I cannot imagine a business in today’s world which does not have a PC or Internet access," Mohamed Bouzer, managing director of ABM, said. He added that the country needs to have an IT revolution to face the challenges of modernity. With imports of 200,000 PCs per year, he said, the country is lagging behind most of the world.
Mohamed Hamzaoui, managing director of Seri, raised the alarm over the amount of catching up needed to make information available over the Internet. "The Internet is not just about sending and receiving e-mails and files. It’s a way of giving and receiving information," he said, despairing at the sole use of the communication tool as an entertainment provider.
To boost the sector, Hamzaoui recommended reducing the cost of Internet access, regulating the market, creating a higher council for new technologies, linking all the providers and allowing a new fixed telephony provider to emerge.
Algeria currently has only 200,000 ADSL subscribers, although the authorities hope to push this figure up to 3 million in 2009. Many of the forum's participants said this objective will be impossible to achieve if incentives are not put in place.
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bouafia Posted 2007-09-27
I am a customer of ADSL. I am thinking about leaving them because of the price and the lack of speed.
Dexter238 Posted 2007-09-28
I lived in Morocco for a few years, and currently I am living in Algiers, Algeria. I am satisfied with my Internet service provider. I have 512kb/sec connection, a wireless station, a free voIP line and free calls to all landlines. All this costs me 25 Euros a month. I couldn't be more satisfied! A customer
salah Posted 2007-09-30
The Maghreb states are different if compared to other countries such as Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Kuwait, Egypt ...
ناصر Posted 2007-10-02
When you learn Arabic, then you can accuse others of retardation. You're the retarded one (underdeveloped in view of the countries)!! Where did you learn expression?
C T (London) Posted 2007-11-01
I recently visited Algeria and although the country has huge technology potential I hardly saw any sign of significant investment or incentives by the government. They definately need to be shaken and brought up to date with today's technology just as India did a few years ago and is now boosting their economy. There is a huge pool of greymatter which is left to waste away.
حميد Posted 2008-03-08
Yes the topic is true. There are no incentives even though the country is accumulating billions from oil and gas revenues. We don’t know where they are spent. Young people are confused by so many obstacles...
شاب جزائري Posted 2008-04-27
Salam alikoum. The price of ADSL in Algeria at a speed of 1 megabyte is about 180 Algerian dinars. This means that the government reduced the price by 50%.
issam Posted 2008-05-02
By God, the internet in Algeria requires a drastic change in the ministry of communication's technologies. Unfortunately, we have qualified young people in informatics who have considerable skills but they are ignored every day and the inappropriate person is assigned to the inappropriate post. Recruitment takes into account other considerations such as favouritism and acquaintances while neglecting the fields of speciality. We find students of Arab literature and law working in the field of the internet whereas students of the internet and marketing who have experience in the internet and dealing with customers are marginalised. By God, favouritism has slain Algeria. If only when they choose favouritism they take into account the interest of Algerian communications sector in particular and Algeria in general. May God guide our country for its own good.
mmm Posted 2008-05-14
Praise be to God the internet in Algeria is extra.
ىضسس Posted 2008-06-25
About the internet, I am a subscriber to the EASY ADSL service and 1m/s. But it is very weak in daytime.
tunisia Posted 2008-06-29
So, I am a Tunisian. I spent two years in Algeria. I have seen how this sector has developed as described in this article. At least in Algeria, most people use the Internet. I cannot even picture the life of the people of Algiers without Internet!!! It must be said that Algeria is the giant of the Maghreb and that Tunisia is the happiest in the Maghreb!!!
anand hamid Posted 2008-07-21
Salam alikoum. I am from Algeria. I am a subscriber to the government wireless internet because I live in a rural area. We really suffer of the very low speed at all times as a result of marginalization and injustice unlike those who live in cities where there is a continuous improvement almost every six months thanks to the sponsor offers.
abdel monaim Posted 2008-08-07
Morocco has achieved great progress in internet access. However, it is blamed for the cost of registration. 256 kbps at 150 dirhams (15 Euros) unlike other countries.
reda Posted 2008-08-26
My Friend, “Tunisia”; We must not be content with what we see here. That is what these articles are made for—to reflect the real reality. And, this is sufficiently behind in Algeria if you compare it to Tunisia, and even more flagrant if compared with Morocco.
amine Posted 2008-10-14
Congratulations to Algerians, internet mega 5 and modem Assil Box.
شاب من الأوراس Posted 2008-10-16
Peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you. Why do we address each others with offensive or indecent words especially because we are Muslims? Stop following policies of Zionists, the policy of division, you are from an undeveloped region and so on. Follow the Qur’an and Sunna. Our delivererance is in them.
kamel tawfik Posted 29 days ago
Salam alikum. Honestly, internet in Algeria is still lagging far behind from world progress. It is not the fault of internet providers. The problem is with the employees themselves who don’t check indices. Sometimes, internet is cut for hours. This reflects evident negligence. If you want to watch videos on youtube or dailymotion, just forget about it.
salim Posted 24 days ago
I think that easy is the only one who will make you believe that you have a strong internet in Algeria on the detriment of Anis or Fawri… Maybe this is due to Algerian officials who mostly have easy lines… Apart from this, Algeria has nothing in its technological glossary called internet.
achour Posted 13 days ago
Hello- I just moved house to Algiers with my family or, more precisely, to Bouzereah. I built a house there. There is no electricity, no landline telephone, no city water and no pavement! What a dump! This is the capital, Algiers, in 2008 and where are we?. In the ****. Do not compare us to the West; it is more like Sudan! Even the television channel “canal Algérie” doesn’t come in well. The image is not very pretty and is pretty sad to watch. I am too tired to continue.
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