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From VOA Learning English, |
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this is the Technology Report. |
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South Africa is the richest countries in Africa, |
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it is also one of the most modern |
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and technologically advanced. |
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It has some of the best rail, |
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road and communication systems in Africa. |
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Yet more than two-thirds of South African adults |
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have never used the Internet. |
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The South African Network Society recently reported |
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that only 34% of South African adults use the Internet. |
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That is about 12 million people. |
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Three-quarters of the country's Internet users live in cities. |
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Most of them use cell phones to get on the Internet. |
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The rest go to Internet cafes |
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or use the Internet at school or work. |
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Indra de Lanerolle is with the South African Network Society. |
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He says there are many reasons |
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why so few South Africans use the Internet. |
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Cost is one of them. |
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"We do have expensive costs and cost |
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is a big limitation to Internet use. |
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It stops some people (from) using the Internet at all, |
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and the other thing it does it stops people (from) using it very much. |
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So unless we can do much better than 1 in 3 connected, |
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increasingly that's going to be a real disadvantage for the country." |
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Poor Internet connectivity in rural South Africa |
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and the high prices of Internet-ready mobile phones |
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have also kept the poor disconnected. |
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Most schools and work places in rural South Africa, |
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where the majority of country's people live, |
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have no Internet connection. |
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And many areas of the country do not have Internet cafes. |
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Sam Gina lives in Johannesburg, he has never been on the internet. |
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"At home I don't have it. Laptop is too expensive for me. |
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Now I am using a phone that doesn't have Internet." |
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Wilson Ayong is a Cameroonian citizen |
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who operates an Internet cafe in Johannesburg. |
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He says the prices at Internet cafes |
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are too high for many south Africans. |
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"An hour here we take for five Rand. |
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We give three hours for 10 Rand, |
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we give 30 minutes for three Rand, |
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15 minutes for two Rand. |
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It's a bit expensive." |
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So why it is so expensive to get on the internet |
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in Africa's richest country. |
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One reason is South Africa has too little bandwidth for its needs. |
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And these private providers increase the country's bandwidth, |
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they are making users pay the cost to do so. |
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Even so the South African Network Society's Mr. de Lanerolle says |
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Internet access in the country is improving. |
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He says a new generation of Internet users |
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from the country's middle class |
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is quickly entering an area once reserved for the rich. |
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His believe is supported by reports |
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that show internet usage and access in South Africa |
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has increased by more than 100% in the last five years. |
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And that's the Technology Report from VOA Learning English. |
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I'm June Simms. |