Eritrea's Communications Disconnect – The numbers

Eritrea’s sole internet point of service is EriTel

There are 4 Internet Service Providers:

1) EriTel (competes with the other 3 internet providers)

2) EriSol

3) EWAN

4) tFanus

Speed Downlink/Uplink/ Cost

64/32(Kbps) = 9954.96Nkf
96/32(Kbps) = 13273.20Nkf
128/64(Kbps) = 19909.71
192/64(Kbps) = 26546.22Nkf
256/128(Kbps) = 39819.22Nkf
384/28(Kbps) = 53092.23Nkf

High-end internet cafes’s choose 96/32 kbps. Due to communication errors and packet drops, effective connection kbps falls to 87kbps. This 87kbps is divided between 10 or more computers

One of the main internet providers is EriSol with 128/64Kbps connection has 130 customers.

Typical cost structure for their customer base, which consists of Internet cafes, offices and travel agencies:

1) 1-5 PC = 3,500Nkf per month

2) 6-10 PC = 5,500Nkf per month

3) 11-20 PC = 6,500Nkf per month

4) 21-30 PC = 7,500Nkf per month

N.B: The Speed is 32/16Kbps

EWAN though it is a provider but Internet Cafes don't take service from it, because of its bad service. It has a bad reputation. But the pricing system is similar, for example for 11-20pc they give it @ a cost of 6,708.90Nkf. But Most 99% of Internet cafes take their service from EriSol & EriTel.

tFanus Enterprise only give services to offices & personal homes.

Cost to get online – 20Nkf (Increased from 10Nkf because of shortage of electricity approved by Ministry of Transport on Aug 28, 2013

ቤ/ጽ/ሚኒስትሪ መጎዓዝያን መራከቢታትን ብዘውጽኦ ሓዲሽ ናይ ዋጋ ታሪፍ ናይ ኣገልግሎት Internet cafe ንሓደ ስዓት 10ናቅፋ ዝነበረ ተሪፉ ካብ ዕለት 28/08/2013 ጀሚሩ ንስዓት ናብ 20 ናቅፋ ተቀይሩ ከም ዘሎ ብትሕትና ንሕብር።

For better perspective, a loaf of bread costs 3Nkf one hour on the internet costs the same as 7 loafs of bread.

Fiber optic connection and attempt to curtail Internet Cafes:

Eritrea had the chance to use fiber optics but the GoE turned it down stating that it was not their “priority”. In Oct 2004 the Ministry of information had announced: Internet cafes in Eritrea to move to ’educational and research centres’. The primary goal at the time was to further curtail the accessibility of the internet to the public.

Rumors about Data Center in Embatkala:

According to some people, I have heard that, the GoE has brought  fiber optic up to Massawa, for "Data Center". The Data Center will be in Embatkala, and it will have all the data's of all the ministries and also of embassies(2%) and other things. I was told this system is being run by the president’s office, but according to people working in the president office’s; this was a total exaggeration and a lie. That the data center was only an idea of an Eritrean who came from England & the president office is helping. As far as they know there is no such thing as fiber optic in Masswas or other place.

More info about Eritrea's Communications Disconnect at businessweek.com