@walu,

The technology definitely matters.  Older routers used to take 2ms to forward a packet - now those numbers are much better.  EDGE certainly has much higher latency than 3G (and 3G higher than 4G - although a congested 4G network could have higher latency compared to an underused 3G connection).

I did some experiments on this issue for a talk at the Southern Africa Network Operator Group a few months ago - a version of that deck is here:

https://speakerdeck.com/varud/hosting-mobile-apps-for-africa

For a typical site focused on Kenyan users like The Nation, most of the time spent by the user is waiting for the content to come from Europe to Mombasa, not from the cell tower to the 3G device.

I suspect that a group like The Nation could improve the number of impressions by a solid 20% simply by moving their content to a local provider.  Having an LTE network would further boost the number of impressions for them.  Since The Nation has no online subscription component and only earns money on an impression basis - this is simply money left on the table.

-Adam

--
Kili - Cloud for Africa: kili.io
Musings: twitter.com/varud
More Musings: varud.com
About Adam: www.linkedin.com/in/adamcnelson


On Tue, Aug 26, 2014 at 9:58 AM, Walubengo J via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
@Kioko,

My understanding is that Latency is delay introduced by the active components (Switches, Routers, Servers, Congestion). This means that it really isn't a dictated by one function i.e the technology (2G, 3G, 4G, Fiber, Wimax, etc).

Put differently, I could be connected through a 4G link and my neighbour could be on a 3G link but depending on the "terrain" or network conditions towards our destined websites, the 3G guy may be enjoying better latencies.

But this is splitting hairs - for the user, the Quality of Service (QoS) has moved beyond techincal details towards what is known as the total "user-experience", that includes non-technical issues like customer service.

walu.

--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 8/26/14, Dennis Kioko via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [kictanet] LTE in Rwanda, TZ, UG
 To: jwalu@yahoo.com
 Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
 Date: Tuesday, August 26, 2014, 8:32 AM

 Well depends
 on what high speeds are. Remember 1 Mbps as offered by 3G is
 already defined as broadband, but may not offer the latency
 you need.
 On 25 Aug 2014 19:55,
 "Ngigi Waithaka" <ngigi@at.co.ke>
 wrote:

 Dennis,
 I am very tempted to Google this, but will go
 old-skool on this one.
 I know you could have a low speed - low latency
 network, but can you have a high speed - high latency
 network?
 Waithaka Ngigi
 Alliance Technologies

 Nairobi, Kenya
 www.A1.io
 On 25 Aug 2014 18:41,
 "Dennis Kioko via kictanet" <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
 wrote:


 But 4G is not only about higher speeds, but
 lower latencies too. Therefore applications that require low
 latency might find 4G to be of benefit on that front.
 On 25 Aug 2014 16:56,
 "Odhiambo Washington via kictanet" <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
 wrote:



 It would be most welcome if having 4G will
 lower data prices. Then again, I doubt the number of users
 who require 4G is that significant.

 On 25
 August 2014 16:52, Mark Mwangi <mwangy@gmail.com>
 wrote:





 I am an advocate for tech all the way but would
 first ask why all the fuss with 4G? Have we maxed out the 3G
 bandwidth and have we put in place enough fiber to the
 building already in existence? 







 This rush for the newest and the greatest tech is not
 after solving problems but earning the likes of Huawei money
 with little value. 
 I
 understand that Safaricom faced similar questions when
 launching 3G and are currently the only one testing 4G and
 so I may eat my words soon enough. I still think we should
 be laying more fiber to homes and offices rather than fight
 for spectrum. 








 On Mon, Aug 25,
 2014 at 3:40 PM, Odhiambo Washington via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
 wrote:







 Hi
 Adam,
 Kenyans are known for
 their 11th-hour (in)decisions/actions. You better start
 thinking & behaving like one:)






 CAK is doing the right thing, but bedevilled by
 political forces in the bg.



 On 25 August 2014
 15:36, Adam Nelson via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
 wrote:









 It seems
 that CAK is trying to do the right thing but I can't
 tell if they have weak lawyers or if the court is just
 confused or if the rights-holders of the analog spectrum
 really are being violated.










 But while we wait, other
 countries in the region are moving forward.  The big
 problem is that LTE deployment (and digital-only terrestrial
 TV) takes time and the longer we wait for the start, the
 further away we are from getting meaningful value out of the
 transition moving ahead.










 --Kili - Cloud for
 Africa: kili.io










 Musings: twitter.com/varudMore Musings: varud.com









 About
 Adam: www.linkedin.com/in/adamcnelson


 On Mon, Aug 25, 2014 at
 2:52 PM, Walubengo J <jwalu@yahoo.com>
 wrote:










 On Mon, 8/25/14, Adam Nelson via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
 wrote:

 I figured somebody on this list would have the  latest
 update.

 ~~~~

 True that Adam.



 Only problem is that the Gava /Regulator folks have gone
 awfully quiet in recent times..even our ever-ready Wambua of
 the CCK fame has not said anything since they became CAK
 :-)



 Or perhaps since since we have sued them left, right and
 center, they are unable to comment on matters before the
 Bench (it can always be used against you).



 walu.

 --------------------------------------------

 On Mon, 8/25/14, Adam Nelson via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
 wrote:



  Subject: [kictanet] LTE in Rwanda, TZ, UG

  To: jwalu@yahoo.com

  Date: Monday, August 25, 2014, 10:59 AM



  Looks like Rwanda is

  about to launch LTE:

  http://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?i=15825&a=79508



  Any updates on Kenya?  Aside from Burundi, Kenya

  looks set to be the last to launch the service in the
 East

  African Community.

  The last I heard, the Supreme Court blocked the

  disabling of the analog signals which need to be shut
 down

  in order to free up spectrum.  In addition, KDF has alot
 of

  spectrum that they've been holding onto as well.



  I figured somebody on this list would have the

  latest update.

  -Adam

  --

  Kili - Cloud for Africa: kili.io

  Musings: twitter.com/varud

  More

  Musings: varud.comAbout Adam: www.linkedin.com/in/adamcnelson





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