I am all for driving down dependency on big tech but is google even bothered by which Internet you use if Android dominates the smartphone market? Most people will already be using one of Android/Apple/Microsoft OS, so that’s still a lot of western influence. Though, this is a huge step to digital independence imo.
I hope they start shifting towards Linux and fund open source initiatives.
People in Africa are largely using phones from China which don’t run Android. For example, Huawei has its own HarmonyOS now, that was forked from Android a while back and it’s no longer compatible with it.
I do think that Linux based phones would be great, but it doesn’t seem like there are any viable options in the foreseeable future.
The African Internet Exchange System project was launched by the African Union Commission to promote the exchange of intra-African internet traffic within the continent. Before the project, Africa was paying overseas carriers to handle this traffic, which was both costly and inefficient. The project is a key part of the Program on Infrastructure Development in Africa, which aims to establish an intra-African broadband infrastructure and has highlighted the importance of Internet Exchange Points.
The main difference between the AXIS project’s proposed system and the global internet is the way internet traffic is routed. The global internet often routes intra-African traffic through overseas carriers. The AXIS project’s goal is to keep this traffic within the continent by exchanging it locally or regionally through IXPs. This eliminates the need for international transit, which reduces latency and saves costs.
They can’t feel terror, or anger, or ‘slam’ some other corporate opponent.
As an entity, they can make decisions and take actions. Assigning them emotional range gives too much credibility to soulless money making machines whose sole purpose is to create value for their investors.
Yes, but an network limited locally isn’t an alternative, what it needed are global alternatives to the US BigBrother hegemony. The Africa network is nice for African people, but isn’t an alternative and less an “terror” for Google.
As I understand it, it’s not limited locally. Africa’s Continental Internet Exchange (CIX) connects Africa internally first, but it still links globally. It’s about sovereignty, not isolation.
In terms of networking, this is not different from Europe and other regions with many local IXPs that allow regional traffic within the continent… the thing is that in the past, Africa has not had an infrastructure that allowed connecting to another African country without it being routed through international networks outside the continent.
Let me guess its paid for and run by China and the service looks cheap now but will grow more expensive.
They should have explained African Digital Protocol (ADP) more because from my brief searching this is not “its own internet” its just non US owned datacenters and telcos.
You are not logged in. However you can subscribe from another Fediverse account, for example Lemmy or Mastodon. To do this, paste the following into the search field of your instance: [email protected]
This is the official technology community of Lemmy.ml for all news related to creation and use of technology, and to facilitate civil, meaningful discussion around it.
Ask in DM before posting product reviews or ads. All such posts otherwise are subject to removal.
Rules:
1: All Lemmy rules apply
2: Do not post low effort posts
3: NEVER post naziped*gore stuff
4: Always post article URLs or their archived version URLs as sources, NOT screenshots. Help the blind users.
5: personal rants of Big Tech CEOs like Elon Musk are unwelcome (does not include posts about their companies affecting wide range of people)
6: no advertisement posts unless verified as legitimate and non-exploitative/non-consumerist
7: crypto related posts, unless essential, are disallowed
I am all for driving down dependency on big tech but is google even bothered by which Internet you use if Android dominates the smartphone market? Most people will already be using one of Android/Apple/Microsoft OS, so that’s still a lot of western influence. Though, this is a huge step to digital independence imo.
I hope they start shifting towards Linux and fund open source initiatives.
People in Africa are largely using phones from China which don’t run Android. For example, Huawei has its own HarmonyOS now, that was forked from Android a while back and it’s no longer compatible with it.
I do think that Linux based phones would be great, but it doesn’t seem like there are any viable options in the foreseeable future.
I don’t understand what I’m reading. Is it just like datacenters in africa or did they make an alternative to http/https
The African Internet Exchange System project was launched by the African Union Commission to promote the exchange of intra-African internet traffic within the continent. Before the project, Africa was paying overseas carriers to handle this traffic, which was both costly and inefficient. The project is a key part of the Program on Infrastructure Development in Africa, which aims to establish an intra-African broadband infrastructure and has highlighted the importance of Internet Exchange Points.
The main difference between the AXIS project’s proposed system and the global internet is the way internet traffic is routed. The global internet often routes intra-African traffic through overseas carriers. The AXIS project’s goal is to keep this traffic within the continent by exchanging it locally or regionally through IXPs. This eliminates the need for international transit, which reduces latency and saves costs.
there’s some more info here
Dear article writers:
PLEASE STOP ANTHROPOMORPHISING CORPORATE ENTITIES.
They can’t feel terror, or anger, or ‘slam’ some other corporate opponent.
As an entity, they can make decisions and take actions. Assigning them emotional range gives too much credibility to soulless money making machines whose sole purpose is to create value for their investors.
Just one more thing you can thank Google for. Titles wouldn’t be made like this if Google didn’t reward them with traffic.
This is really exciting: hundreds of millions now keep their internet data inside Africa and are no longer hostage to large companies outside of it
Yes, but an network limited locally isn’t an alternative, what it needed are global alternatives to the US BigBrother hegemony. The Africa network is nice for African people, but isn’t an alternative and less an “terror” for Google.
As I understand it, it’s not limited locally. Africa’s Continental Internet Exchange (CIX) connects Africa internally first, but it still links globally. It’s about sovereignty, not isolation.
In terms of networking, this is not different from Europe and other regions with many local IXPs that allow regional traffic within the continent… the thing is that in the past, Africa has not had an infrastructure that allowed connecting to another African country without it being routed through international networks outside the continent.
Ah, ok, anyway it is mandatory to end the US hegemony in the web, currently more than ever.
Like you said, the headline is overhyped a bit.
But still exciting because it’s a very important first step. Data colonization is being stopped. Nothing could be done until then.
It also puts hard limits on the expansion of the tech bro billionaires
Google’s probably not going to care and is probably going to find some way to disadvantage this so they can keep their monopoly.
I mean, this is the company that’s wide open about how weasely and underhanded they are to the web at large.
You don’t see google doing much in China or Russia nowadays.
That’s by design
Correct, they built their own infrastructure and aren’t dependent on US big tech by design. Other countries can do this too.
Let me guess its paid for and run by China and the service looks cheap now but will grow more expensive.
They should have explained African Digital Protocol (ADP) more because from my brief searching this is not “its own internet” its just non US owned datacenters and telcos.
Do you have a source or is it a guess?