Internet Service in Mauritius

From: fluxy <fx_at_fluxy.net>
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2015 23:16:17 +0400

Hello, The poor quality of internet in Mauritius is unfortunately a very
sad reality. Quality of internet, meaning:

   - Latency
   - Promised Bandwidth vs Obtained Bandwidth
   - Uptime
   - Bandwidth variance
   - Poor customer support

I’ve used several Internet Service Providers, various technologies,
different environments (professional and home) and many services (World
Wide Web, VOIP, Mail, SSH, IRC, Gaming, Torrent …).

The conclusion is the same: the service is *execrable*, and that’s me being
polite.

Who suffers from poor internet?

   - Non IT Business Users
   - IT Business Users - I am mentioning this separately because having
   worked in the sector, I am aware of the potential of the sector and to
   which extent this affects us. This is *literally* undermining the
   economy and stopping its progress. This is an issue of national interest.
   - Home Users - Many people do not realise the internet is bad. Of those
   who do, the majority suffer silently. Next many complain randomly on
   facebook. Fewer than those, actually a lot fewer, participate in this
   mailing list. Finally the enlightened individuals, actually complain to the
   authorities.

Why this is bad? Recent events seem to suggest that the situation is not
going to change, even if new ISPs enter the market. The modus operandi
remains a constant.

   1. Internet Service is bad, people complain randomly and in a dispersed
   manner. Existing ISP doesn’t live up to expectations. Governments change.
   Nothing happens, until a new service looms up ahead.
   2. Hype about a new service.
   3. Mass marketing with super convincing ads.
   4. Free installation
   5. The first wave of subscribers get good service and pass on the good
   word
   6. People rush and user base increases
   7. Service becomes execrable
   8. Go to 0.

*Occasionally the government may change and/or price may be decreased
slightly.*

What can be done? There are peole of knowledge, who know how to evaluate
quality of internet, but their number is few (compared to the mass).

Change can only be brought by the mass. People need to be educated on the
issue and made to understand the need for action.

How? Let us build a website, in order to:

   - Communicate clearly what poor internet means
   - Allow user to test if their connection is poor
   - Inform them why that is bad
   - Tell them what they can do - complain to their ISP, cc to ICTA and ICT
   Minister
   - Help them do it - provide the necessary forms, make it easy to fill
   and keep track of it

We will also massively promote the website - primarily through facebook ads
and google ads, then through social media sharing, and then if we get the
funds through traditional paper ads. If we can enough exposure and make it
to the papers this can gather enough momentum.

The wording on the web needs to be simple and translated in 3 languages:
English, French and Creole.

Nothing vulgar nor illegal - neither in words nor deeds.

This is a call to arms brothers and sisters, And I am inviting you all to
join me,

Regards,
Muhammad Yusuf ABDOOL SATAR
Received on Sat Aug 01 2015 - 19:16:31 PST