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Fibre optic port - Source: ONE News / CNN
A South African information technology company proved it was
faster for them to transmit data with a carrier pigeon than to send
it using Telkom , the country's leading internet service
provider.
Internet speed and connectivity in Africa's largest economy are
poor because of a bandwidth shortage. It is also expensive.
Local news agency SAPA reported the 11-month-old pigeon, Winston,
took one hour and eight minutes to fly the 80 km from Unlimited
IT's offices near Pietermaritzburg to the coastal city of Durban
with a data card was strapped to his leg.
Including downloading, the transfer took two hours, six minutes
and 57 seconds - the time it took for only four percent of the data
to be transferred using a Telkom line.
SAPA said Unlimited IT performed the stunt after becoming
frustrated with slow internet transmission times.
The company has 11 call-centres around the country and regularly
sends data to its other branches.
Telkom could not immediately be reached for comment.
Internet speed is expected to improve once a new 17,000 km
underwater fibre optic cable linking southern and East Africa to
other networks becomes operational before South Africa hosts the
soccer World Cup next year.
Local service providers are currently negotiating deals for more
bandwidth.
