Digital Age Institute Ltd. of Kenya - tel: 2213008/9, 2211154, 0725 144 711, 0734 936 145

Digital Village: 18th April 2007

Digital Villages, supported by World Bank and Ministry of Information & Communications

We are the very proud constructors of one of the only Digital Villages world wide, which has proven its concept. Digital Age Institute Ltd. designed a solution back in 1999, based on a 20 feet Shipping container, tailor made tables and chairs, powered by Solar Power (Solar Panels), equipped with Lap top computers (key: Low voltage) and by use of wireless technology for internet connectivity. All in all, using known componenents which are relatively easy to import, and relatively cheap to acquire.

During the ICT Expo 2007 in Kenyatta International Conference Center in Nairobi, Kenya, our concept was set up by our business partners here in Kenya: Kenya Aftech Ltd.: Toshiba Laptops, Davis & Shirtliff: Solar Panels, Kenya Data Networks Ltd. (Internet connectivity on long distance), and AceVilla: Internet connectivity inside the container. It was in many ways an attempt to see, if it was possible to work together that many partners to achieve the goal of setting up a real live Digital Village. The concept had to be put up as if it was up country, and so we did. It took only 2 days of work, all inclusive, then we had connectivity from the container, and via KDN's wireless WIMAX technology we connected with 2 Megabit/sec to an antenna on the NSSF building, some 2.5 kilometres away. Davis & Shirtliff powered the entire container with 160 Watt, enough to supply 4 Toshiba Tecra laptops from Aftech Kenya, and Davis & Shirtliff had provided low power light too, which came in handy in the evenings. AceVilla connected a Hot spot, just to try it out - and that now suddenly gave us a very pleasant surprise. While the Internet Service Providers in general appeared to be down on Friday and Saturday the 9th and 10th of February 2007, we had 21 visitors from the Expo - exhibitors and guests - who connected to AceVilla's hotspot ! AceVilla furthermore connected Wireless phone technology, and conducted VoIP phone calls from the container, in a way which would have been similar possible up country, given the same conditions.

Setting up Digital Villages

We are selling this concept for the cost of putting it up + 25% in markup. It means we are doing it open book. Thus, you should assume that you can get a new 20 Feet container, equipped with 10 laptops, necessary solar equipment, interior light, chairs, tables of appropriate quality, necessary heavy duty padlocks for approximately Kshs 1,855,000, inclusive of mounting + our 25% markup. This price will fluctuate quite a lot, based on the distance to nearest Internet link (up country it can be necessary to setup a repeater station, for instance), but it is in the vicinity of what you would have to pay for it. On top of that comes transportation, and if you assume some 20% per year of the entire investment in maintenance of the container, insurances, equipment and so on, then you are not completely wrong. Internet connectivity again comes on top, and will be negotiated depending on the placement of the container.

Reservation:

It will be necessary to make reservations, as there will be limitations to how many containers we can set up per month. Due to the fact that both Aftech, KDN and Davis & Shirtliff are all of them having a region wide coverage, you will always have a service technician nearby who can assist you with the maintenance. We expect that the owners of these containers themselves will train and get to know the most basic maintenance, as it will be too costly to travel to the containers every time small things are not working, which can be fixed by sheer application of knowledge. Digital Age Institute are proud to announce, that it has been a professional pleasure to work together with those esteemed corporates. In case you are interested in more information, kindly contact us on digitalvillage@digitalageinstitute.com, and we will answer you as soon as we can.