Internet access in developing and underdeveloped countries usually faces great challenges in terms of infrastructures such as fiber optic cables, backbone cable connections, lack of reliable Internet Service Providers (ISPs), slow or no Internet connection speed. very fast (poor services), internet access to the general public, and high cost of internet access/connection.
Nigeria is no exception to these problems, although there seems to be significant improvements in recent times and great plans for the future, the problems still exist and present a challenge yet to be conquered. Plateau State and Jos, its capital city, are located in Nigeria and are not exempt from the Nigerian situation.
Internet access in the city of Jos and indeed in the Plateau State and even in Nigeria as a country has been mainly through the use of satellite (VSAT) which is a considerably very expensive means of Internet access. . People who cannot afford the high cost of owning or maintaining one generally frequent public Internet cafes or resort to Internet access services offered by mobile telecommunications companies present in the State.
Locally, it costs around $1.00 to $2.00 (N150.00 to N300.00 as of March 2010) or even more for every hour of internet access at public internet cafes within the Jos metropolis. Notable local internet cafes and internet service providers in Jos, although some have closed, include; Net-link 24hr (Jos Business School), Bethnan Internet Café, Rabjib, Zecon, Afrione, Zebeh, Logic Systems, UCL Internet Café, System Links, Metro Cybercafé, MD Internet café, etc. It is also worth noting that most of the local Internet Service Providers (ISPs located in Jos-Plateau) make use of Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity), MMDS (Multipoint Microwave Distribution Service) and sometimes , Fixed WiMax (Global Distribution Service). Interoperability for Microwave Access) through the ISM bands to connect customers to their VSAT (Internet Access Satellite) equipment for Internet access. This involves the use of customer-premises equipment such as antennas (receivers) and pole/mast-mounted wireless routers and Telco-Office transmitters that operate primarily in line-of-sight (LOS) and sometimes non-line-of-sight ( NLOS). ).
With all the speeds offered by these Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) and Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks (WMAN); end-of-day performance for the customer is reduced to the actual shared Internet access speeds available to the Internet Service Provider (ISP) for their customers, which is a maximum of 5 to 7 kbps (kilobits per second) in a very good day.
However, Internet access today in the city of Jos and in the Plateau State is generally dominated by mobile telecommunication companies that mainly offer General Packet Radio (GPRS) services, Enhanced General Packet Radio ( EGPRS), third generation (3G) and EV mobile Internet access. -DO RevA type Internet access technologies using custom modems unique to each mobile telecommunications company operating as an Internet Service Provider that, in some cases, are better than what is offered by the Internet Service Provider alternative (ISP) local. These mobile and telecom companies are like MTN (MTN Fast Link), Zain Mobile, Starcoms, Zoom, Visafone, Multi-Links Telkom and Glo Mobile.
In general, the Internet is very accessible in Jos and in the Plateau State, although not at actual broadband speeds, it is still very useful depending on which Internet Service Provider (ISP) you choose to use. The best we’ve tested so far, though, though not without its downtime issues, is Multi-links Telkom’s EV-DO Rev A Hybrid Internet Access Modem. We rate it the best in terms of speed and reliability, though it falls short in terms of rangeability (can’t use it in some rural areas), set-up (first-time install), and affordability (compared to the cost of what other mobile phone telecommunications companies are offering).
In the midst of all this, one thing is for sure; You’ll never lose your internet torch to connect with family, friends and colleagues or surf the web and do some downloading or whatever using the internet when you’re in beautiful Jos or most of the Plateau State.
Markets and places of interest in Jos-Plateau; Vegetable and Building Materials Market, Gada Biyu Market, Faringada Tomato Market, Langtang Street, Rukuba Road Market, Ahmadu Belo Way, Jama’a Junction, Mangu Market, Jengre Market, etc.
Jos-Plateau in Nigeria is also the place to find the following staples in abundance and at good wholesale and retail prices. Basic products like; vegetables (including Irish potatoes, cucumber, cabbage, tomatoes, green pepper, green peas, watermelon, water, onions, carrots), cereals (including popcorn, sorghum, millet, yellow corn, white corn, beans, acha, rice, soybeans, sesame seeds), fruits (including oranges, bananas, mango, pineapples, strawberries, grapes) (including cow, calf, goat, sheep, goat, chicken eggs, roast chicken) and gemstones (including topaz, ruby , Blue Tourmaline, Pink Tourmaline, Aquamarine, Quartz, Sapphire) and many more.
