Format: MS WORD | Chapter: 1-5 | Pages: 65-80
A SURVEY OF PROBLEMS OF CYBERCAFE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
This is an overview of the project topic. It gives the history of the circumstances surrounding the topic. The internet has mad changes in almost all aspect of our lives as it plays important role in most of what we discuss today about access to distribution and retrieval of information. According to Cachage “Internet explorer” (2001) he declared that Internet explorers have high expectation of internet services which range from a simple desire to find something interesting (for no particular reason) to searching for useful information on a specific issue as a result of the great diversity and volume of information contained in he internet. Chen et al (1998) stated that internet can enable the user to have access to information on diverse and specific areas that can meet his needs.
According to Paul (2002) he said that the internet which began in the 1960’s as a project of a few researcher has grown to be a commercial success with billions of dollars of annual decades into a mass developed within three decades into a mass medium that influences most or all domains of life from education to recreation, from business to medicine and from academic to politics. He notes further that today’s mega-trend and vision of the global village and globalization are based on and influenced by this technology. The influence of the internet allows all aspect of life. In developing as well as developed countries.
Statistics show that the use of the internet has grown in the most urban area in Africa relatively rapidly in much the same way as the adoption of the mobile phone which followed shortly after. Jensen (1996) observed that over half of African countries have despite their poor telecommunications infrastructure developed some form o low-cost dial up store end e-mail service with a gateway to the internet – 33 of the 54 nations on continent as at 1996, that of these 20 countries have live internet cities. E listed these as Algeria, Angola, central African Republic, Benin, Cote d’ ivory, Madagascar, Mauritius, Morocco, Tanzania, Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique and of course South Africa, which is among the top 20 countries on the internet when ranked by number of the internet nodes. He noted further that an additional eight countries had well advanced plans for establishing an internet node, namely Burkinafso, Botswana, Gabon, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Guinea, Sierra Leone, as can be seen from the foregoing, Nigeria of which Delta state is part had no live internet public access services in her cities at that time.
At present every capital city and major towns in Nigeria have internet public access services. As indicated by 2002 status report on the Africa internet (1) as of mid-2002 the internet of dial-up internet subscribers was close to 1.7m in Africa, 20 percent up from the previous year mainly bolstered by growth in a few of the larger countries such as Egypt, South Africa, Morocco and Nigeria, that charred public access and the use of corporate networks is continuing to grow at greater rates than he number of dial-up users. The report further notes that there are now many thousands of cyber-café in the major cities of Nigeria run by small entrepreneur who are allowed by the regulator of provide VOIP services as part of the cyber-café license, which costs about $500 a year. These cyber-cafes are growing in number at the passing of each day.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS
This means the reasons why the researcher have chosen to study a particular research. Cyber-café has variety of problems that affect them. It include;
1. High cost of internet connectivity.
2. Frequent/occasional loss of contact with internet service provider (ISP).
3. Frequent electricity interruption.
4. The poor state of high telecommunication charges in Nigeria.
5. High cost of maintaining equipment.
HIGH COST OF INTERNET CONNECTIVITY
Cyber-cafes have thus become very important in Nigeria, as the cost of having internet connectivity is so high that private individuals cannot afford it. However, some educational institution (especially tertiary institutions) corporate organization and business centers do have computer in the country – though except in a very few organization and some cyber-cafes, most of these computers are not connected to the internet. This is due to the high cost of connectivity.
FREQUENT/OCCASSIONAL LOSS OF CONTACT WITH INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER (ISP)
It is common place to experience loss of contact from internet service provider when one is using cyber-café. The loss of contact could last for a few second, minutes, hours or could last for a day to several days and is very discouraging hen it is experienced.
FREQUENT ELECTRICITY INTERRUPTION
There are a number of circumstances which prevent cyber-café from offering more and better services in addition to internet access provision. From time to time electricity supply is interrupted in the country and this affects the provision of internet services by cyber-café
POOR STATE OF AND HIGH TELECOMMUNICATION CHARGES IN NIGERIA
Local telephone systems are very important for the widespread use of the internet but the Nigeria telecommunication limited (NITEL) current infrastructure has too low a capacity for the internet. In Nigeria communication technology development is restrained by NITEL the sole distributors of telecommunication services.
HIGH COST OF MAINTAINING EQUIPMENT
Computer consultant is very important in cyber-café to help the customer who need assistance and to ensure that café runs smoothly. However, in Delta state consultant are scare in that it is difficult for the cyber-café to have or invite a good consultant for services when the equipment breakdown. Therefore any consultant in the cyber-café could get to service the equipment usually charge them very high.
1.3 PURPOSE OF STUDY
This means what exactly the researcher is ging to do. The researcher’s target which she set out to reach are as follows;
1. The main purpose of this study is to identify the problems of cyber-café in Delta state.
2. On the other hand, to find out if such problems exist.
3. To know the extent of these problems if they exist.
4. To suggest solutions where necessary.
5. To recommend actions to be taken to avoid problems of cyber-café in Delta state.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This mean the benefits to be derived from the study. This study is significant to that its findings should enable stakeholders to know the current state of cyber-café in the state and then take steps to increase public access to the internet. It is also significant to relevant authorities to moderate the amount charged for internet connection so as to encourage people to establish internet cafes. The findings and recommendations would thus enable individuals and corporate bodies to put more efforts to set up more cyber-cafes, especially in the rural areas, to cater for the teaming population of the state. Its findings should enable students, business men and women, lecturers etc to know the existence, the importance of the internet and access to and use of the internet.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
These are questions posed by the researcher which will be help her find solution to the problems. It is the objectives of this study to know
1. What are the causes of high cost of internet connectivity?
2. Why do cafes have occasional loss of contact with internet service provider?
3. How does electricity interruption affect the cafes?
4. What are the causes of poor state of and high telecommunication charges in Nigeria?
5. What are the effect of high cost of maintaining equipment?
1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS
CYBER-CAFÉ: This is a café from which people can access the internet. It is also a chartroom or can be called a business center.
INTERNET: It is global network which anybody can hook onto. It is rich online sources of information from bulletin, boards electronics mail, exchange of audio/video, data to business transaction face to face discussion with any body in the world or distant relations and friends.
INTERNET EXPLORER: This mean any person who uses internet for internet or enjoyment.