2010 has been a remarkable year. It has been a year of revolutions, evolutions and innovations in the technology world. As usual, Cameroon, like sub Saharan Africa has been very much at the receiving end of technology, and less of providers in their own rights. Here are just a few of the technology landmarks that Cameroon blows 2010 out with:
Nation of Facebook
Many Cameroonians got subscribed and are hooked up to Facebook. Cameroonians use facebook mainly for sharing pictures and searching old friends. 2010 saw a slight improvement of the Internet connection speed in Cameroon. This also helped to get more people hooked to the social network site.
Optic Fiber
Maybe the most visible revolution in 2010 was the roll out of the optic fiber. Beginning in January in Kye-Osi in South Cameroon, the roll out followed six routes:
Yaounde-Mbalmayo- Ebolowa-Kye-Ossi with a crossover to Libreville-Sangmelima passing through Djoum;
Yaounde-Ayos-Bertoua then Belabo-Bertoua;
Bertoua- Meiganga-Ngaoundere-Garoua-Maroua-Kousseri;
Bafoussam-Bamenda; Douala-Nkongsamba-Bafoussam;
Douala-Buea with a crossover to Tiko and Limbe, according to Nkoto Emane, the director general of Camtel, the Cameroonian state operator.
News of the roll out was music to the ears of anxious Cameroonian consumers. They hoped for two things: faster connections on demand and cheaper rates nationwide. While the connections have become faster as the year nears ends, the rates are still to get lower.
Registration of mobile phone subscribers
Maybe however, the move that affected Cameroon the most was the ministerial decision from the minister of post and telecommunications requiring that everyone registers their sim cards. The ministry argued that identification, which consisted in marching phone numbers to names and national identity card numbers was necessary, given a history of phone related crime in the country.
A few weeks after the end of the mandatory identification campaign, the ministery followed through with the threat: suspension of defaulters’ lines. Millions of mobile phone users had their subscriptions cancelled. They are now out of the network. There is however, still a corridor of hope should they comply with government requirements.
Laptop sales
More laptop sales in some shops during the year than desktop computers. Many people are getting mobile, and they believe it is better for them to get notebooks, net books and laptops. However, a surge in the numbers of organizations and companies buying desktop computers to use on their networks have ensured that the sale of desktop computers does not die out. Also, families who understand the use of family computers have held on to desktop computers. 2010 as a consequence saw a drop not only in the price of average laptops, but an even greater drop in the price of desktop computers due to slowing demand. In the mix, the CRT or cathode ray tube monitor virtually lost its role, and became the most unpopular item of the computer system. Computer owners prefer the flat screen monitor which reigned supreme thanks to its esthetic presentation and also the low consumption rate as far as electricity is concerned.
Digital pictures
The year of the digital camera. From branded products to cheaper imitations. Everyone now thinks it is important to own a digital camera. Taking pictures at events moved a step further. No longer do the guests rely on the pictures phase of the agenda to begin taking photo shots. As soon as the event gets underway these days, people get their cameras out and start shooting away. Curiously, this has not seen any drop in the jobs for conventional photographers.
Gilbert Kedia
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