I don't know about the types of broadband out there but anyway, is Wikim[p]edia Zero really the future?
For example, by myself I do not know if I actually edited (or read) WP more/less when I used Airtel and MTN’s free services some months ago. We can all test this on ourselves lets see!
Even though it might be tempting to readily conclude that Zero rating is the panacea to our “minimal participation” problem it might just be one tiny aspect of it. The paper below suggested “beyond unavailability of internet” the inexistence of structures that promote this type of activity.
It keeps me wondering if aspects of our culture actually hold us back from participation, including the few in our society who can afford good internet, yet are not so interested at all.
-Masssly
Sent from Windows Mail
From: Nkansah Rexford Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2015 7:59 AM To: Wikimedia Ghana User Group
There exist Mobile Broadbands as well, so the statistics done by the article mentioning the 'less than 1%', what type of broadband are they talking about? With Broadband you mean Landline connections? Because everyone in Ghana who uses Any of the GSM networks are technically on Broadband as well and so is the rest of africa too (https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Wireless_broadband#/Mobile_wireless_broadband)
If they're referring to general broadband of any type, then I think the less than 1% isn't correct. If they're referring to 'cable landlines' broadbands, then fine!
And note too that, Wireless broadband can be fast (if only our dear network providers unleash their full potentials).
The workaround, imho, is more network providers joining the Wikipedia Zero fold, and perhaps, one day in near future, the 'Wikimedia' Zero
On Saturday, September 12, 2015, Masssly masssly@ymail.com wrote:
It has been confirmed once again that the availability of broadband is a clear factor in the propensity of people to participate on Wikipedia.
With less than 1% of Africans (including large companies and institution) on broadband connection I'm just wondering if there's any "workaround" this problem towards increasing participation, accepting the fact that we won't still have good Internet possibly in the next few decades.
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2657107
-Masssly
Sent from Samsung Mobile.