Ethiopia Internet Case Study

Table 8: Internet service costs

Monthly 

Additional 

Setup 

Service 

subscription 

hours 

Individual/Private Company 

8 free hrs a month 

56 USD 

19 USD 

4 USD 

(C1) 

1MB free storage 

Individual/Private Company 

15 free hrs/month 

75 USD 

34 USD 

4 USD 

(C2) 

1MB free storage 

International NGO s, 

40 free hrs/month. 

Embassies and Business 

113 USD 

75 USD 

4 USD 

2MB free storage 

Sectors (C4) 

Public Education, Health and 

40 free hrs/month 

38 USD 

25 USD 

2 USD 

Agricultural Sectors: (C5) 

2MB free storage 

Other non profit 

40 free hrs/month 

56 USD 

38 USD 

2 USD 

organizations (C3): 

2MB free storage. 

Additional hard disk space 

2 USD month per MB 

Additional e mail boxes 

5 USD month (C3, C4 and C5 accounts qualify for 2 free e mail 

addresses) 

Installation or configuration 

of the dial up account by 

20 USD 

bringing the machine to 

EthioNet s premises costs 

Source: Ethio Internet.

Image map layout   150 Birr.

While US Dollar rates are quoted for

most tariffs, these are payable in Birr

EthioNet customers automatically have

at current rates of exchange for

web space under their username  

Ethiopian nationals and businesses

www.telecom.net.et/~userid. EthioNet

owned by Ethiopians. The tariffs are

has also recently provided for domain

also payable in Birr for foreign

registration under the .com.et domain.

nationals and organizations, but the

Currently it is possible to register

National Bank of Ethiopia keeps

www.telecom.net.et/company_name

account of these payments for ETC's

for Birr 17 per month. Registration of

hard currency allocation. An additional

www.company_name.com.et costs Birr

15 per cent sales tax is added to the

417 for setup and Birr 500 per year.

total payment. Bills are currently

issued and paid in Addis Abeba.

Leased line fees have been provisionally

Because it is not yet possible to

set at USD 500 for 500 connection,

conduct wire transfers between bank

USD 200 for setup and USD 1'000 per

branches, the outlying areas have

month for 64Kbps CIR on the

difficulties in getting the payment to

international link. Uncommitted

Addis on time, resulting in extra

bandwidth or reduced charges for lower

collection overheads. Plans are being

bandwidth on the International link are

made to have bills issued at the local

not currently envisaged. IP address

PoPs where administration and

space will be billed at Birr 18 per year

support technicians will be stationed.

per IP number and leased line

customers qualify for up to 10 free e 

All of the cybercafes in Addis Abeba

mail addresses on the telecom.net.et

surveyed charged the same rate for

mail server.

Internet access   Birr 0.75 per minute

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