Zambia – Chanters Lodge Livingstone

Hotels v B&B

This is a fascinating piece by Daniel Craig (above) on B&B’s v Hotels, I came across the article on HotelInteractive – I’ve added some comments on our own behalf.

“Social media, the great equalizer, has allowed bed-and-breakfasts and independent boutiques to compete for the attention of travelers online with big-box, chain hotels. And when it comes to creative content and compelling stories, small, independent properties have emerged with some of the strongest voices. Recently, the Professional Association of Innkeepers launched a campaign called “A Better Way to Stay” to convince travelers to choose inns and B&Bs over hotels. PAII’s President & CEO Jay Karen calls it “a true grassroots campaign” that will feature “fresh and edgy content—perfect for social media—never seen from our industry.”
(Pity the powers that be in Zambia don’t do something similar! – ed)

To find out more, I caught up with Jay. Here’s a condensed version of our Q A session.
Some wear boxers, others brief; some prefer B&Bs, others hotels. Convince us: Why choose a B&B over a hotel?

That’s easy! Do you prefer your breakfast made from food off a Sysco truck or hand-picked by an innkeeper (most likely sourced locally)? Do you like never having to pay for wi-fi? How do you feel about free parking? Historical settings? Beautiful properties? Afternoon or 24-hour free snacks? Sometimes wine and cheese hours or afternoon tea? Local knowledge of the best places for recreation and dining? Also, B&Bs are considered by many women business travelers as safer than hotels. Guests at B&Bs aren’t just a room number and a stat that adds to the RevPAR and occupancy charts – they’re people looking for more than just a room, and innkeepers enjoy delivering more than an electronic key card.

(We still have to charge for wifi though we do give one free hour, we provide free parking, safety for single women travellers is definitely a selling point for us and we value the personal attention we can give to Guests – ed.)

Do B&Bs compete more against hotels or other B&Bs? Should hotels be worried?

When someone chooses a B&B, it’s safe to say they likely chose that B&B over another B&B, not a Hilton or Marriott. We compete with hotels every day of the week. I firmly believe that the loyalty index among B&B guests is much higher than hotel guests. And in the new world of social media, more and more loyal guests will be telling their friends and families about their fantastic experiences. I’m not saying hotels should be shivering with fear, because our total room volume is incredibly modest by comparison, but the playing field has certainly been leveled in this new age of connectivity. I have no doubt we will be stealing some market share.
Lately there’s been a lot of controversy over the authenticity of online reviews. What’s your position on this?

My belief is that the vast majority of online reviews on travel sites are legitimate – at least in our neck of the woods. Travel websites that do not authenticate reviews by verifying that reviewers actually stayed at the properties in question have an inherent weakness. But the concept they rely on is that the law of large numbers will overcome that weakness … the wisdom of the crowds. There’s going to be the occasional fool or fake in the crowd, but the thought is they will be drowned out.

There is a problem with that in the B&B world – we don’t have the large numbers that hotels do. A good B&B that is actively soliciting reviews from guests will still only have a few dozen reviews over the course of a year – not a few hundred. A few bad apples can spoil things a hell of a lot faster for a B&B with 5 rooms than a hotel with 500 rooms.

To me, the bigger problem is review sites claim little or no responsibility when it comes to the details within the review and won’t get involved in the veracity of the reviews. When it comes to negative reviews that have been embellished or falsified, the property owners have everything to lose. Joe Schmoe Reviewer has nothing to lose, and that’s still very troublesome at times.
(So much of our business is now initiated from online reviews – ours are genuine as far as I know -ed)
TripAdvisor: friend or foe of innkeepers?

On balance? Definitely a friend. While we still suffer from second-class-citizenship on the site (we’re mostly found behind the “hotels” moniker instead of beside them, like vacation rentals, in the most visible areas of the site), the site allows the smallest of inns to compete with the largest of hotels in the same city. TripAdvisor is a great site for those who love doing their homework when deciding where to stay.

TripAdvisor reviews can work really well for local, independent players. The rest of the commerce on the site, i.e. banner ads, booking, etc., is no friend to the innkeeper. Nine out of ten B&Bs do not participate in the GDS system, so when someone is searching for availability, we are left out almost completely. It would be good to build a bridge with the off-GDS platforms that most B&Bs use and the TripAdvisor availability search tool.

Over the past few years, we have gained a good bit of attention through our high-profile discussions with TripAdvisor. I believe we have been the only lodging organization that is persistently meeting with their senior staff about parity, fairness and responsiveness with their very powerful system. I’ve been blogging about it since 2008.

(Friend – ed)

Given such limited resources, which social media tools and resources if any do you recommend B&B owners engage in?

Facebook – no doubt. There is no better tool that allows a happy B&B guest to tell their hundreds of friends and family what a wonderful time they had. We haven’t even seen the beginning of the fruits Facebook will produce for innkeepers. I’m encouraged greatly by the social buying sites out there – especially LivingSocial. Twitter is great, but only if you’re posting content that is relevant to Twitter users, and if you look at it as a search engine.

(Find us on Facebook – ed)
How is 2011 looking for the innkeeping industry?

The only weak point in our industry as a result of this recession has been the transaction market. Our RevPAR, occupancy and revenue numbers have remained steady. Changes in travel preferences have benefited our industry – the desire to stay closer to home, long weekend trips, smaller, boutique properties (duh), etc. Therefore, we are generally poised for strong performance in the coming months and years, as long as the economy doesn’t tank again.

Our biggest challenge seems to be that more and more gets added to the plate of innkeepers each year, but nothing gets taken off. Innkeepers pine for the days when SEO was the only internet-related marketing game they had to keep up with. Keeping all the plates spinning in an ever-more-complex world is a big challenge. But that’s where PAII comes in, right Daniel?

(Not brilliant in Livingstone, Zambia at the moment. We’re waiting for a decision about the addition of VAT on accommodation and forward reservations don’t look great. Expenses ever increasing – ed)

Daniel Edward Craig is a former general manager turned hotel consultant specializing in social media strategy, storytelling, and reputation management for the lodging industry. He is the author of three hotel-based novels, a popular blog, and various articles about issues in the hotel industry. His new e-book, The Hotelier’s Guide to Online Reputation Management, is now available. Visit www.danieledwardcraig.com or email dec@danieledwardcraig.com. Twitter: dcraig. Copyright © 2011 Daniel Edward Craig. All rights reserved.

9
APR

accommodation, Chanters, Customers, guests, hotels, management, victoriafalls, Zambia

Great News From Zambezi Airlines

7th of April 2011

NEW FLIGHTS CONNECT CAPE TOWN AND LIVINGSTONE

Zambezi Airlines is proud to announce new flights connecting Cape Town directly with Livingstone and Victoria Falls!

The flight is routed Lusaka-Livingstone-Cape Town and back, thereby providing a Lusaka-Cape Town connection that is quicker and easier than the current option via J’burg. Seats are also open for sale Lusaka-Livingstone.

START DATE: Flights have been loaded from 30th June 2011 through to 31 December 2012 and are currently OPEN FOR SALES!

SCHEDULE:
Mon/Wed/Fri
ZJ 290 CPT 8:00 L’stone 11:10
ZJ 290 L’stone 11:55 Lusaka 12:55

Tue/Thu/Sun
ZJ 289 Lusaka 12:15 L’stone 13:15
ZJ 289 L’stone 14:00 CPT 17:10

AIRPORT TRANSFERS: Connecting passengers between Lusaka and Cape Town (in both directions) will not be required to disembark aircraft in Livingstone. At initial check-in, baggage will be tagged through to final destination. Zambian Entry and exit customs/immigration will be cleared only in Lusaka.

AIRCRAFT: fleet comprises of 3 Boeing 737-500 aircraft configured for 99 economy and 12 business seats.

WEBSITE: www.flyzambezi.com

7
APR

Africa, airlines, Cape Town, innovation, livingstone, tourism, victoriafalls, Zambia

Maya

George da Soulchild, co-presenter of our Sunday night radio show reports:

She may be one of the most sought-after upcoming female singer and rapper on the local music scene, but Cynthia Chalwe is very down to earth – the 24-year-old popularly known as ‘Maya’ shot to fame early last year, after releasing a single entitled, ‘Life Yama Diva’, under the XYZ recording label.

A law student at the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA), she relates that although some sections of society have shown misgivings about her alliance with a male-dominated, youthful recording label, she rates herself among the most principled youngsters. “It has not been easy, I have been faced with too many challenges as a female musician. Everywhere I go for shows, people think that I am bitching around, but I really believe in myself, I am hard working….a goal-getter, someone who has self-control and is principled,” she says.

Maya explains that through her good conduct, she has continued to be a role model to many young people. “I am here to inspire a lot of young people. Equally, my dad Sam Chalwe at first had some reservations about me taking up music as a career. He used to tell me that singing will not take me anywhere, but by my good conduct I have managed to convince him and he believes in me,” she insists.

Maya notes that through her association with the XYZ crew, comprising rappers Slap Dee, Ruff Kid and Lloyd among others, has made her fans identify her as the official XYZ first lady. “I am part of XYZ crew, after all I am the official XYZ first lady although people may say I’m dating Slap Dee. I’m very comfortable about it. He has been very supportive to me and actually he is my producer and manager,” says Maya, who is committed to someone she declined to mention.

The singer and rapper says she has been receiving considerable support from her fans, since she joined the industry last year. “I receive a lot of messages from all my fans including kids. It’s so amazing. I have traveled to different places in the country. Sometimes kids run to me whenever I am passing to tell me that they want me to be their playing mum and I accept the request because I love mingling with kids. I have no problems taking photos with them,” says Maya, a devoted Christian belonging to Christian Mission in Main Lands.

Maya’s music career can be traced way back at school when she used to sing in a school choir. “I remember the first time I knew I could sing was when I was 13-years-old in grade eight at St. Mary’s Secondary School. My family is very supportive of my singing career too,” says Maya, a second born in the family of four.

Maya who draws her inspiration from the late local musician Lily T, American-based singers Beyonce, Rihanna, Kelly Hilson, Whitney and Nick Minaj among others says her passion for education has compelled her to set-up a youth organisation called ‘Xample Yama Diva’ (XYD), stating that the organization is aimed at promoting girl-child education in the country. “I am the CEO Chief executive officer of Xample Yama Diva and through this organization we are encouraging more girls out there to realise their potential and work hard in school. Girls should believe in themselves, because everything is possible if they do that and they should put God first in all they do,” Maya says.

Her album could be out this year – be on the look out!

7
APR

Chanters, education, entertainment, Lusaka, marketing, music, radioshow, Zambia

ZMusicTV’s Stephanie Nyirenda on 107.7 fm

Meet the delightful, vivacious Stephanie Nyirenda (pictured above) when she guested on the most recent edition of our regular Sunday night radio show – The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild. The show airs live from 20.30-21.30 hrs on Zambezi fm, Livingstone’s popular local radio station broadcasting on
107.7 fm, and is a great combination of music and chat. George gave listeners the good news that the station hopes to be streaming live on the internet within the next few months!

Although the headline says ‘ZMusicTV’s Stephanie Nyirenda’ in fact Steph is still completing an internship with the Zambia Daily Mail as a reporter. Her best story? Stephanie told listeners she was proud of a story she’d written about Zambezi Nkuku, our local chicken farm, who’d been collecting refuse in Livingstone to convert into compost. She didn’t feel her story had got the exposure in the paper it had deserved! “It happens” we said, sympathetically.

Stephanie’s due to start with ZMusicTV at the beginning of May and will be a reporter and researcher for the site in Zambia. “ZMusicTV”? We wondered? Steph went on to explain that ZMusicTV is an online registered broadcasting entertainment company based in London which aims to broadcast Zambian Music and Art as a way of engaging fellow Zambians, and others interested in Zambia who are actively online, promoting talents in people such as musicians, models and fashion designers, reaching out to as many people in the UK and around the globe via the internet as possible. We asked her how she had got involved with ZMusicTV and she explained that she’d met Remo Mwanamuwila the CEO through a friend and things had taken off from there. We thought ZMusicTV was a great idea and said so, while wishing her and the channel the best of luck. Steph mentioned that you can find ZMusicTV on both Twitter and YouTube.

The music on the show was excellent as usual. Lady Antebellum’s smash ‘I Need You Now’ opened the show and George coupled this with Lady Saw featuring Eve – ‘He Is At My Home’. Two local hits followed – B Flow’s ‘Nkunda’ (dove) and JC ft Roberto with ‘Do Or Die’. Milli Jam chose Lady Gaga’s ‘Dance In The Dark’ with Alexis Jordan’s UK hit ‘Good Girl’. Snoop Dogg is a current favourite of mine and we featured ‘Sweat’ coupled with ‘I’m Into You’ by Jennifer Lopez ft Lil Wayne. We closed with Thompson Square’s US Billboard Country chart number one – ‘Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not?” Not – the guys told me!

Back to Stephanie. She told listeners she’ll have been married for 6 years this August but did not yet have any children and yes she missed her husband, a Lusaka businessman. She’d been educated at St Mary’s Secondary School in Lusaka, followed, after some years working, by a 4 year Certificate and then Diploma in Journalism at Evelyn Hone College in Lusaka. She would graduate in July 2011 and invited us to the ceremony! She was greatly looking forward to her new role with ZMusicTV reporting on local artists within Zambia and scouting for talent. Her favourite local musical artists at the moment? B1 and PJ. The guys nodded at her choice.

We gave listeners the usual news of Lodgeblog the Chanters Lodge blog and then the chart news from within Zambia where B1 featuring Daliso is still top with their track ‘Kalata’. We also brought listeners up to date with UK and US pop chart news, as well as a run down of the US country charts. Milli Jam asked Stephanie where she’d like to be and what she’s like to be doing 10 years from now. “I want to be the new Oprah” she said. QED as they say! (Quite Easily Done)!

5
APR

Africa, Chanters, entertainment, Lusaka, music, uk, victoriafalls, Zambia

Sugar Plantation & Bio-Ethanol Plant for Southern Zambia

Here’s some great news for this part of Zambia:

A South African company will this month start work on a 2- hundred and 51 million US dollar project involving a sugar plantation and bio-ethanol plant in Kazungula District. This came to light during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between AGZAM project developers Limited and the Zambia development Agency- ZDA in Livingstone yesterday.

ZNBC‘s Kennedy Bwalya reports from Livingstone that President Rupiah Bands witnessed the signing of the MOU for the project which will create 4000 for the local people. AGZAM Project Business Development Manager Anthony Alexander (above) said the new company will be producing 200,000 metric tonnes of sugar and 28 million litres of bio-ethanol per annum.

And ZDA Director for Investment promotion Muhabi Lungu said the project is one of the biggest investments the country has achieved this year. And President Banda said he is excited that government has managed to facilitate a huge investment that would create new job opportunities for Zambians.

Mr Banda said he is happy that the new project which is expected to kick off in the next 21 days, will create wealth for the nation.

How come I got the photo? Guess!!

2
APR

Africa, agriculture, development, Economy, entrepreneurship, zambezi, Zambia

Hip Hop Beef!

George da Soulchild, co-presenter of our weekly Sunday night radio show writes: (Via Education Post)

Macky denies holding beef against Slap D

Battles or ‘beef’ as they are popularly known have been at the core of hip-hop from its early days, and to some extent, it is even considered healthy because it is said to bring out the best in terms of an individual rapper’s skills. Some of the genre’s most popular beefs, particularly in the US, have been Kool Moe Dee vs. Busy Bee, Canibus vs LL Cool J, Ice Cube vs. N.W.A., Jay-Z vs. Nas, Eazy-E vs. Dr. Dre and the most publicised rivalry in hip-hop history the East Coast-West Coast rivalry involving the two heavyweights Tupac and Notorious B.I.G.

Closer to home, the feud between local rappers Mulaza Mark Kaira otherwise known as Macky2 and Mwila Musonda famously known as Slap Dee is as fresh as ever and currently keeping the so-called ‘Zed-hiphop’ scene ablaze. Seemingly, the feud started after last year’s Born and Bred awards presentation, where Slap Dee of the XYZ crew scooped the Best Zambian Hip Hop Award. Apparently, the latest Macky2 hit song Ndimupondo remix featuring 17 artistes, plus a follow-up video ‘XYZ diss’ seems to have agitated Slap Dee, forcing the artiste to hit back at the Ndola-based rapper with a reply titled Chinochaka.

In an interview with the Education Post Macky2 says he does not hold any personal grudge against Slap Dee.
“On my side, I hold no grudge against him (Slap Dee), but in Hip-Hop, confrontations are always there. It (feud) is part of rap you might not really want to respond to someone, but your fan base will force you to do that. If you do not listen to your fans you lose the fans and the respect that you have,” he says. “It is all about the people. I will tell you one thing, we do it for the sake of music, but this is business to some extent.”

Macky2, 27, says if he had a way, he would have put an end to the feud between the two. “It is like it is going where I did not want it to go. It was not intentional to be involved in the beef. If I had a way, I would put an end to it (feud), but since the other boy is arrogant I have got no choice, but to go all the way,” he says.

Macky2, who is an orphan, says he has not involved himself in the rivalry to rise to fame. “If you look at why I would never do it to draw attention, last year Slap Dee had one song, I had five songs on the charts. Basically, I was more popular than him,” he says. Macky2, who is also music/video producer and owner of Alpha Entertainments record company, says although the two fiercely take on each other in their lyrics, they have never had physical confrontations.

“We have never met, like I said I get along with almost everybody. Even if I met him (Slap Dee) I would not really act funny. If I meet him I will just say hello. Yes, I would like to do a song with him although there could be a lot of competition in the song because everyone would want to sound better,” he says. Macky2 says the feud centres on the two artistes, saying that it (the rivalry) does not involve other Copperbelt-based artistes commonly known as Jerabo Unit. “I am not teaming up with anyone, it is just me. It is not all about Copperbelt versus Lusaka. I have got a huge fan base in Lusaka, so I appreciate the way people support me in Lusaka,” he says.

On Ndimupondo remix song, Macky2, who is also commonly known as Flava Boy, as well as DJ Bugar, says contrary to assertions that the song was directed at his rival and the entire XYZ crew, the single- currently receiving massive airplay was meant to unite artistes. “Never before in Zambia have I come up with the song which features 17 well-known artistes in the country in Ndimupondo All Stars remix released end of December last year. The song actually, describes we are in our own unique ways. You cannot be threatened by the presence of another artiste; every musician has his or her fan base. The plan was to unite Zambian artistes and show people that we can be united as artistes,” he explains.

“This was not directed to them (XYZ crew), but there is another song which was directed to them called ‘I am Zambian Hip-Hop’. I did this after Slap Dee got the Best Zambian Hip-Hop award at the ‘Born and Bred’ in December last year. Instead of him saying his thanks when collecting the prize he started talking about me. It does not mean that by doing that song I was not happy but more than a fair return.”

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APR

entertainment, music, radioshow, usa, Zambia

Lindiwe Bungane

I am still struck by Lindiwe’s success in Dream Girls on stage in Johannesburg so I went looking for more information about her. This is what I discovered.

She sang to her first audience in the first grade and has been hooked to this dream ever since. She has previous stage experience, having performed in hotels and clubs and at festivals such as “Africa Day” which draws top African acts such as Femi Kuti and Ismealo. She has studio experience having recorded her debut album as well as doing collaborations .She has a deep understanding and passion for music and has won music awards in Zambia. She rates her biggest music achivement to date as winning the African version of “Fame Academy” in South Africa which saw over 10 million artist from around the continent audition. Here’s some of her personal statistics.

Height: 154 cm / 5ft 1in
Ethnicity: Black / African descent
Hair colour: Black
Skin colour: Brown
Eye colour: Green

She says:
“I am an urban Afro soul artist and my music is a fusion of neo soul, folk, rock jazz and rnb. I wrote 10 of the 12 featured songs on my album and enjoy mixing languages such as English, my native Bemba, Nyanga, Nsenga, Zulu and Lingala. I believe that when you are destined to be someone no one can take that from you.”

Now the show – Dream Girls
Recently on stage at Harlem’s world famous Apollo Theatre in New York City and now touring the USA, a brand new, sensational stage production of DREAMGIRLS comes to South Africa, currently on stage at the Teatro at Montecasino and opening at Artscape, Cape Town in June 2011.
Featuring an entirely South African cast to play its all African American characters, DREAMGIRLS is produced by leading South African Producer, Hazel Feldman of Showtime Management in association with John Breglio for Vienna Waits Productions, New York.

I saw and loved the movie starring Jennifer Hudson and would just adore seeing Lindiwe in the stage show, though I might not get the chance 🙁

31
MAR

entertainment, music, radioshow, rsa, Zambia

Penny Black Restaurant, Chelsea, London

Loved this from my son Jan, Head Chef, in the latest newsletter from The Penny Black. Jan is pictured with his wife Jo on Livingstone Island during a visit to Zambia. He writes:

What a start to the life of The Penny Black Restaurant! We have lost count as to how many Beef Wellingtons have been served and the countless number of chocolate fondants that have been eaten! Our first private hire event for doctors from the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital went spectacularly well and we are looking forward to working with future clients.

Spring is now upon us and that means plentiful new ingredients.

I have a lovely recipe for a rump of lamb with warm new potato salad and sprouting broccoli which you should have a go at when you have a few moments spare!

Recipe:
– Marinate the rump in sliced onion, garlic and a few thinly chopped rosemary leaves for a few hours.

– Boil the new potatoes in plenty of salted water and whilst boiling, mix together cider vinegar, rapeseed oil, English mustard and chopped mint to make a dressing.

– Once the potatoes are cooked, toss the still warm potatoes through this dressing. Remove the lamb from the marinade, sear it in a pan on all sides, then put it in the oven at about 1900C for 12 minutes for rare and up to 16 minutes for medium.

– Blanch the sprouting broccoli in boiling water for a minute and a half, drain and add a knob of butter and a sprinkling of salt.

Thanks Jan!

30
MAR

family, food, livingstone, London, menu, restaurants, Zambia

Haines Nawa Munene

Meet Haines (pronounced Heinz) Nawa Munene (above), 23, Lozi by tribe, and the most recent guest on our Sunday night radio show – The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild – airing from 20.30 – 21.30 hrs on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s popular local radio station. Haines is a sports presenter on the station as well as running a business with his sister importing and selling clothes. A live wire if ever there was one, with an encyclopaedic knowledge of all things soccer and a keen interest in rugby too. In this regard it was unfortunate that Haines appeared on our show on the same day it was announced that Owen Busange, famous Zambian rugby player and coach had been killed, together with two other people, in a traffic accident – we expressed our sincere sympathies on air.

Haines told listeners that he was educated at Linda Secondary School, that he’s a Chelsea supporter (editor sighs heavily) and that he had been involved with Zambezi fm since 2007 when he was picked by the station’s ‘Man On Sport’ Patrick Kasoka to help him present international and local sports news and current affairs twice per week on air.

Haines has 9 siblings and although his father has passed away, his mum still helps with the family business in Livingstone. “Almost a football team on its own” I commented drily. “And there are two sets of twins” was Haines’ retort! I asked him how he’d got his interest in soccer and he replied (quote) “at school we were some of those who enjoyed talking sport and not eating fritters during the breaks” (unquote). We laughed. What kind of music did he like? Reggae, R&B and Kalindula. Which local soccer team did he support? Power Dynamos in Kitwe.

The music on the show was great. We opened with the UK number one (as we do) Nicole Scherzinger’s ‘Don’t Hold Your Breath’ coupled with Ciara’s ‘If Only’. George chose Zonefam’s ‘Shaka Zulu’ and Exile’s ‘In Love With You’ for our standard two local tracks. Milli Jam chose Ne-Yo’s ‘Don’t Wanna Be In Love’ and Big Sean’s ‘My Last’. Bit obsessed with Ne-Yo is our Milli Jam, but we love it! Taio Cruz and ‘Telling The World’ then Pitbull featuring Kacy with ‘Castles Made of Sand’ closed the programme.

We gave away the usual dinner for two to the first person to text us telling us what job Haines did at 107.7 fm and we had an excellent response. The winner was Mapalo but the guys in the studio couldn’t tell me if this was a boy or a girl’s name. As soon as we announced the name of the winner we received another text message from Mapalo telling us that she was all girl and that she was coming to the lodge on Tuesday for dinner! More laughter. We sometimes wonder if the weekly prize is the only reason people listen to the show! Surely not…

We asked Haines about his ambitions for the future. He told listeners that he wanted the football team he’s involved with in Livingstone – Eastlands FC – to make a lot of progress in Zambian football and that in 10 years’ time he’d like to be a presenter on SkySports in UK. By 2020 he wanted to be married.

“Go for it”! We said.

29
MAR

Africa, Chanters, development, entrepreneurship, food, football, livingstone, menu, radioshow, Zambia

AfricConnect

As long time Customers of AfriConnect this from LusakaTimes caught my eye:

AfriConnect Zambia, today announced the commissioning of its direct fibre link to South Africa in its continued effort to provide the fastest internet service to the Zambian public. And AfriConnect will in the next few weeks be commissioning a second fibre route through Tanzania.

AfriConnect Commercial Director Ian Ferrao said in Lusaka that the commissioning of the Tanzania fibre route makes AfriConnect Zambia, the first Internet Service Provider ISP in Zambia to have multiple fibre routes. Mr. Ferrao also announced that the company has commissioned 155 mbps of high speed international fibre bandwidth on the network.

At the launch of its new SMT-1 Package in Lusaka, Mr. Ferrao announced “The launch of this service now means our speeds are faster than ever, with low latency to the internet for all customers”. Mr. Ferrao added that AfriConnect has upgraded its back up capacity to have better protection against fibre cuts and maintenance downtimes.

He said several months after connecting its fibre directly to South Africa offering less than 100 ms latency; customers have experienced faster general internet browsing, video conferencing and internet banking. And commenting on the company’s expansion programme, Mr. Ferrao said AfriConnect is expanding to Chililabombwe, Mufulira and Luanshya on the Copperbelt Province and Chirundu in the Southern province.

He said under the expansion programme, some towns will have base stations while others will have technical support stations. He said the towns on the Copperbelt will fall under the Copperbelt hub in Kitwe which now has engineers present to offer support to all its iConnect customers.

Note the lack of mention of anywhere called Livingstone despite the fact that it is the ‘tourist capital’.

26
MAR

Chanters, communications, infrastructure, internet, livingstone, Tanzania, Zambia

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