The importance of the Internet is now undeniable on a global scale, and its usefulness is revealed in all aspects of life, encouraging decision-makers and technology players to make it more efficient than ever. However, in Burundi, the reliability of this connection remains uncertain.
Throughout the country, antennas for telecommunications operators are legion, both in neighborhoods and on the hills. With the proliferation of digital operators, Burundians believed that these Internet providers would pride themselves on providing more reliable services. But despite reassuring advertising strips, inviting us to purchase packages to access the Internet, once these packages are purchased, the functionality or reliability of the bandwidth is another story. Throughout Burundi, wherever you are, to have access to the Internet, you would almost have to climb onto the roof of a house, or into a tree.
Many customers complain about not receiving the promised quality. They face problems such as slow connection speeds, frequent outages and insufficient network coverage, especially in rural and remote areas of the country. This is the case of Jacqueline Niyonzima who works in the sector of sending and withdrawing money through the Lumicash and Ecocash platforms. She indicates that low connectivity is currently hampering her activities.
Same story for Aloys Hatungimana who is continuing his studies abroad via the Internet. He indicates that he was unable to attend classes for almost two months and does not know which way to turn. He doubts his success for this academic year because of the instability of the Internet in Burundi and asks that the companies reimburse him for the packages expired before the deadline and those that he was not able to consume, following lack of access. to connectivity.
Impact on daily life
A stable, high-quality Internet connection is a prerequisite for working productively and efficiently from a modern workstation. A lack of bandwidth can seriously hamper this process. The lack of a reliable Internet connection has significant consequences on the daily lives of Burundians. For many young people, the internet is an essential resource for education, job searches and professional development. When the Internet connection is slow or unstable, it hinders their ability to access information and communicate effectively. Additionally, businesses and entrepreneurs who rely on the Internet for their business operations may suffer financial losses due to service interruptions and downtime.
Faced with these challenges, it is imperative that mobile operators in Burundi be transparent about the actual quality of their Internet bandwidth. Customers deserve to be transparently informed about available connection speeds, network coverage and possible service interruptions.
Furthermore, regulatory authorities should play an active role in supervising and regulating the telecommunications industry to ensure that operators meet quality standards and provide reliable service to their customers. Mobile operators must work closely with regulatory authorities, civil society and consumers to improve bandwidth quality and ensure reliable and accessible Internet connectivity for all.
As a reminder, statistics on Internet use in Burundi, established by l’Institute Free Tech, reveal that in 2023, the country had around 1.33 million internet users, representing around 5.5% of the total population. Moreover, according to the DataReportal report, the number of social media users in the country stood at 714,700 at the beginning of the same year.
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