High(er) speed Internet in Ethiopia with

Huawei EC1261 EVDO

Due to popular request. I am writing another way to get high(er) speed internet in Addis Ababa
Ethiopia.Ethiopian ETC has introduced EVDO high-speed wireless Internet to Ethiopia. The service is not
high speed compared to the U.S. or Europe but it is the best in Ethiopia and is available in 14 cities in
Ethiopia.There appears to be confusion between the CDMA wireless Internet introduced last year and
the new EVDO service.Both services use a USB fob in Ethiopia.The CDMA uses a SIM card that connects
via a USB device at a max actual rate of <128k.With the new EVDO I am getting up to 750k.The big
mistake people are doing is buying a CDMA only device or a EVDO device and then purchasing a CDMA
SIM card that downgrades your device to the old CDMA service and speed. EVDO USB devices can do
both CDMA and EVDO.

EVDO:
Up to 770k download speed
Billed by bandwidth used
USB device that does both CDMA and EVDO
NO SIM card used (device is registered)
2GB of bandwidth a month for 480 ETB
CDMA 1X:
Up to 128k
Billed by minute connected
SIM card used
How to sign up for EVDO:
Buy an EVDO USB modem (if you have a MacBook or Apple system buy a HUAWEI EC1261
that works with OSX Leopard and Snow Leopard (Snow Leopoard works only if you right click
and open the install file on the USB device *See instructions bellow). There are many places to
buy the devices.I purchased my device at the sales store on the second floor of the Adams
Pavilion in old airport. They will register your device for you so you dont have to go to ETC.
1. Buy the device (Make sure its the EC1261 for OSX)
2. Have the device registered at ETC (wait 24 hours for it to activate)
3. Make sure you get your new EVDO phone number
4. Load the device with 500 ETB on the first of each month.
How to load your device:
1. Dial 903 from your GSM phone
2. Press 2 for English
3. Press 1 to load your device
4. Enter your EVDO phone number #
5. Enter CDMA recharge card number #
Note: ETC only allows one refill at a time, so it takes 5 times to load
Network Configuration Details:
Number to dial #777
Username etc
Password etc
Hints:
If they gave you a SIM card with your device you do not have EVDO
Only buy from a dealer who will register the device at ETC for you
Take photocopy of ID with you to give the seller to register with ETC
If you keep getting Authentication Failed then your out of bandwidth
Only buy 100 ETB CDMA scratch cards
Buy device only on 1st week of the month to have the full month for 480 ETB
How to make my EC1261 work with Snow Leopard
Insert USB EC1261 into computer
Right click the MobileConnect.app file
Select Show Package Contents
Open Contents->Resources folder
Run Mobile_connect_Drv_App.pkg
Once the program has run, eject (take out) the USB device
Plug in and wait 30 seconds Mac will see three HUAWEI devices
Go to Network Preferences
Configure 1st HUAWEI network device with the above Network Configuration Details
Dial up.. your on!

EVDO is a protocol for high speed wireless broadband. Also known as EV-DO, 1xEvDO and
1xEV-DO, it's one of several major Third Generation (3G) wireless data standards. Mobile
devices that use EVDO technology can upload and download data quickly, and the technology is
always "on" whenever there is a signal from the wireless tower. Unlike a WiFi connection, a
device with EVDO does not need to be near a wireless hotspot; instead, the cell phone can itself
become a hotspot and share its Internet connection with other devices.
Officially, the name defined by the Telecommunication Industry Association for this technology
is "CDMA2000, High Rate Packet Data Air Interface." The acronym EVDO is short for
"Evolution, Data Only" or "Evolution, Data Optimized," a reflection of the fact that it is the next
evolution of the earlier Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CMDA2000) family of wireless
products. The EVDO standard was developed in 1999, but the protocol has been upgraded since
then to improve its speed.
3G and CDMA
3G is designed to transmit voice and high-speed mobile data to people on the go. Several
competing technologies are involved in the development of 3G networks as technology
companies work on the best way to handle the mounting demand for wireless services around the
world. Many firms invested in the development of 3G networks and technology use the Code
Division Multiple Access (CDMA) approach, which has proved highly effective with mobile
phone networks.
The biggest obstacle to implementing high speed wireless networks is the lack of bandwidth, or
range of usable frequencies. Just as only so many radio stations can be squeezed onto the FM
dial, only so much data can be transmitted across the available bandwidth. As the user load
increases, the available frequencies tighten, and users can experience delays, dropped data, and
other problems. Thus, providers have been working to find ways to use bandwidth more
efficiently without sacrificing clarity and quality for their users.
How CDMA Works
CDMA uses advanced mathematical techniques to allow multiple wireless devices to transmit
simultaneously on the same radio frequency. Every device, such as a cell phone, is assigned a
unique mathematical signature. Transmitters apply this signature to the original signal and send a
modified version. A receiver applies the inverse of the mathematical operation to recover the
original signal.
The term "CDMA" is used both to refer generally to a channel access method and to the specific
technologies that use that method as a backbone for radio transmissions. The intended meaning
is usually clear from the context. CDMA2000, for example, is a data handling standard that uses
CDMA technology.
How EVDO Works
Traditional wireless networks create a direct path between receiving and sending devices, much
like traditional telephone networks. EVDO instead breaks data into individual packets, the same
technique for data handling used on the Internet. Each packet is sent independently of all the
other packets. This saves bandwidth for use by other devices; when neither party on a phone call
is speaking, for example, the connection consumes no bandwidth. When an Internet site is
accessed, no bandwidth is used until the site starts sending the web page.
The original EVDO protocol, called Revision 0, has a theoretical throughput of 2.4 megabits per
second (Mbps). This is as fast as many wired DSL and cable broadband connections currently
available in the United States. The upgrade to Revision A increases speed to a theoretical 3.1
Mbps. A third upgrade, to Revision B, was released in January 2010, although it is not fully
deployed; Qualcomm, the developer, predicts download speeds as fast as 14.7 Mbps in some
situations.
Qualcomm has produced impressive demonstrations of EVDO's capabilities. In one, a video
conference was conducted with a participant traveling in a car at 60 mph (96 kph). Transferring
the large amounts of data required for video conferencing is a major challenge, especially at such
speeds. In another demonstration, a phone call was placed from a bullet train moving in excess of
150 mph (240 kph).
UMTS and HSDPA
The biggest challenge to EVDO has been the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
(UMTS). UMTS which is sometimes known by the name of its radio interface standard,
Wideband-CDMA (WCDMA) uses larger bands for data transmission. This approach can be
less vulnerable to interception and jamming than some other wireless technologies. Data transfer
speeds are slower than with EVDO, however, with speeds of up to 2 Mbps.
HSDPA, which stands for High-Speed Downlink Packet Access, was built on WCDMA
technology, but with a number of significant changes in the way that data is handled. This
protocol is considered 3.5G or enhanced 3G, a step above 3G but not quite fourth generation.
HSDPA shares one transmission channel between multiple users, and schedules data transfer to
take advantage of the best possible conditions; this means that data may be sent to multiple users
at the same time. Different speed versions of HSDPA are typically available to consumers, with
download speeds ranging from 1.8 Mbps to 21 Mbps or higher.
How Does This Affect Users?
An advantage of EVDO is that it uses the same broadcasting frequencies as existing CDMA
networks. As purchasing spectrum from regulatory agencies is extremely expensive, this brings
down the cost of building and using new networks. HSDPA, while offering faster download
speeds with the higher levels of service, may also be more expensive for the consumer.
Mobile Internet users should remember that what standard is used for transmitting data is usually
dependent on the network; a cell phone from Verizon in the US will have access to EVDO, for
example, but not HSDPA. Users who will be traveling in foreign countries with wireless devices
may want to check to see if they are supported on a given network. For frequent travelers, it may
be advisable to consider investing in a device that will work reliably on international networks in
order to avoid problems with dropped calls, inability to send data, and other issues.
As new wireless standards develop, the quality of wireless services tends to improve. Various
options are not available in all areas, and may have differing rates of performance. Newer
technologies can come with unexpected kinks and service plans may be more costly. Early
adopters can also find it difficult to access technical support and assistance, as technicians may
not be as familiar with the products they are using.
Ethio-Telecom Limits EVDO Internet
Access



Abdurahim Ahmed (Right), manager of external communications at Ethio-Telecom, and Jean Michael Latute
(left), CEO of the telecoms service provider, unveiling what they called customer oriented revised tariff
packages and products, during a press conference at Sheraton Addis on March 30, 2011.
Ethio-Telecom stopped making unlimited EVDO Internet access available to customers on Friday, April
1, 2011.
The announcement of the revised packages and new products was made on Wednesday, March 30, by
the service provider at a press conference held by Abdurahim Ahmed, manager of external
communications, and Jean Michel Latute, CEO, both from Ethio-Telecom.
The new EVDO packaging and pricing system does away with the former unlimited service package.
Instead, it offers packages of one, two, and four gigabytes at monthly charges of 300 Br, 500 Br, and
700 Br, respectively. Once this runs out, customers must pay 35 cents per megabyte of use.
The former unlimited EVDO service package of 4,000 Br per month allowed the customers of the
Internet caf managed by Zelalem Belay to see and download unlimited amounts of software, pictures,
and videos.
However, even the comparatively cheaper 4GB package will cost the caf more, according to Zelalem.
The monthly charge for the package, which amounts to around 18 cents per megabyte, may seem
cheap, but many of our customers download various materials that take up a lot of memory, he told
Fortune. With this new tariff package, we must restrict our users ability to download memory
exhaustive programmes or charge them a combined price system for the time spent and data transfer
rate.
With our sizeable number of customers, the four gigabytes could be finished in few days, Zelalem
said. It would be costly to buy 100 Br Internet cards at 35 cents per megabyte for weeks until the
next month.
Yet, the service providers network problems persist.
We have been receiving complaints about the slow Internet connection the country is experiencing
and the unavailability of Internet services on most mobile phones, Latute said. Ethio-Telecom is
increasing the security of Internet traffic through a microwave system as a national backup plan, to
cope with Internet outages, that will be finished by August or September this year.
Ethio-Telecom is to expand the Internet fibre optic system routes in addition to the ones already laid
on the Port SudanMetemaAddis Abeba and DjiboutiAddis Abeba routes.
There will be one additional line added to the Djibouti route and another one between Mombassa and
Addis Abeba by the end of April 2011, Latute confirmed.
Aside from the revised Internet packages, new tariffs for mobile phone services, mobile SIM cards, and
replacement SIM cards were introduced.
Ethio-Telecom has adjusted its tariff rate to introduce a new flat rate for mobile phone calls of 72 cents
during peak hours and 30 cents during off-peak hours. Unlike the previous structure, the new tariff
rate allows no price difference linked to tariff zones across the country.
As of Friday, all costs for calls from mobile to mobile, mobile to fixed line, and fixed line to mobile are
uniform whether it is a long or short distance call - charging all national calls at the same price as local
calls.
The fixed rate would benefit Gebresha Ergete, who works as a guard, since he has a Dire Dawa mobile
number.
Living in Addis Abeba made most of his calls more expensive for being charged as long-distance, but
with the rate adjustment, the amount he spends on mobile cards should decrease substantially, he
claimed.
The new system of charging flat rates is efficient and cost-effective for the user, Latute told the
press.
Baheria Mustefa, a shopkeeper who has a call centre, hopes that the changes in the tariffs will also be
beneficial to her business.
My call centre charges a uniform price of 1.50 Br per minute, whether the call is made to a mobile
phone or fixed line of whatever tariff region, she told Fortune. To date, it has been operating at a
loss, and I hope it will change when next months telephone bill arrives.
The new price for mobile phone SIM cards has been reduced by 30pc from the previous 85 Br to 60 Br,
inclusive of VAT. However, the fee to replace a SIM card that has been stolen or gone missing will be
increased from 15 Br to 45 Br.
Abdurahim admitted that the increase was business oriented.
The enterprise has two objectives, he said. One is developmental and the other focuses on business.
It has to cover its losses and make a profit, too.
However, Fire Dawit, a temporary supervisor at Commercial Nominees, which sells SIM cards and
airtime, does not expect a rush of customers because of the sudden price decrease in new SIM cards.
Most people already have SIM cards, even those who wanted a second one, after the previous
adjustment to 85 Br per SIM card, she told Fortune. Sales could increase after the Preparatory
Exams since parents nowadays shower their children with mobile phone as gifts for succeeding in their
academic careers.
The tariff revisions are being touted by Ethio-Telecom as a move towards making Ethiopias rates the
lowest among countries in East Africa.
Ethiopias xed line tariff is one of the lowest in Africa, according to the International
Telecommunications Unions (ITU) 2010 African Telecom Indicator.

How to use EVDO in Ethiopia, Explanation
and Configuration
What is EVDO?
According to Wikipedia, Enhanced Voice-Data Optimized or Enhanced Voice-Data Only (Ev-
DO, EV, EVDO, etc.) is a telecommunications standard for the wireless transmission of data
through radio signals, typically for broadband Internet access. EV-DO is an evolution of the
CDMA2000 (IS-2000) standard, but EV-DO will support high data rates yet can be deployed
alongside a wireless carrier's voice services.
According to me, its just a way of connecting to the internet without those network cables and
telephone lines. You have an EVDO dongle, which looks like a standard USB Flash disk, you
plug it in on your computer just like a USB Flash Disk , Voil! You have an internet connection.
The EVDO you get in Ethiopia is provided in a capped bundle which is a fancy way of saying it
is limited to a certain amount of Giga bytes per month. At the time of writing this post, there are
3 packages
1 GB - 300 Ethiopian Birr per Month
2 GB - 500 ETB / Month
4 GB - 700 ETB / Month
So how does this work?
For example, Lets assume that youre using a 2GB package EVDO. This means, at the
beginning of the month you will have to buy a scratch card that corresponds with the 2GB
package, which at the time of writing this post is 500 Ethiopian Birr, and then re-charge your
account. As soon as you recharge your account, you will get 2 GB of data transfer at your
disposal. So after like 15 days, if youre a heavy internet user like me, lets assume that you used
up 2 GB. So now, since youve finished your allocated package, the EVDO will not connect to
the internet. I wish the engineers at Ethio Telecom designed the system in such a way that when
you finish your allocated package, it tell you so using a clear message like You just finished your
package, please re-charge your account. But instead it tells you the username and password are
incorrect or some other crap about the network.
Anyways now you have to buy a card and recharge your account to connect to the internet.
There is no minimum or maximum amount for the scratch card but there is going to be a fixed
rate for your usage. At the time of writing, the fixed rate is around 35 cents for 1 MB, so a 25
ETB scratch card should give something like 70 MB at your disposal. I encourage you to check
the current price on the Ethio Telecom Website.
Speed
EVDO speed is usually around 3.1 MB per second ish. The computer says its connected to
the internet at 3.1 MB/s but some EVDO dongles have their own download and upload speed
counter, and the maximum Ive seen is 1.8 MB/s around Addis Ababa and 2.2 MB/s in Hawassa,
Bahir Dar and Debre Zeit. This is because there are many users in Addis and the EVDO network
gets congested while there are less number of users in other cities. This explanation is my way of
making sense to .the problem .. it may not be the case
So you should expect a normal speed of around 800k/s - 1.2 MB/s and shouldnt be surprised
when YouTube videos stop and buffer or when they automatically decrease their resolution.
Configuration
Since there are many kinds of EVDO dongles, Im not going to post where youre going to find
the network configuration menu but youre probably going to find it in menus like
Authentication, Tools, Options or Profile.
Anyways, here are the values you have to use
Username - etc
Password - etc
Access Number - #777
Ethiopia - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and
Forecasts
Executive summary
Privatisation of incumbent ETC stalled again
This annual report provides a comprehensive overview of trends and developments in Ethiopias
telecommunications market. Subjects covered include:
Key statistics;
Market and industry overviews;
Detailed profile of the monopoly telecom provider in the country;
Plans for privatisation and market liberalisation;
Government policies affecting the telecoms industry;
Regulatory environment;
Infrastructure development;
Convergence (voice/data, fixed/wireless/mobile).
Internet and broadband development and pricing trends;
Mobile data services;
3G mobile broadband services and pricing;
Average Revenue per User (ARPU);
Local mobile phone manufacturing, including smartphones.
Ethiopia is one of the last countries in Africa allowing its national telco, Ethio-Telecom (ETC) a
monopoly on all telecom services including fixed, mobile, internet and data communications.
This monopolistic control has stifled innovation and retarded expansion. A recently expired
management contract with France Telecom dramatically improved performance for ETC though
there remain weaknesses in quality of service. Although the contract was considered a first step
towards privatisation and the introduction of competition, the government in 2013 again rejected
calls to privatise the incumbent and allow market competition, citing the need for higher profits
from the company to subsidise an unrelated railway project.
With a population of almost 90 million, Ethiopia is Africas second most populous country.
Although a number of major contracts have been signed with Chinese vendors since into 2013,
the countrys mobile penetration remains one of the lowest in the world. Nevertheless, growth is
strong and enormous growth potential remains. Albeit from a low base, mobile penetration is
rising and the sector continues to benefit from the poor fixed-line infrastructure which has
promoted mobile alternatives as the only viable, or robust, telecoms option in many areas.
The country's broadband market is also set for a boom following massive improvements in
international bandwidth, national fibre backbone infrastructure and 3G mobile broadband
services. After years of low uptake due to prohibitive pricing, retail prices are now comparable to
other markets in the region that are already more developed.
Market highlights:
Value-added services (VAS) licences issued;
Ethio-Telecom transforms under management contract with France Telecom;
Strong revenue growth despite drastic price cuts;
The fastest growing mobile market in Africa;
Local handset manufacturing, including smartphones;
International internet bandwidth has increased more than six-fold in two years;
Significant improvements in broadband affordability;
Broadband pricing comparison: ADSL, EV-DO, GPRS, HSDPA;
Vodacom and MTS position themselves in anticipation of market liberalisation;
Huawei and ZTE share a $1.6 billion contract to develop an LTE network and expand 3G
nationally;
Forecasts for mobile and internet market to 2014 and 2017.
Estimated market penetration rates in Ethiopias telecoms sector end-2013
Market Penetration rate
Mobile 25%
Fixed 0.9%
Internet 1.2%
(Source: BuddeComm based on various sources)
Companies covered in this report:
Ethio-Telecom (Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation, ETC); EthioNet (ETC); Ethio-
Mobile (ETC); France Telecom, Tecno Telecom, Smadl, Tana Communication, Thuraya
Table of Contents
1. Executive summary
2. Key statistics
3. Overview of Ethiopias telecom market
4. Regulatory environment
o 4.1 Regulatory authority
4.1.1 Ethiopian Telecommunications Agency (ETA)
o 4.2 Telecom service licences
o 4.3 Telecom sector liberalisation
5. Fixed network operator
o 5.1 Ethio-Telecom (ETC)
5.1.1 Fixed-line statistics
5.1.2 Fixed-line infrastructure
5.1.3 Rural area network
5.1.4 Wireless Local Loop (WLL)
5.1.5 Leased lines, data services
5.1.6 VSAT
5.1.7 National backbone network
5.1.8 Next Generation Network (NGN)
5.1.9 International infrastructure
5.1.10 US$4 billion network development plan 2007-2012
5.1.11 Privatisation
5.1.12 France Telecom management contract
5.1.13 Financial results 2010/11
6. Internet market
o 6.1 Overview
o 6.2 Internet statistics
o 6.3 National connectivity
o 6.4 Public internet access locations
o 6.5 VoIP grey market
o 6.6 E-government
o 6.7 E-learning
o 6.8 ISP market
6.8.1 EthioNet
6.8.2 Wholesale
7. Broadband market
o 7.1 ADSL
o 7.2 EV-DO
o 7.3 WiMAX
o 7.4 Broadband via satellite
8. Mobile communications
o 8.1 Overview of Ethiopias mobile market
8.1.1 Mobile statistics
o 8.2 Mobile operator
8.2.1 Ethio-Mobile
o 8.3 Mobile data services
o 8.4 Third generation (3G)
o 8.5 Long-term Evolution (LTE)
o 8.6 Mobile banking
o 8.7 Satellite mobile
o 8.8 Local handset manufacturing
o 8.9 Smartphones
9. Forecasts
o 9.1 Forecast mobile subscribers 2014; 2017
o 9.2 Forecast Internet users 2014; 2017
o 9.3 Notes on scenario forecasts
10. Related reports
Table 1 Country statistics Ethiopia 2013 (e)
Table 2 Fixed-line network statistics 2013 (e)
Table 3 Internet provider statistics 2013
Table 4 Internet and social media user statistics 2013
Table 5 Mobile statistics 2013 (e)
Table 6 National telecommunications authority
Table 7 Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity 1995 - 2004
Table 8 Fixed lines in service and teledensity 2005 - 2014
Table 9 Ethiopias international internet bandwidth 2000 - 2012
Table 10 Historic - Internet users and penetration rate 1996 - 2004
Table 11 Internet users and penetration rate 2005 - 2014
Table 12 Historic - Internet subscribers 1997 - 2004
Table 13 Internet subscribers 2005 - 2014
Table 14 Ethio-Telecom capped ADSL pricing September 2013
Table 15 Fixed-line broadband subscribers 2008 - 2013
Table 16 Ethio-Telecom EV-DO wireless broadband pricing August 2012
Table 17 Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate 1999 - 2004
Table 18 Mobile subscribers and penetration rate 2005 - 2014
Table 19 Ethio Telecom 3G pricing September 2013
Table 20 Forecast mobile subscribers 2014; 2017
Table 21 Forecast internet users 2014; 2017
Chart 1 Fixed lines in service and teledensity 2005 2014
Chart 2 Internet users and penetration rate 2005 2014
Chart 3 Mobile subscribers and penetration rate 2005 - 2014
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- See more at: http://www.budde.com.au/Research/Ethiopia-Telecoms-Mobile-Broadband-and-
Forecasts.html#sthash.EQtEYfN7.dpuf