Digitize The National Archives

Students and Researches in Liberia are constantly faced with the shortage of information as it relates to documents on people who played major roles in the history of Liberia. If you try to google up some names in the Liberian history, the results will be narrowed enough that you'll feel excluded from the global cyber world.

In this digital era when open-source is taking root everywhere, the government of Liberia needs to digitize all national record for the public to research freely. Archives

The Lack of Satellite for Liberians

Communication is truely an expensive tool in post war Liberia. GSM and communication entities pay for the services of satellite from providers out of the country, thus making it expensive for the ordinary Liberian to fully gain assibility to communication products
Lets take into consideration Nigeria where the Nigerian parliament said its pledge to financially assist Nigerian Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) in its NigComSat 2 and 3 initiatives will help boost the country’s information and telecommunications sector, as well as boost the company’s bottom line.
Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu hailed the National Assembly’s move, and said it would offer returns to both the company and the West African country.
Says Ekweremadu: “The National Assembly will do everything to assist in the actualization of NigComSat 2 and 3 because it will not only help the country to become a contemporary of other nations but it is also commercially viable; it will also help us to be counted when technology issues are discussed.”
He said NIGCOMSAT leaders should bring on board other stakeholders to enhance the success of the company’s initiatives.
When will this be possible in Liberia? I don't know.

The Electricity saga in Liberia is in an incredibly shocking condition. This Draw back affects students like myself who is studying technology. Finding power at home to do simple task like soldering practice is unthinkable. People rely heavily on small portable gasoline generators commonly known as Tiger from its brand name.

The above photo was taken in the Pipeline Community just outside Monrovia. This deserted light pole is suppose to serve the surrounding houses but, it stands there without power. There are thousands of this kind of light poles in community in and around Monrovia in this same kind of condition - unnoticed.

Even though the government is setting up power stations around, they are serving business centers and houses close to the road thus leaving residence just a couple of meters from the main road in total darkness.

Like I said before this situation is very bad for technology student. For example, I have to go on campus for every simple task if I don't have money for gas for my Tiger.

We recognized the endless efforts exerted by the government, but much has to be done to improve the Electricity situation.

The Lack of World Wide Communication for Liberians

As far as things look there are two Short Wave Broadcast stations in Liberia. Radio Veretas and Star radio. These stations broadcast in the Short Wave Band 1 of the short wave band which has the range of 3-10 Mhz.
In this band of frequency, broadcast is just a few hundred miles in the daytime and goes up to a thousand mile the night. World wide communication cannot be realizes since the earth is over 20,000 miles. These stations shut down during periods of maximum sunspot activities like in the afternoon. This is because the signals are absorbed by the D and E layers of the ionosphere. They resume broadcast in the evening when the sunspot activities are at minimium levels and when the D and E layers are virtually cleared out.

There are thousands of Liberian in other Countries of the world who would love to here live news form home. This opportunity is not afforded to them when Short Wave Broadcast in Liberia is still in the 3-10 Mhz band.


Recommedations

The 10-20 Mhz band of the short wave band is an excellent band for long range and world wide communication. Broadcast in this band is not hindered by the D and E layer in the daytime and are reflected by the F layer in the night. Once the angle of radiation is perfectly configured world wide communication can be acheived.

Lone Star's STAR ZONE

As GSM Operators strive to improve their services and move away form the traditional text and talk(T&T) services widely provided in Liberia, it is quite interesting to note how these companies are introducing beta versions of programs for customers almost every month.
Eventhough the Star zone is not entirely personalized and used by customers, it helps reduce the amount of units spent making calls within the Lone Star network at the percentage shown on your phone during a call.

The Star Zone is a cell broadcast service area information Channel 50 which displays the discount on your handset. Star Zone allows you to receive discounts on calls made to the Lone Star network. This discount varies form 5% to 90% and it depends on your location and the time you are calling.

Technological Trends in Liberia(an introductory account)

As far as I can remember, Liberia has been a slow consumer of technological products. The Dvds, Vcds, TV, Mobile phones, Computers and the internet availability are a few aspect of the rise of Electronic products on the Liberian market.
This blog is intended to take a close look at these products and their impact of the Liberian population.
Mobile Phones
After ten years from the introduction of mobiles phones in Liberia at a large scale, 1 in every 4 Liberian has a mobile phone. Even people with out the basic aspect of life prefer a mobile phone rather than some basic things. There a four GSM companies in Liberia. LoneStar, Cellcom, Comium, and Libercell. These four companies are present in almost the entire country thus making communication quite easy and affordable for the common Liberians.
Even though the class of mobile phones available to the users here varies, there a a lot of world class phones here with Nokia a leader. The emergence of Chinese made phones gives youths the services from world class brands at a low cost.

Costs of Call
Almost every one with a phone in Liberia can afford credits or units to make at least an important call. The cost for local call within the LoneStar network is as follow:
0.15 cents in the day and 0.10 cents in the night from Monday to Friday
0.08 cents in the day and 0.05 cents in the night on Saturdays and Sundays.

Local calls within the Cellcom Network is as follow:
0.20 cents
0.15 cents at times

Local call within the Comium Network is as follow:
0.15 cents in the day
0.10 cents in the night

Local calls within the Libercell Network is as follow:
0.10 cents Monday to Friday
0.05 Some weekends

All the prices listed above are not constant and can be changed without the knowledge of the customers.