If there's one thing we can appreciate social media for, it's that since its inception, it has helped aggregate the voices of the average citizen more effectively than any strategy or construct (prior to the existence of social) has. As a result of this connectivity, the world has become closer and governance has somewhat become easier as instantaneous feedback now exists. Be that as it may, it's not all rainbows and sunshine for social media, we have witnessed (and continue to witness) an unprecedented spike in mental health compromises largely as a result of social media, we are also beginning to contend with herd mentality the likes of which has never been recorded before.
HERD MENTALITY IS WHY THIS TOPIC EXISTS
One of the fallouts of this herd mentality is the growing call for free internet services owing to how dependent we are on the internet. It would have been understandable if this clamour is coming from children who we can excuse as not being old enough to know better, shockingly, we have a lot of this clamour coming from adults whom we expect to know how things work. Today we're going to be looking at some core reasons why the internet shouldn't be free in a bid to help us understand the amount of effort that goes into providing global connectivity which has afforded many the means to rise above their station in life in the pursuit of self-actualization.
A RELATABLE EXPLANATION
Have you ever been to a place with poor network reception? many will tell you that the only thing that annoys them more than this is having a low battery. If there's anything that you'll find apparent in places without internet connection, it's that there are no telecommunication masts, dishes or optic fibres in that environment. The process of procuring telecommunication masts, dishes, laying optic fibre cables underground or across the ocean and launching satellites into orbit is one that is quite capital intensive, so much so that businesses that invest in these hardware infrastructures are so few that they run an oligopoly in some nations while in other nations you find just one telecommunications company running a monopoly.
LICENSING AND HUMAN CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS ARE A HUGE COST
Asides from procurement of hardware, it is common knowledge that for an entity to be allowed to transmit data or information within the country's airwaves, they have to obtain a license from the government of that nation and this is a process that takes time and costs a pretty penny even in countries that practice transparency. It doesn't end there, after successfully setting up the telecommunications entity that is capable of providing network and internet access, thus facilitating interconnectivity, you find that these organizations have to employ people like you and me to run the system and ensure that we have zero downtime.
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE OF HARDWARE CAN BE QUITE EXPENSIVE
The maintenance cost of the hardware procured is also a recurrent expenditure as the hardware that provides us with connectivity are prone to wear and depreciation. Telecommunications companies must continue to invest in the repair and/or replacement of very expensive infrastructure in order to remain competitive. Lastly, we have research and development; we can all acknowledge the fact that our internet speeds have increased over time, 5G is being installed around the world with promises of increased speed in the near future. We also have to factor in the increased coverage of telecommunications companies. Those in sub-Saharan Africa especially can testify to this.
FINALLY...
Having weighed all the above, it baffles me that well-meaning citizens will clamour for free internet which is tantamount to telling these telecommunications companies to suffer catastrophic loss which will also lead to widespread unemployment as these telecoms companies have created direct and indirect employment through their value chain. While I acknowledge the argument that internet costs can be cheaper, I'm also optimistic that capitalism and free-market competition will lead to a decrease in price and an increase in value provided in the near future. Starlink by SpaceX proves that we can expect innovation and reduced prices in future.