Tag Archive for: #Explainer

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Explainer: How Starlink differs from other Internet service providers

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Starlink is a satellite internet service offered by Elon Musk’s SpaceX around the world, including South Sudan.

Writer: Makur Majeng

Starlink is a satellite internet service that provides high-speed internet to remote and underserved areas, including everywhere on Earth. Starlink was launched on May 23, 2019, by SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket. In comparison with traditional telecommunications companies and Internet service providers that offer Internet services, Starlink’s technology operates based on Low Earth Orbit at speeds of 7.7 km/s above the Earth’s surface and conveys Internet coverage directly from space. 

Source: Rafael Henrique / LightRocket via Getty Images

The differences between Starlink satellite and traditional Internet service providers (companies).

In contrast to traditional fibre optics, copper cables, cellular networks, or other physical infrastructures, the Starlink network consists of LEO satellites put in orbit. Later, these satellites will be used to establish connections with ground stations and user terminals known as small satellite dishes. 

As a result, it allows the company to provide internet services where it is impossible or economically impractical to lay a physical network infrastructure.

Meanwhile, telecom companies typically use fibre-optic cables, Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL), and cellular towers to provide internet services. 

On the other hand, Starlink provides global coverage and provides services for citizens in remote and rural areas, but telecom internet companies operate with limited coverage and serve the citizens of the city and suburban areas or wherever there is network infrastructure.

SpaceX’s Starlink Internet Service consists of a ground terminal (right) and antenna for high-speed satellite internet. (Image credit: SpaceX)

What are the pros and cons of Starlink?

Pros

Starlink enables internet penetration in locations where regular internet services are unavailable. It demands no need for enormous ground-based infrastructure and minimises time to deploy. 

The satellite infrastructure could ultimately result in lower operating costs compared to traditional physical infrastructures once the entire network is implemented.

Cons

Starlink for starters is expensive, and users must buy a satellite dish and router for setup, and weather-dependent typical performance can suffer from things like snow or rain, and it is also expensive for poor households to acquire Starlink for home use.

The number of countries using Starlink as of August 2024 includes 21 countries from continental America, which are the United States, Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Canada, Chile, Easter Island, Mexico, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Barbados, Peru, Colombia, Haiti, Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala, Bahamas, Honduras, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, and Costa Rica.

In Europe, there are 30 countries, including overseas territories, which include; the United Kingdom, Pitcairn Islands, Germany, France, Saint Martin, Saint Barthélemy, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Denmark, Portugal, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, Czechia, Sweden, Croatia, Lithuania, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, Greece, Latvia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Luxembourg, Moldova, Estonia, Norway, Malta, Finland, Iceland, Cyprus, Georgia, and Albania.

In Oceania, there are 6 countries, which include New Zealand, Australia, Micronesia, Fiji, and Tonga. 

On the African continent, there are 13 countries, which include Nigeria, Rwanda, Mozambique, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Benin, Eswatini, Sierra Leone, Madagascar, South Sudan, Botswana, and Ghana. In Asia, there are 6 countries: Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, and Indonesia.

The Starlink availability map is here.

The global availability of the Starlink maps with the light blue location, source: Starlink

What are the future markets of traditional Internet service providers?

In rural or remote areas of competition, traditional Internet service providers (ISPs) like Liquid, Connect, IPTech, and others, for example, may not be as competitive as Starlink due to high infrastructure costs, and at the same time, the demand for their services may decrease with the growing Starlink penetration due to more users’ acquisitions of Starlink.

For ISPs to compete in reliability, speed, and reachability, they will need to invest heavily in expanding the coverage of fibre optic cable infrastructure in both remote and urban areas, which is financially very costly. 

However, Starlink is less costly in terms of infrastructure and can reach areas without cellular tower networks using its terminals and dishes.

In another related development, on January 8th, 2024, SpaceX successfully tested text messaging using its direct-to-cell satellites. The move further aims to overcome the challenge of connecting cell phones and other cellular devices to fast-moving satellites. 

Six satellites were launched, which function as cellphone towers in space and will provide text service in 2024 and voice, data services, and the Internet of Things (IoT) in 2025. 

This addition, according to Elon Musk, will allow mobile phone connectivity anywhere on Earth. However, he noted that it is not competitive with the existing terrestrial cellular networks. 

SpaceX has partnered with T-Mobile and other global operators to utilise the Long Term Evolution (LTE) spectrum, a fourth-generation network wireless standard offering seamless connectivity without the need for new devices or apps.

Conclusion:

Starlink technology is on the verge of becoming a major advancement in terms of the Internet service markets, especially for rural and underprivileged locations. On one hand, it is capable of providing worldwide coverage and scalability. 

However, its downsides include weather-dependent reliability and a relatively high cost for starters.

To remain competitive in the evolving telecom landscape, traditional carriers will need to adapt and invest—potentially striking internet infrastructures that cover hard-to-reach areas with reliable affordability for underprivileged locations. 

However, the entry of Starlink into the Internet markets has put pressure on traditional Internet service providers on how to retain and maintain market shares. 

In South Sudan, the National Communication Authority (NCA) approved Elon Musk’s Starlink Satellite Internet entry on June 26, 2024, and South Sudanese citizens have embraced the internet service compared with the fibre optic one.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives. Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

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Explainer: MonkeyPox, what do you need to know?

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A cumulative total of 99,176 laboratory-confirmed cases of Mpox, including 208 deaths, were reported to WHO from 116 countries in all six WHO regions in Africa from January 1st, 2022, to June 30th, 2024. However, South Sudan has no confirmed case of Mpox, according to the Ministry of Health.

Writer: Beatrice Amude Paulino

A media report on August 7th, 2024 by Radio Tamazuj indicated that there were two suspected cases of monkeypox in Aweil town, Northern Bahr-el Ghazal State.

The State Ministry of Health has reported the case, and some samples were taken to the World Health Organisation in Juba, according to Dr. Riing Riing Lual Dau, the Northern Bahr-el Ghazal State Minister of Health.  

“We called the lab technicians to take the sample that was booked by WHO to Juba to be confirmed in the main lab. If it is monkeypox, we will inform our community to put in place preventative measures,” said Dr. Riing.

The Getty image indicates monkeypox patience. 

211 Check research:

With the recent suspected case of monkeypox, 211check has conducted in-depth research to educate the public.

What is monkeypox?

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is a disease caused by infection with a virus known as the monkeypox virus. This virus is part of the same family virus that causes smallpox.

Mpox is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be spread between animals and people. It is endemic, or found regularly, in parts of Central and West Africa. The virus that causes monkeypox has been found in small rodents, monkeys, and other mammals that live in these areas.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the monkeypox virus is an orthopoxvirus that causes mpox (monkeypox), a disease with symptoms similar to smallpox, although less severe. 

While smallpox was eradicated in 1980, mpox continues to occur in countries in central and western Africa. 

How does the monkeypox virus transmit?

According to the WHO, Mpox spreads from person to person through close contact with someone who is infected with the monkeypox virus. Close contact includes being face-to-face (such as talking or breathing close to one another, which can generate droplets or short-range aerosols); skin-to-skin (such as touching or vaginal/anal sex); mouth-to-mouth (such as kissing); or mouth-to-skin contact (such as oral sex or kissing the skin). 

The CDC indicates that both clades of mpox spread through direct contact with infected wild animals, through close contact, including intimate or sexual contact with a person with mpox, and through contact with contaminated materials.

Similar analyses can also be found here, here, here, and here.

What are the signs and symptoms of monkeypox?

People with mpox often get a rash that may be located on hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth, or near the genitals, including the penis, testicles, labia, vagina, and anus, according to the CDC.

The first symptom of monkeypox is a rash, while others may have different symptoms first. The rash begins as a flat sore, which develops into a blister filled with liquid and may be itchy or painful. As the rash heals, the lesions dry up, crust over, and fall off. Some people may have one or a few skin lesions, and others may have hundreds or more. These can appear anywhere on the body, such as the palms of hands and soles of feet, face, mouth, throat, groin and genital areas, and anus.

Some people also have painful swelling of their rectum or pain and difficulty when peeing.

More information can also be found here.

Besides, the WHO factsheet indicates the signs and symptoms of a person infected with monkeypox usually begin within a week but can start 1 to 21 days after exposure. However, the symptoms typically last 2 to 4 weeks and sometimes longer in someone with a weakened immune system.

How can monkeypox be detected and treated?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, to diagnose mpox, the healthcare provider takes a tissue sample from an open sore (lesion). Then, send it to a lab for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing genetic fingerprinting. 

In addition to that, the person affected also needs to give a blood sample to check for the monkeypox virus or antibodies the immune system makes.

Currently, there are not any approved antiviral treatments for monkeypox. However, antiviral drugs like cidofovir or tecovirimat may be prescribed to the sick person by a healthcare provider. 

How can monkeypox be prevented?

The CDC recommends the JYNNEOS vaccine for the prevention of mpox. Getting both doses provides the best protection. A person should get two doses four weeks apart. Even if it has been longer than 4 weeks since the first vaccine dose, one needs to get the second dose as soon as possible. However, if a Mpox patient previously recovered from mpox, he or she does not need the vaccine.

What are the authorities in South Sudan doing about the recent suspected monkeypox cases?

The Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Ministry of Health has registered two suspected samples that were taken to Uganda for further investigation.  

However, according to the report by Radio Tamazuj, Dr. Riing Yak Chan, the Director of Preventive Health Services, said none of the cases has substantively been confirmed as monkeypox but promised to continue monitoring the situation.

In addition to that, the National Ministry of Health, in a press statement on August 19th, 2024 assured the public that South Sudan has no confirmed case of monkeypox.

“The Ministry of Health reassures that there is no confirmed case of Mpox in South Sudan and urges the general public to remain calm but vigilant and report any suspected cases to the nearest health facility or to call the Toll-Free Line 6666,” reads a press statement released by the Ministry of Health.

On the other hand, the Health Ministry encouraged the public to adhere to the following public health preventive measures:

  • Avoid close contact with an infected person.
  • Use personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for patients.
  • Do not share bedding, clothing, towels, or utensils with sick people.
  • Practice hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
  • Isolate infected patients in hospitals or at home.
  • Avoid close contact with wild animals, especially those found sick or dead.
  • Cook all foods containing fresh animal meat or products properly before eating.

What is the World Health Organisation saying?

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on August 14, 2024. The WHO  noted that the declaration makes it easier to speed up the acquisition and implementation of funding, global public health measures, and joint efforts to contain the disease. The WHO advisory on Mpox is found here also.

 Conclusion

With the declaration of monkeypox as a public health emergency of international concern by the WHO, South Sudan has no confirmed cases of the disease. 

However, the Health Ministry noted that “in the African region, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recorded the highest number of Mpox cases for the time, with sustained transmission driven by sexual contact. Other countries neighbouring the DRC that have reported Mpox include Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. Some of these countries closely bordering South Sudan with porous borders and high population movements posed an increased risk of spillover of the monkeypox virus into the country.”

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

Fighting misinformation and disinformation in the media is crucial to avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter.

Explainer: Beware of fake content that exploits emotions and clouds rational thought

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Content that shocks or horrifies or makes us feel anxious or fearful is often used by disinformers. This week we show how our emotional responses are used to cloud rational thought and how disinformation can entrench stereotypes.

By Daily Maverick

Those who wish to spread disinformation often play on our emotions. It’s a tactic that is also used by salespeople. How many of us, for example, have been in a shop where we are thinking of making a purchase (usually an expensive one) and seeing us hesitate, the salesperson tells us how much interest there has been in the same item and how the one we are looking at is the last one? This is designed to make you anxious about losing a possible bargain, while encouraging you to make a decision based on another person wanting the same item. It adds urgency and pressure.

Most of the media organisations in South Sudan, which adhere to professional standards of ethical journalism, don’t publish fake news. Our media usually think very carefully when using graphic and disturbing images, and offer context and warning and, crucially, some kind of justification for showing unverified images. 

If you see suspicious content on a social media platform, ask: Why is it there? Who has posted it? What do they hope to achieve? Ask if there is any justification for using such graphic content and if it advances the story in any way. 

If you find content about issues you are uncertain of, or if you are vaccine-hesitant, and suddenly your emotional buttons are being pressed, exercise extreme caution, check credible media and then avoid sharing, unless there are clear reasons to do so. 

A quick note on credible media – how do you know? Well, you can look to see if the media organisation subscribes to accepted standards of professional journalism. Do they offer a credible means of addressing complaints? Do they tell you who the editor is? Any media organisation that avoids such mechanisms is not helping with their or the media’s credibility. 

Another role as a reader and active member of the public is to keep reporting those who seek to exploit and heighten fear. It won’t stop disinformation, but it may reduce its spread and cause less harm. It is critical that we all play our part in combating and mitigating these digital offences. If you suspect that content on digital media is disinformation, hate speech, harassment of journalists or incitement to violence, report it to relevant authorities in your area.