I'm planning to set up a Cyber Cafe, but i must confess i'm a novice in this field. I want your advice please on what to do and how to go about it. Which ISP is better. Someone say I should go for a Radio signal and another friend strogly advice against it. He said VSAT is preferable. I'm planning to set up in Akute / Ojodu axis. Please Nairaland people I need your help and advise. I don't want my money to go down the drain.

Related: Setting Up An ISP In Nigeria

be careful, you have to do a site survey to find out if the area is conducive. the number of systems you intend to use will determine whether radio or vsat. You better get a consultant to do all the ground work for you as its a pretty risky venture.

I have my cybercafe for sale. You could consider that instead of starting all over again! You can check *cybercafe for sale*

What is the average cost of starting a cyber-cafe? Thinking this will be a good venture in lagos. Beside the equipment, what is the average cost of running this business?

otokx:

be careful, you have to do a site survey to find out if the area is conducive. the number of systems you intend to use will determine whether radio or vsat. You better get a consultant to do all the ground work for you as its a pretty risky venture.

THATZ RIGHT

From experience setting up and running a cybercafe is a daunting task. There are so many things that need ironing out first before proceeding. It's also somehow capital intensive depending on your taste.

The business is divided into the financial and technical genre. The technical takes precedence over the financial though. First you need to make sure you are technically sound with computers and technology, you must also like working with computers. Most people/cybercafes run into difficulties because they the owners/managers don't have the technical know how.

For you connectivity i will recommend you get a VSAT of your own. Radio links are not stable due to shoddy networks from the providers/operators that are available in Nigeria.

Then you get the systems, the processing speed of the systems must be anything that can run Windows 2000 or >er versions. Also from experience new systems are not too good since most of them can't withstand the constant stress they are placed under, top range tokunbo PCs makes economic and technical sense here. But your servers must be new with high processing capabilities.

Then you need to make sure your office/cybercafe is cool and the environment very conducive for people. Good customer relationship is very crucial too. Your staffs must be courteous and very tech/net savvy too. 

Another thing is that you must not sell cheap since you won't be getting your bandwidth/connectivity for free/cheap. Most operators sell cheap and they go bust; you must not sell at a cut throat price though, do a survey of what's obtainable and available in your intended location.

Also look way you can beat the competition around your intended market, you must try and create a niche market for yourself.

The major problem in the business is NEPA. It very hard buying fuel on a daily basis, am a regular face in 90% the gas stations here.

With God and your own efforts/persistence everything will surely work out.

That's all i have got for now.

You can IM me for off board talks.

I think also one thing you should think about doing is making something special about your cyber-cafe in perticular eg selling hot food or something like that.

well some advice from a customer-satisfaction point of view is to make sure your cafe is spacious...VERY SPACIOUS. makes browsing comfortable, users will be drawn there. all them cramped up cafes with systems very tightly packed are known not to last. maybe cos of that over-heating...or just that it wont appeal to richer customers. get the very best of systems...all new. 2nd hand systems aint worth it. packs up fast. and i tell u browsing with systems that hang-dont operate smoothly is a nightmare. i don't know how u do but make sure ur connection is FAST! maybe u should ask around for the best ISP and sh*t. hope that helps.

Setting up a cafe is quiet expensive...and the only people that can setup cyber cafe without much problem that could result to liquidation are people who much capital and other investment who perhaps just needed to invest on other business.To set up, one must have enough money to maintain even despite that there will be income in the business because there are lot of competitors in the business of cyber cafe.I will not advice you neither to stop your intentions nor to go ahead fulfilling your plan, all i have to say in\s that you have to be careful, find out very well from others who has much knowledge about setting up a cafe as location is another determinant for settling a cafe,the cafe should be citd in a more populated areas, residential area presisely, and area where the electricity is fairly constant.

Get good standby generator with very powerful kva, good tokunbo system that can tolerrate long time usage of the pc,get good air conditioners to always leave the cafe cool and quite, set up special rooms with small number of system for most people who prefare executive activity, i mean who doesnt want to mingle with others while browsing as he prevent himself from being scammed. Provide snacks for client to bye,and recruit high skilled workers, good manager with computer skills, good engr with good networking knowledge so that he can tackle some little problems that might arise.Get to know and make arrangement with a good network engr,generator engr,electrical engr ,so that when there is a complicated problem in any area of the business,you can call on them for help.The manager or cafe engr can possibly tackle all the problem, no one is perfect.Talents are splited, get good attendant and make sure no section is left idle or too many work for any staff.

With these little idea i think you can boost of no problem for atleast some period of time.I have worked in about 5 cafe and i have much knowledge about it and all i am telling you is what i have experienced in person and not what i heard or know from people.

Mind you make sure you get good Service provider ISP that will server you very well one of which is Shiron Communication known as Gilat Com. its a vsat link,vsat is the best as it enables most site which cannot be easily viewed by radio links.During American visa lottery,most cafe with radio link harly access the site,and its a very good time for business,many people register for the lottery.So vsat is good and better.

Good luck.

I appreciate you all. your contributions has enlightened me a lot. I think I'll go for VSAT. Tenderson, jofteck, you guys are wonderful. More advise are still welcome.

casper:

I have my cybercafe for sale. You could consider that instead of starting all over again! You can check *cybercafe for sale*

Casper, thats a big one o.

Seye:

I appreciate you all. your contributions has enlightened me a lot. I think I'll go for VSAT. Tenderson, jofteck, you guys are wonderful. More advise are still welcome. Casper, thats a big one o.

as in too much money or what

I'm talking about money o. Your asking price is 4 - 6 million.

If you are looking for a good ISP, then I would consider Netcom Africa. they have a plan specially dedicated to Cybercafe's. Check them out at www.netcomafrica.com

it doesnt take only money to run a cafe. it takes guts. let me give you a scenario.
your modem of of 350,000 packs up and almost at the same moment your generator packs up and you are still reeling from the effect of 2 computers that packed up when they fell during a police and customer scuffle, and your administrator just made away with about 6 of your hard disk, and for the period you are down you expect that your 'isp' should have known and started waiving your down time, but they tell you you didnt notify them so your bill is still running.
what would you do?

@bani
why are u pessimistic?
Seye, pls dont mind him, with ur money, faith and prayers you will definitely make it in Jesus name. Just consider all the good advice been given to u on this thread. Meanwhile, I know some guys who have really made it thru cyber cafes here in Lagos. I have few as clients. Be sure of the site u are going to use and do a proper survey. If u have much dough on u, go for VSAT but if not go for Wireless radio but make sure u get connected to the best ISP around ur would be site. I wish u a best of luck and I will be of a great assistant if u intend to consult me. CIAO

Perhaps bani is so pessimistic because he has experienced what Seye wants to go into?

A guy is offering me a tokunbo Vsat for 300k. The ISP according to him is DOPC (Direct On PC). What do you think? Is it worth trying?

The only problem I have with Direct On PC is that none of their customers have anything good to say about them!

Are you sure that you shouldn't look for a way to obtain access to the NITEL IP Broadband service?

Are there people here on this forum who know much about Nitel Ip broadband?

DOPC have nothing to offer when it comes to Internet link...They recently introduced FWA (Fixed Wireless Acess) that has to do with SAT 3 thing or do I call it Nitel IP Broadband which covers Abuja, Lagos and Porthacourt for now...I guess they have nothing good to offer on that. Anyways, there are other reliable ISP in Nigeria you can contact, but Direct On Pc...you will waste your cash and time

Is SAT-3 affordable for a cybercafe operator now?

Yes it is affordable

komputa can you please shed more light on this.

it takes a lot really, there are so many variables you will some of them you can never tell until you have entered the business.

by the way it is clear that bani has had a feel of the business, don't let any markteing personnel intimidate you o.

So how is Seye proceeding with his business plans? We need some updates on what he has been able to come up with.

Why go for a Tokunbo DOPC VSAT for 300k when you can get a brand new Netcom VSAT for 299k. better still if you already have an existing modem from another manufacturer, trade that in with Netcom andf they'll give you 100k back.

www.netcomafrica.com

Setting up a Cyber Cafe is never a easy task, you can not just tell exactly what is required because the standard is increasing each and every day but I think if you have systems that are speed enough, you are okay for a start.

joftech:

komputa can you please shed more light on this.

joftech:

Is SAT-3 affordable for a cybercafe operator now?

SAT-3 is affordable for a cybercafe operation depending on your location and provider of connectivity to SAT-3.  Pricing depends on how much bandwidth you require, dedicated or shared access is also available for cafe operations. Equipment to access the SAT-3 can either be through a Wireless Radio, Fibre Cable and ADSL depending on your location. You can get more detail information as regards individual cafe needs by sending an e-mail to fastadsl@gmail.com....

Seye am a cybercafe operator and really am not out to discourage you but to tell you some facts. I have operated in a difficult terrain in Ibadan for five years.
Really setting up a cybercafe is left to me one of the easiest things to do in the world, but then running it is the most difficult task I have ever encoutered and I think that is why u see that cybercafes constitute a high percentage of businesses closing down. I'ld tell you these
1. There is a non stop revenue stream in it but the break even rate is low
2. You must never compromise your equipment standard, Go for the most reliable of the equipment but not necessarilly the most expensive
3. As per your link your goal should not be the means of connection but the speed. but If you are going for a VSAT please do not Go for KU band as you'll regret when the rains come. Some ISPs can have good wireless links so if you are not buying more that a 128kbps downlink I don't suggest you go for VSAT.
4. Bani made a lot of sense when he said it takes guts to run a cybercafe, Imagine my experience when my Generator blew up 6 monitors, my switch a week after my wireless link started having signal interference that we eventually couldn't solve till like after three months

It takes gut and unflinching determination to run a cybercafe and even any other business. I can recall when my landlord asked me relocate my VSAT to another position. This require paying another set of reinstallation fee, recommisioning, hotel accomodation for the installer etc.

But one thing that's really needed to run a cybercafe successfully is technical knowledge and God's grace.

I wish you success and good luck in your proposed venture.

Setting Up a Cyber-cafe, Setting Up a Cyber-cafe, Setting Up a Cyber-cafe.
well lemme say this. if you really need to learn from people who have excelled in the cybercafe business, then i suggest you checkout the Afrihub guys http://afrihub.com/ . they run a cafe in both campuses of the University of Nigeria. i'm regualr at the one at nsukka campus and i tell you man it's WORLDCLASS! well it's good sha. they've been on for about a year and all their systems are in top shape. i think they use zinox. you should contact them for more info on their system stats. i swear you wont regret it. good luck.