Ethiopia mobile internet still off after a week
Ethiopia’s dominant telecommunications provider has blocked social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter since anti-government protests broke out in 2016
Addis Ababa — Ethiopians were still unable to surf the web via mobile networks on Tuesday, despite government claims the nationwide internet shutdown, which began a week ago, had been lifted. Africa’s second most-populous country turned off its internet access without warning or explanation last week, briefly depriving even diplomatic buildings, like the UN’s Economic Commission for Africa and the headquarters of the African Union, of internet access. While service to those two institutions was restored and subscribers to broadband internet say they are now able to get online, access via mobile data — which is most used by businesses and individuals — was still unavailable. This is despite government assurances that the blockage had been lifted. In a press conference on Monday, Communications Minister Negeri Lencho said the internet had been "partly" shut down for three days last week and that social media sites were the only services that remained blocked. Negeri said the shutdown ...
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