Localization of internet traffic in the African Continent

Abstract

Introduction
Localization of internet traffic is the process of adapting internet traffic to local language
and culture in the target market. It is the process of adapting traffic into a different linguistic and
cultural context— involving much more than the simple translation of text. Consumers in the
“smart world” are increasingly penetrating high-end, sensor-rich mobile devices and wireless
communication networks, making localization to attract a growing interest among researchers
and service providers. The different technological systems span a variety of application domains
from services that are both customer-centric and location-based. Some of these services include
emergency call positioning and mobile advertising (Laoudias et al., 2018). Traffic localization
interests cellular network operators because it enables optimization and network planning. It
becomes possible to identify traffic hotspots and poor coverage areas. Cellular network operators
identify areas where network is insufficient, especially during peak hours or when public events
are attracting a large number of people. Traffic localization matters because they allow for
enhanced end-user experience.

When applied in the cell phone industry, traffic localization is crucial in optimizing
macro and micro-cell deployment, and this allows cellular operators to address the diverse needs
of cell phone users. Besides, the Internet of Things (IoT) applications have pervasively
penetrated daily life. This has made it necessary for industry trends and upcoming technologies
to use enhanced traffic localization techniques for them to attain high-level location accuracy and
address challenges that are related to scalability, privacy, security as well as availability. Traffic
localization has a direct impact on user Quality of Experience (QoE). It reduces download times,
consequently increasing user QoE (Varvello & Steiner, 2011). Thus, traffic localization matters
as it positively affects consumer experience. While some consumers are affected by slow
network speeds, some are yet to experience the benefits of internet connectivity. Such is the case
in most rural regions in developing countries. Internet traffic in the developed world, especially
in urban areas, differs significantly from that of rural areas in Africa. Web-based traffic is
dominant in rural Africa as opposed to peer-to-peer traffic, which is common in urban areas and
the developed world (Johnson et al., 2011). Through traffic localization, it is possible to assess
bandwidth consumption in these areas.

Methodology

Literature review of sources was used

Discussion

Current traffic framework and architecture

Localization

Benefits of localizing

Enabling technologies

Challenges

Conclusion

Sources

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