Khartoum - Post Report Question and Answers
Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Internet is available. Manage your expectations for quality and speed, and you’ll be fine. In Sudan, power issues are common and internet complaints are frequent. There are several packages you can choose from. The fastest one featured a “pay by usage†(not by time) system, so you’d have to watch closely in case you needed to “reload†your account before a weekend approached. Reloading entailed bringing cash (all transactions in Sudan are cash transactions, due to the sanctions—perhaps this is changing now) to a local GSO employee, who would then take it to the local provider’s office and have it put on your account. I recommend working closely with your assigned sponsor and GSO prior to your arrival in order to have your internet installed before you arrive.
Important: Unless things have changed with the lifting of the sanctions, it is vital to have a VPN on your home computer. Trying to access your bank information is not possible without it. Look into this carefully before you arrive so you have the necessary equipment in place. Without it, you will have to do all banking-related internet transactions at the embassy. - Feb 2018
Internet is available, although I hesitate to call it high-speed. People experience all kinds of trouble and service is inconsistent, with frequent outages or latency problems, no matter how much you pay. It's fast enough to surf, check email, and stream movies though, so most people can get done what needs to be done. Just be prepared for third-world service. And get a VPN, otherwise you'll be barred from most websites, especially your banks. While sanctions have been suspended, banks are still reluctant to deal with Sudan and any contact from a Sudanese ip address may result in your accounts being locked. - May 2017
High-speed? Hah. Let's just say you'll learn 'streaming patience.' Think 1999 high speed. You could make buffering a drinking game. If there was booze. - Nov 2016
Yes. 1-2 weeks. - Oct 2016
It's about US$100/month. It's not good either. - Mar 2016
Internet service at the residences is fairly inexpensive, but connectivity is sporadic and unreliable. I would guess that most American staff do their online shopping by using a computer at the Embassy. - Jun 2015
The internet is of varying quality. There is DSL and WiMax, about US$50-150 a month. It's quality is poor at times but can be fast enough for streaming movies with a VPN (with a lag and lengthy buffering). Depending on where you are it may take a while for them to install it. - Mar 2015
Zain, the internet company claims to have high speed service. When it works you're lucky to get 3-5 mbps. It is slow. Forget about being able to Skype with your family reliably, do any online gaming or streaming. - Apr 2014
Yes, you pay your bill at the embassy, usually about $50/month. - Jun 2011
Yes. The DSL is good. I pay about $90 a month for it. - Apr 2010
Yes. We paid equivalent of 65 euros for a pretty good high-speed connection. - May 2009
Low speed DSL for about US$70-80 a month. - Sep 2008
