Cyber Cafe Amk

[Channing Arther]

An Internet caf, also known as a cybercaf, is a caf (or a convenience store or a fully dedicated Internet access business) that provides the use of computers with high bandwidth Internet access on the payment of a fee. Usage is generally charged by the minute or part of hour. An Internet caf will generally also offer refreshments or other services such as phone repair. Internet cafs are often hosted within a shop or other establishment. They are located worldwide, and many people use them when traveling to access webmail and instant messaging services to keep in touch with family and friends. Apart from travelers, in many developing countries Internet cafs are the primary form of Internet access for citizens as a shared-access model is more affordable than personal ownership of equipment and/or software. Internet cafs are a natural evolution of the traditional caf. As Internet access rose many pubs, bars, and cafs added terminals and eventually Wi-Fi hotspots, eroding the distinction between the Internet caf and normal cafs.

In March 1988, the 'Electronic Caf' was opened near Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea by Ahn Sang-soo (Professor of Hongik University) and Gum Nu-ri (Professor of Kookmin University). Two 16bit computers connected to Online service networks through telephone lines. Offline meetings were held in the caf, which served as a place that connected online and offline activities.[1]

In July 1991, the SFnet Coffeehouse Network was opened in San Francisco, United States by Wayne Gregori. Gregori installed coin-operated computer terminals in coffeehouses throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. The terminals dialed into a 32 line Bulletin Board System that offered an array of electronic services including FIDOnet mail and, in 1992, Internet mail.

Inspired partly by the ICA event and associated with an Internet provider startup, EasyNet, in the same building, a commercial Internet caf called Cyberia opened on September 1, 1994, in London, England.

In June 1995, three Internet cafs opened in the East Village neighborhood of New York City: Internet Cafe, opened by Arthur Perley, the @Cafe, and the Heroic Sandwich.[9] In 1996, the Internet caf Surf City opened in downtown Anchorage, Alaska.

Since early 2010s, the rising popularity of smartphones, due to improved hardware and faster internet connectivity (LTE and 5G NR), started having a major economic impact on internet cafs. It has been estimated that the number of internet cafs in South Korea dropped 17% from 19,000 in 2010 to 15,800 in 2012, and internet cafs in developing countries were struggling to grow.[10]

In China, a 2011 government report stated that 130,000 internet cafs had closed down over the previous six years, due to tightening regulations, which brought the number down to 144,000.[11] One industry consultant estimated the number had reached 136,000 in 2012.[10]

In some locations, however, internet cafs continued to be used for reasons ranging from evading gambling regulations to building communities of language learners.[12] As of 2021, internet cafs are still operating in South Korea for online gaming.[13]

While most Internet cafs are private businesses many have been set up to help bridge the 'digital divide', providing computer access and training to those without home access. There are also Internet kiosks, Internet access points in public places like public libraries, airport halls, sometimes just for brief use while standing.

Many hotels, resorts, and cruise ships offer Internet access for the convenience of their guests; this can take various forms, such as in-room wireless access, or a web browser that uses the in-room television set for its display (usually in this case the hotel provides a wireless keyboard on the assumption that the guest will use it from the bed), or computer(s) that guests can use, either in the lobby or in a business center. As with telephone service, in the US most mid-price hotels offer Internet access from a computer in the lobby to registered guests without charging an additional fee, while fancier hotels are more likely to charge for the use of a computer in their "business center."

Internet cafs come in a wide range of styles, reflecting their location, main clientele, and sometimes, the social agenda of the proprietors. In the early days they were important in projecting the image of the Internet as a 'cool' phenomenon.

A variation on the Internet caf business model is the LAN gaming center, used for multiplayer gaming. These cafs have several computer stations connected to a LAN. The connected computers are custom-assembled for gameplay, supporting popular multiplayer games. This is reducing the need for video arcades and arcade games, many of which are being closed down or merged into Internet cafs. The use of Internet cafs for multiplayer gaming is particularly popular in certain areas of Asia like India, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and the Philippines. In some countries, since practically all LAN gaming centers also offer Internet access, the terms net caf and LAN gaming center have become interchangeable. Again, this shared-access model is more affordable than personal ownership of equipment and/or software, especially since games often require high end and expensive PCs.

Gaming is extremely popular at internet cafs in Asia, which has helped create strong demand and a sustainable business model for most cafs. However, with this growing popularity also comes more responsibility. To compete for market share, internet cafs have started charging less and have turned to alternate ways to maximize revenue. This includes selling food, drinks, game cards, and phone cards to patrons.

In 2005 Italy began requiring entities such as Internet cafs to collect photocopies of the passports of Internet, phone, or fax-using customers as a result of anti-terrorism legislation passed in July of that year.[16]

By 2010, a variation of the Internet caf known as a "sweepstakes parlor" had become widespread in certain regions of the United States. These facilities offered entries in a contest to customers who purchase Internet usage. Sweepstakes parlors faced scrutiny by local governments, who argued that sweepstakes parlors are a form of illegal gambling. A large number of these locations faced raids by officials, while a number of states enacted laws to ban them.[17][18][19]

There are European countries where the total number of publicly accessible terminals is also decreasing. An example of such a country is Germany. The cause of this development is a combination of complicated regulation, relatively high Internet penetration rates, the widespread use of notebooks, tablets, and smartphones and the relatively high number of wireless internet hotspots. Many pubs, bars and cafs in Germany offer wireless Internet, but no terminals since the Internet caf regulations do not apply if no terminal is offered. Additionally, the use of Internet cafs for multiplayer gaming is very difficult in Germany since the Internet caf regulations and a second type of regulations which was originally established for video arcade centres applies to this kind of Internet cafs. It is, for example, forbidden for people under the age of 18 to enter such an Internet caf, although particularly people under 18 are an important group of customers for this type of Internet caf.

Netcafe opened in St Kilda at the Deluxe Caf on April 4, 1995, inspired by the Internet caf phenomenon that was going on in Seattle. As Australia's first Internet caf, founders included Gavin Murray, Rita Arrigo and Christopher Beaumont. Direct from London's Cyberia they were joined by Kathryn Phelps and partnerships with Adam Goudie of Standard Computers for hardware and Michael Bethune from Australia Online, Australia's first ISP for of course their Internet access. In 1995 it was delivered via a standard analogue phone line using a 9600-Baud US Robotics Modem. Cafe.on.net also opened on Rundle Street in Adelaide in 1995, with the support of Internode's Simon Hackett. The Cafe was founded by John Ruciak, and was notable because of its Fast Ethernet connection.[citation needed]

In Brazil, the initial concept introduced by Monkey Paulista was based on the business model used by internet cafs in South Korea, since this was the first house LAN to exist in Brazil; it was inaugurated in So Paulo, starting its activities in 1995. The company closed in 2010. However, just a week later for reasons of bureaucracy[clarification needed], the company Lan Game @ The House[20] was opened, and today is the most active LAN house of Brazil. Today it is seen in the country as a way to test new technologies and demonstrate games and other products.

In India, Internet cafs used by traveling people and business are declining since the arrival of widespread mobile Internet usage. A set of other services are also offered, such as printing of documents or webpages. Operators also help computer illiterates through some government processes (as a part of e-governance in India ). Low speed of mobile Internet and these services offered by Internet cafs help its survival. In India a positive government ID is compulsory for Internet caf users in most states.

In 2008, there were 180,000 cyber cafes in India but by 2017, it declined to 50,000, one of primary reasons for decline was rules of IT Act, which caused licensing issues and other restrictions.[21][22]

According to APWKomitel[23] (Association of Community Internet Center), there were 5,000 Internet cafs in urban Indonesian cities in 2006 providing computer/printer/scanner rentals, training, PC gaming and Internet access/rental to people without computer or internet access. The website[24] also contains a directory listing some of these warnet/telecenter/gamecenter in Indonesia. In urban areas, the generic name is warnet (or warung Internet) and in rural areas the generic name is telecenter. Warnets/netcafes are usually privately owned as bottom-up initiatives, while telecenters in rural villages are typically government or donor-funded as top-down financing. Information on netcafe/warnet in Indonesia can also be found in a book titled: Connected for Development: Indonesian Case study.[25]

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