and we wait and wait and wait .............nothing new

Hello Guys
Have a look at this post so long, we will also be releasing an official announcement regarding the future of STEAM in the next few days.

http://blog.webafrica.co.za/2010/04/freezoning-steam-4/

nice post..

Hello guys,

I have posted an update on our forums which can be read here: http://forums.webafrica.co.za/showthread.php?t=3221

Just use steamwatch to force steam to download from a certain content server.

http://users.on.net/~marttinen/

Hello Spartaniz,

We are looking at an alternative solution to using STEAMWatch and will post an update closer to the time however having tested the application it could be an option for those that want to make use of it.

and what haapens to those who has a telkom account and a local webafrica prepaid account just play games locally? i cant download the games from steam with a local account only from webafrica

Hello Emile

The issue with the local only accounts is that STEAM requires international login verification. We will be adding an international access exception for these in the final product. The traffic management vendors are still attending to a few platform issues, but we expect feedback regarding a resolution shortly.

The intention is certainly to seamlessly provide this FreeZone feature to local only accounts as well.

Please keep in mind that this is still a Beta test is in no way indicative of the final product, we will only have the official launch when we are confident that everything is working 100% to the quality standards which we would like to offer Web Africa users.

Kind Regards, Christiaan

Fantastic. But when will this be launched. I think we have been left in the dark with regards to progress?

Hey guys

Any updates on the content server?

Thanks!
Gav

Any chance we can have a time line?

Hey guys. Really love everything about WAGE. it's just awesome. Just a question. is there an ETA on this service? and how do i select the web africa content server when it is up? Thanks :)

This alone will keep me from moving to any other ISP.... WebAfrica FTW!!!!

Wow,when can this be up?Am I going to be able to use my local cap on a telcom account to download steam games now? Or is it only for webafrica accounts?

this is indeed totally awesome, and I shall wait with bated breath.
I hope valve does the content installation soon.

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

ETA till server is fully active? and will have available content/updates...etc for tf2...etc?

We reconfigured the hardware to cater for additional content as we are planning to host the "full mirror content server". The upgrade and installation of the server back into the DC to my understanding was completed last night and is now awaiting Steam content installation from Valves side. As soon as that is completed and I have the information regarding the streaming time frame I will be sure to post here and update everyone on the forums as well :)

OMG if this really happens it would be AWESOME

Server is in the DC Awaiting installation :D

"Content can be downloaded from various Steam content servers however FreeZone will only be applicable to data downloaded from the server hosted by Web Africa."

So our Steam client's going to pick a random server to download from, and IF we're lucky enough for it to be WebAfrica's, only then the download will be free? Or is there a way we can "make it", or be sure it will, download only from WebAfrica's?

I will speak to Valve and do some tests prior to launch. Once completed I will update here and in our forums with regards to possibilities and methods.

Thank you for your replies and efforts so far Johnathan.

Regarding the 'methods' I do not think there are any - official ones at least. 99.99% of the time people would tell you to "correct your location" in the steam client, log off, delete the ClientRegistry.blob file and start up steam again. While this works 100% internationally for someone with a full content server hosted close to them, the situation and reasons for wanting to do this here in SA is quite a bit different. Here we don't want to 'lock' onto a server for greater speeds etc, but purely to protect out precious 3GB caps. Then there are the added concept of intl/local usage that non-SA users would probably never understand.

The thing is, we would need an easy, non-technical method that makes it easy for the 'n00b' using 1 normal WA account to connect to the correct steam content server without blindingly burning his cap. If at all possible one would 'prefer' a solution where WA intercepts traffic outbound to a steam content server and maybe redirects it to steam.wa.co.za or something of that sort. Although I'm not sure steam would like that at all. As far as my experience goes my downloads always wanted some international bandwidth to contact the steam servers and to download that initial 2% of data and the last 2% of data so purely redirecting to the local server might not work 100%. Although this is all just speculation.

I have been using a method of my own to "lock" onto the IS server, but that only works if the content is ,duh, available on the IS server in the first place and if you are using something like routesentry to effectively route your traffic. Eg CS:S. I started the download and fired up TCPView. Saw that it was connected to 2 content servers, some intl one and the IS one. So here you have the choice of either limiting your intl connection using bandwidth management apps/methods (recommended) or killing it totally like I did. Your local connection will keep on downloading for a few minutes and then die. Now you just need to be patient – It’ll start up on its own again within a few minutes.

This method isn’t foolproof and I’m still busy testing and refining it. Work in Progress as such. ;)

HI LD13 :)

Thank you for your post. It's been most informative :)

I don't see Valve having an issue on their side as this would naturally make their distrubution system far more accessible to Africa and being able to freely download content would also increase their customer base . Theirs always been an issue with purchasing games online since the cost of the game is virtually increased due to bandwidth costs. I have already requested our business development manager to negotiate this with Valve and we will be also be examining the logistics of hosting all available steam content.

There are only 2 content servers in Africa, so setting your Steam client to "Africa" would ensure that is connects to one or maybe even both of these ... IF either of them got the content you are requesting in the first place - I hope WA goes full-out and puts a FULL mirror of the Intl. Steam content servers online on launch day and not a partial server like IS is running at the moment. The IS server got 16TB of space and it is still in the process of building up a complete mirror. Eg Yesterday I was updating my CS:S using pure local - I was not even connected to my international account! But DOD:S refused to download from local as it was clearly not on the IS server yet. Go WA GO! :)

The server is a monster however I will find out from Valve what is needed for a full mirror and see what can be done. I will post an update here and on the forums once I have feed back. )

So will this content server include Steam games, because if it does I will be a customer as soon as you allow me to be one :)

If WA allows the full gaming catalog to be downloaded over its network it would be the most awesome thing to happen in South Africa's gaming community!

But somehow I don't think this service will include all steam games?

Does steam offer reimbursement if you host the full steam service here in SA?

Web Africa does not have a partnership with Valve but rather an agreement that allows us to host a Steam Content server. Its a very powerful server and we will be able to see just how powerful within the next couple of days.

I don't believe that Valve offers any form of reimbursment.

This sounds awesome. Well done web africa

This is the best news since the free gaming servers. Expect other companies to follow this glorious example.

This is great!

Yet there is still no specific way to force steam to download off a specific content server...unless we know what the contents server IP is :P

Hi Edwin

The server is already in the DC therefore we only need Valve to set the content server up from their side. We will release all the required details on launch.

This will be rocking, iam on steam for COD MW2 and they have some sweet specials, but if I download the games can just as well buy it in the shops, so I think this will get you alot of support from the online/normal gaming community

i love you guys for doing this!!!

OMG this is awesome!!!

WHEN!!!
Great initiative guys!