5% broadband penetration by 2010...

[Juice]

Is it just me or does this seem like a rather patehtic target? To me it just proves, again, that Government and the Department of Communications just do not understand the impact of broadband on a country's socio-economic growth; nor do they take broadband seriously enough. By setting such a pessimistic target, they are effectively giving themselves an excuse not to do very much at all.

I have no idea what the growth figures are presently, but I suspect that if the current growth continues 5% penetration will be inevitable by 2010 and then they will happily pat themselves on the back for achieving the target: while achieving nothing at all.

In Korea the Government mandated and pursued enormously ambitious targets, and MADE them; Korea is now the most wired nation in the world. Should our Government look up to them as an example of what can be achieved with sufficient political will?

Give me 25% broadband penetration by 2010! Now there is a target worth aspiring to!

Juice

 

[SonZeRo]

well lets see if everyone cancels their adsl because of the prices i wanna see them reach that....

 

[skydog]

are the looking at 5% of people or homes or current fixed lines?
any ideas

maybe 5% of current adsl subscribers

 

[arni1954]

Lol

 

[pupa]

They must first find the true definition of broadband before they can even start to suggest targets. What do they define as broadband

South African Telkom Broadband Definition

Broadband is any body with a 24/7 connection that do not abuse the internet, only download e-mails and browse the internet within reason (3G all inclusive capped data). Speed do not have anything to do with it. Broadband refers to the potential theorectical speed off the hardware and have nothing to to with the actuall speed achieved due the shaping and capping. You pay for the theorectical hardware capability not for the data througput, that is additional. Thus a acronym for Telco broadband is "Best effort service"

Any better descriptions will do

Now lets find the true definition in another thread.

 

[AdLo]

IMO 5% is a reasonable target. However I am afraid when 2010 arrives that the DoC might include all 3G-able phones in that statistic. If the cell phone makers decide to make 3G standard in all phones then without those users actually using it or using it regularly, broadband penetration will be significantly boosted and 3G will account for the majority of broadband users in SA.

Most phones are GPRS compatible so we might as well say that our internet penetration is high when in fact no one uses that feature on there cell phones. All statistics can be twisted and turned to give the desired result.

IMO a separate reasonable ADSL (fixed line) penetration percentage target must be put in place.
At the rate things are going the fixed line broadband penetration will optimistically be between 1% and 1.5% by 2010 from where that statistic will probably stagnate.

 

[skydog]

pupa - yeah just add there somewhere..."and can't be afforded by the majority"