A question about bandwidth in SA

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newb5000

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Hi guys, just wanted to ask a newbie question, so please bear with me.

Correct me if I am wrong, but as I understand, there are 2 backbones in SA - SAIX and IS. The SAIX backbone is linked internationally via the SAT-3 cables, while IS gets its international bandwidth via satelite (thus having higher latency). Telkom controls SAIX, or rather, SAIX IS Telkom, whereas IS is a different company alltogether. Most ISPs buy their bandwith from SAIX and many complain that Telkom is ripping them off for international bandwidth. If all of the above is correct, then I would like to pose a question:

Why then, is IS international bandwidth priced the same as Telkom international bandwidth? Or rather, since there is competition for international bandwidth, why aren't we seeing a price drop? Wouldn't it be in the interest of IS to lower their bandwidth prices and attract most ISPs that way?
 
All ISP's have to buy their international connectivty from Telkom.
Even IS does.

SDN (Satellite Data Networks) is(was) a classic example of what happens to companies that try to get around this.
They had their own Satellite links, but that wasn't allowed, so they ended up having to sell their network to Telkom, and then rent it back again. (this is the short version of a very long story).

Anyway.. back to the Backbone question.
You have to buy connectivity from Telkom, but you dont have to buy Internet bandwidth. So the local ISP's buy a connection from here to there, and pay an ISP there for bandwidth.
Go take a look at http://www.ispmap.org.za/
All the ISP's in the left column are international, which makes the lines between the left and middle column these "backbones" of which you speak.
 
Law?

I have heard this before that there is a law that disallows you from using a sat to send and receive.

Where is that law and what does it state?
 
My point is as follows:

this is a part of the topic i picked up on.
"ICASA has denied Radio Pretoria its broadcast lisence (which is being contested in court).

But Radio Pretoria is broadcasting via satellite - no problem.

Access to satellite is therefore not a "monopolistic/regulator tiger" problem, it is one of sufficient funds and will."

I agree with this statement.

If I was to get another telecommunications company involved from overseas they could sponsor the space on the sat and we could all connect to it.
The more ppl the less it would cost them.

Have a company in mind.

They are directly connected onto the backbone.
 
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