CoJ Initiative: Your feedback needed!

[rpm]

Hi folks

As you might know a meeting regarding the City of Johannesburg’s Broadband Initiative took place at the BMI-T offices today. There were a few players present, including TheRoDent (representing JAWUG & MyADSL) and myself. Various issues were discussed (article to follow soon), and again your feedback will be of great value regarding this initiative. Most of the players are particularly interested in what you guys have to say, and this is therefore a great opportunity to make your voices hear. I have also asked for the presentation in digital format for publication on the web, and hope to get this early next week.

Can you please supply comment on one or more of the following questions (the same as the previous questions on this issue, but it will be great if you can supply your feedback again…will be compiled and send to BMI-T and CoJ):

1. Should the City have a broadband strategy? (Yes or No)

2. The role of the city (Enabler, Player, Both).

3. How should the city act in order to speed up affordable broadband access across the city? Ideas for the short term as well as the longer term are required.

4. What specific ideas does your organisation have to assist the City?

5. What other projects locally/internationally are you aware of that should be consulted by the City in order to ensure an integrated approach in this project?


Please give your comments/views, even if it is just for one or two questions.

Regards,

RPM

 

[Vio]

1. Should the City have a broadband strategy? (Yes or No)
Yes

2. The role of the city (Enabler, Player, Both).
Both

3. How should the city act in order to speed up affordable broadband access across the city? Ideas for the short term as well as the longer term are required.
Don't know too much on this one

4. What specific ideas does your organisation have to assist the City?
Use BPL technology

5. What other projects locally/internationally are you aware of that should be consulted by the City in order to ensure an integrated approach in this project?
No idea

 

[kb]

Hi folks

5. What other projects locally/internationally are you aware of that should be consulted by the City in order to ensure an integrated approach in this project?

Another link from the article in my post from the previous thread

http://news.com.com/Tangled+up+in+fiber/2009-1034_3-5681122.html?tag=nl

Yet again I have to say, whatever strategy the city does adopt must have NO effect on the current rates burden. This is yet another area where we are being ripped off and whil'st I am fully behind this sites objectives regarding broadband I believe that excessive rates are a far more serious issue. We have a choice regarding broadband be it somewhat limited (broadband or nothing) but we do need a piece of this earth to stand on.
Sorry about the negative post but I feel very strongly about the rates issue.

To provide clarity on this issue:

Currently my rates (excl utilities) exceeds my tel/internet expenses (telkom 512+isp+avg calls).
I do not want to find myself in a situation where my rates now includes "free" and/or subsidises broadband in any manner whatsoever, thereby leaving me with an excessive bill over which I have no choice.

 

[bb_matt]

1. Should the City have a broadband strategy? (Yes or No)

Yes, of course. One of the more important aspects is overseas investment. Business people visiting from overseas would want to see Johannesburg as a modern city and that would include a sophisticated Broadband network. They shouldn't have to pay a premium for a below-par service, which they currently do !

2. The role of the city (Enabler, Player, Both).

Both.

3. How should the city act in order to speed up affordable broadband access across the city? Ideas for the short term as well as the longer term are required.

Put pressure on ICASA to get tougher with Telkom with regards to ISP's being allowed access to Telkom infrastructure, specifically Exchanges. The larger ISP's should be allowed to install their own DSLAM ports and work in conjunction with Telkom to hook up businesses with ADSL.

The greater the DSL coverage, the greater the WIFI hotspot coverage.

4. What specific ideas does your organisation have to assist the City?

N/A

5. What other projects locally/internationally are you aware of that should be consulted by the City in order to ensure an integrated approach in this project?

WUG's should be legalised with the condition that they pay a small yearly license fee and operate on a non-profit basis. The idea of licences for commercial WUG's should be considered.

 

[mbs]

1. Should the City have a broadband strategy? (Yes or No)

Most definitely, yes. There are a number of reasons why this must be seen as a vital and necessary imperative, the most obvious being that broadband falls within the definition of both a 'direct' and 'indirect' service utility, which it is incumbent upon a local authority to provide. As a direct utility service, it is not only a revenue-generating opportunity for the local authority, but also a means of augmenting the basket of services that the local authority has to offer, for the benefit of those in its service coverage area. The social, economic and developmental benefits are self-evident. As an indirect service utility, broadband offers an enhanced communication facility for emergency services, shared services, environmental disaster management, etc. - and an enhanced communications linkage capability to sister authorities elsewhere. The service delivery benefits are self-evident - a broadband strategy would be easily aligned to the concomitant strategic thrusts of the City.

2. The role of the city (Enabler, Player, Both).

The role can only be seen as both. The justification for this is the dilema faced in attempting to balance the restructuring, redistribution and economic imperatives of the disparate service areas. In my view, this is most reasonably able to be achieved by expanding access to infrastructure services - of which broadband services is clearly one - with the opportunity to directly stimulate economic growth. Simply put, the enabling role would enhance quality-of-life through the provision of opportunity, which in turn should promote economic activity. The provider role should be seen as exactly that, viz. a means of ensuring equitable service provision in under-funded and service-poor areas, with the revenues generated being pumped back to ensure equitable service provision and opportunity. Any other approach would result in a further widening of the disparities that currently exist between service areas.

3. How should the city act in order to speed up affordable broadband access across the city? Ideas for the short term as well as the longer term are required.

Presumably the City has sorted out the legailities of service provision - all that remains is to get moving, which should be simple enough to do. The question of budgetary provision is presumably not a major concern - I would imagine that this intiative would enjoy an allocation from the province, as well as from the various national budgets intended for aspects of national focus, i.e. 2010, NEPAD committees, world summits, etc. Formalise the current consultative forum and make it the official representative steering committee, for CoJ broadband rollout. Start calling for equipment providers to register expressions of interest, and let the steering committee evaluate and choose preferred providers. Schedule everything in terms of specific deadlines, and project-manage the process properly to successful conclusion.

4. What specific ideas does your organisation have to assist the City?

It would perhaps be useful to consider a sectoral approach to the provision of broadband services - for no other reason, than to utilise the infrastructure and expertise potentially available in specific sectors. For example, the tertiary institutions in the CoJ service coverage area may be considered a specific sector, and conscious effort should perhaps initially be put into provision for that sector. Similarly, financial institiutions could comprise another sector, as would hospitals and health care centres, mining houses, and so on. A sectoral approach would asssist in identifying the levels of expertise, funding support, scope and other imperatives that may not be currently known, and would serve to nullify the misconception that the CoJ is responsible only for residential areas. It goes without saying that a sectoral approach of this nature would actually serve residential rollout in good stead - after all, most employees actually live in the city in which they work, the traffic jams on the N1/N3/M1/N12/M2 during peak hours, notwithstanding...

5. What other projects locally/internationally are you aware of that should be consulted by the City in order to ensure an integrated approach in this project?

Clearly, the CoJ must guard against re-inventing the wheel. Dominic noted elsewhere that there are other local authorities well on the way to realisation of services for their coverage areas - Knysna and Plett. The CoJ would be well advised to make reference to such local authorities, for lessons learned and opportunities gained. Reference should additionally be made to Blue-IQ, Gauteng OnLine, and the results of the pilots conducted by Grintek/Telkom and Tshwane Municipality, if available.

 

[rpm]

Hi guys

Thanks for the feedback so far. Please keep it coming, even if it is only one or two answers! You must do better than this (quantity wise).

Regards,

RPM

 

[martin]

1. Yes
2. Both
3. Deploy a wireless community network similar to JAWUG or go into a partnership with them. They seem to have the most know how in this department.
4. n/a
5. Smart City, Finland. (Can't find appropriate link)

 

[rpm]

Hi folks

Thanks for the feedback.

Just a short note to inform you that we have gathered all the responses (in this and the other thread) and forwarded them to BMI-T. I will inform you guys about any future developments.

Regards,

RPM

 

[chop]

1. Should the City have a broadband strategy? (Yes or No)
Yes

2. The role of the city (Enabler, Player, Both).
Both

3. How should the city act in order to speed up affordable broadband access across the city? Ideas for the short term as well as the longer term are required.
They can't really do anything about Telkom or Icasa, but if they could deregulate Wireless ISP's in JHB, it would help.

4. What specific ideas does your organisation have to assist the City?
None

5. What other projects locally/internationally are you aware of that should be consulted by the City in order to ensure an integrated approach in this project?
There is broadband by power cable projects that might be interesting.