Half price Internet still a problem
The proposed e-rate – amounting to a 50% discount on Internet access for schools – is still not fully implemented and the Department of Communications’ Director General, Lyndall Shope-Mafole, blames Telkom and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for the delay.
E-Rate was initially developed by the Department of Education (DoE), the Department of Communications and Telkom to provide public schools with a 50% discount on Internet connection costs.
The DoE was hopeful that the project would come into full effect in 2006, especially since it had been under discussion for many years prior to the 2006 deadline. As far back as 2001 Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri spoke about an e-rate for schools.
In 2004 Matsepe-Casaburri said that “in a few months the Departments of Communication and Education together with Telkom will finalize preparations for the introduction of an e-rate for all public schools. From the beginning of the next school year, public schools will be charged only 50% of the normal rate for their Internet calls.”
E-rate programs are commonplace overseas, and in countries like the United States their e-rate provides significant discounts on telecommunications technologies to schools and libraries.
Discounts range from 20 to 90 percent based on factors like the percentage of students participating in the federal school lunch program who are served by the school or library.
Local situation
According to reports schools can get a 50 percent discount on Internet access from Telkom, but only if they opt for dial-up access.
Whilst it makes far more sense for schools to make use of ADSL, where no call charges accompany the service, many face difficulties with accessing discounts using this service.
Jenny King, Director of the e-Schools Network, told MyBroadband that e-rate has definitely not been implemented fully. King said that ‘little or nothing’ is happening regarding the e-rate which should provide schools with half-price Internet access.
So dire is the situation that eSchools Network has bought 300 ADSL modems and 1 750 GB of bandwidth out of their own budget – without any discounts – to supply underprivileged schools with Internet connectivity.
Telkom
The Telkom website states that, “Should you qualify to receive the discount(s) as provided for in section 45 of the Telecommunications Act, 103 of 1996, please complete the attached request form and mail it to the address provided in the form.”
In the form it states that, “The 50 % discount will be granted on the standard Telkom call charges for telecommunication calls to Internet Service Providers…which originate in and terminate on Telkom’s network and charges levied by Telkom Internet for Internet services…”
Telkom to blame
Communications DG Shope-Mafole blamed the e-rate complications on Telkom and ISPs, but added that there was no reason why no-fee schools should have to pay for ICT.
King however pointed out that ISPs should not shoulder the blame for any delays as they are reliant on Telkom before being able to pass savings on to educational institutions.
King further said that she is finalizing a proposal to USASA to try and facilitate more affordable Internet access to schools.
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