Telecommunication targets by DoC not substantive
The five targets in the report presented by the DoC Working Group are:
• Every person will have access to a telephone service within a reasonable walking distance (1 per 500m);
• By 2010 all households must have access to a service, fixed or mobile;
• An Internet access target of 25% in 5 years;
• The broadband connection of all public institutions within 3 years and;
• 5% broadband penetration by 2010.
Many industry and community players presented valuable suggestions and queries to the targets during the breakaway session.
Some of the major criticisms surrounded the lack of clarity as to what certain terms and phrases included and excluded.
Kobus Liebenberg, from the South African Reserve Bank, questioned exactly what the Working Group understood by a ‘household.
Liebenberg suggested that these terms be defined better so that ‘household’ could include the rural and remote settlements which do not fit the traditional description of an urban household.
A community representative added that whilst these targets look commendable on paper it is perhaps superfluous considering that telecommunication services are designed to meet the needs of only the people who can currently afford these services.
It was suggested that perhaps a new approach to the whole issue is required in order to accommodate those who need telecommunication services and not just those that can afford it.
Mike Lowry also tackled the issue surrounding the percentages which the DoC had provided.
He suggested that rather than using an absolute value of 25% of the South African population with access to the Internet a more relative scale should be put in place.
A more appropriate way of measuring progress would be to set South Africa the target of falling within the top 25% of all countries regarding Internet access stated Lowry.
He added that it would be a much harder target to reach but would also be a more valuable means of measuring progress as in 5 years an Internet access target may be too low.
The questions and critiques raised by industry and community players highlighted the fact that these targets need to be refined.
But after the Minister of Communication’s opening speech which failed to do little more than parrot the idea of increasing competition to bring down prices it was extremely encouraging to see the DoC attempt to make hard and fast commitments.
Whilst the targets fall far short of a concrete broadband strategy it is a good start and the foundation looks set for changes in the telecommunication industry.
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