http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/bottomline.aspx?ID=BD4A116367
"THE ploddingly slow pace of liberalisation in SA’s telecoms sector has scuppered Dimension Data’s hopes of a serious boom for its local business. Didata has not suffered alone, of course, as a lack of competition has prevented hi-tech firms from supplying innovative telecoms services.
The restrictive environment has also prevented call-centre companies from winning deals with foreign firms looking to outsource their call centres to cheaper offshore locations.
Issuing Didata’s results last week, CEO Brett Dawson said the “frustratingly slow” liberalisation was holding back not only Didata, but also SA’s economy. Two years ago, Didata had expected to create thousands of jobs by setting up call centres for foreign clients. Government has prevented that with restrictive legislation that allowed bandwidth to remain too slow and too expensive.
At a time when the president is calling for 6% economic growth, it is ironic that government policies are hindering the very growth he is demanding.
As more technology and telecoms companies squarely blame government for stifling growth, the communications department must stop holding talk shops and push through some sensible, aggressive, liberalised and enormously overdue changes."
"THE ploddingly slow pace of liberalisation in SA’s telecoms sector has scuppered Dimension Data’s hopes of a serious boom for its local business. Didata has not suffered alone, of course, as a lack of competition has prevented hi-tech firms from supplying innovative telecoms services.
The restrictive environment has also prevented call-centre companies from winning deals with foreign firms looking to outsource their call centres to cheaper offshore locations.
Issuing Didata’s results last week, CEO Brett Dawson said the “frustratingly slow” liberalisation was holding back not only Didata, but also SA’s economy. Two years ago, Didata had expected to create thousands of jobs by setting up call centres for foreign clients. Government has prevented that with restrictive legislation that allowed bandwidth to remain too slow and too expensive.
At a time when the president is calling for 6% economic growth, it is ironic that government policies are hindering the very growth he is demanding.
As more technology and telecoms companies squarely blame government for stifling growth, the communications department must stop holding talk shops and push through some sensible, aggressive, liberalised and enormously overdue changes."