A proposed strategic framework for broadband access in SA will be available within a week - and will eventually be presented to government, says the National Broadband Forum.
Speaking at a forum held by the group, Steve Song, telecommunications fellow at the Shuttleworth Foundation, said the process will not be lengthy. The organisation is looking for various groups to supplement the proposed framework before proposing it to government.
The National Broadband Forum is an initiative of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), SA Connect, the Shuttleworth Foundation and the South African NGO Network. The group has taken on the task of drafting a framework for a “comprehensive national broadband strategy” - which it hopes will form a part of government policy.
Yesterday's forum followed the release of a draft framework by the group and aimed to draw on the knowledge of various constituencies to look at what should be involved in a national broadband strategy. Present at the forum yesterday were representatives of various sectors, including Internet service providers, communications workers, independent content providers, academics and civil society organisations.
Song stated the next step would be to consolidate comments received from participating groups into a proposal document, within a week. A Web site would then be created which would house the framework and interested groups and individuals would be invited to comment on the framework.
He added that the forum was looking to have a “critical mass” of support for the proposed framework and, once this was achieved, government would be engaged on the incorporation of the framework into a policy document.
Layered approach
Willie Currie, communications and information policy programme manager at APC, states that though government has been informed of the work of the forum, it will not be formally approached until industry and involved groups provide “endorsement, signatory and commentary” on the framework. Though it hopes to eventually present the framework to government, no deadlines have been set.
He adds that various government departments, such as the Department of Communications (DOC), the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Trade and Industry, were invited to the forum and that DOC representatives were present.
“We need to take advantage of the new government to come up with new strategies,” says Currie. The forum states it will only present the framework to the incoming government - and that it remains mindful of any new changes which could impact the introduction of proposed framework. He adds that all layers of government and civil society will be engaged, and he is confident the incoming government will be receptive to the proposed framework.
“Government has good intentions and has initiated some good initiatives, but it needs to be coordinated. We need a concerted, comprehensive strategy that cuts across the entire government and society,” says Currie.
Related stories:
Calls to prioritise broadband
Calls for broadband strategy