The industry can't agree on what the definition of broadband should be in the Department of Communications' (DOC's) final broadband policy.
Hundreds of industry representatives gathered yesterday at Gallagher Estate to hash out the details of the DOC's planned broadband policy, which was first published in September.
The initial regulations look at rolling out broadband to rural areas, calling broadband services “a right for all South African citizens”. The draft policy also looks at how SA should define the term broadband.
The planned definition of broadband was by far the largest concern expressed at the DOC's colloquium held yesterday. None of the delegates could agree on how the term should be applied in the policy.
The definition will have huge implications for both providers and consumers of broadband, since the policy will call on providers to roll-out 'broadband' to rural areas, and will likely be included as a stipulation in any given network provider's licence.
Speed bump
If the union gets its way, what is considered the fastest Internet in SA will then have to be rolled out to the underprivileged areas in SA, which would prove to be a hefty investment for the providers.
However, the DOC is not convinced that placing a high minimum speed on the definition will be beneficial. “Rural areas don't have infrastructure and we don't want to come up with a policy that is impossible to implement because of the speed we have dictated,” said Rosey Sekese, deputy director-general at the DOC.
The department is reluctant to put a number to the definition, because it would mean an impossible task for network roll-out, and because the policy would have to be revised more frequently.
Network operators called on the DOC to ignore infrastructure requirements and scrap any mention of actual technology, but rather to focus on what services could be offered.
Overcompensating
Most South Africans already own a cellphone and can complete the first of the services, which is voice. Industry representatives say that if we disregard the technology and focus on the services, then broadband can be rolled-out at a faster pace.
The network operators are concerned they will have to fork out large sums of money to get broadband to the people, when most will simply need access to a connection that can run e-mail and basic Internet.
The current definition in the draft policy includes a requirement for the connection to be able to carry multimedia. While the DOC has not stipulated a definition of multimedia, it is generally equated to triple play - meaning data, voice and audio visual.
The final policy document is not expected for some time, and written submissions have been presented to the department.
The colloquium will end this afternoon with a speech by communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda.
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Broadband drives rural upliftment
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