IT skills and ICASA-bashing

The hot topic of last week - that of SA`s IT professionals getting a raw deal salary-wise compared with other countries - rolled over into the early part of this one. Common themes are emerging from the various comments posted on the ITWeb forum: people can earn more overseas - but it seems many of us stay here for, as one reader suggested, "beaches, babes and sunshine".

On a more serious note, one Australian commentator posted the following insight: "It amazes me how little skilled workers are valued [in SA] and I think if salaries increased you`d get more internationals diversifying your workforce and helping SA obtain a world-standard IT network."

ICASA has had a tough time lately. It was blasted late last week by SABC COO Solly Mokoetle for putting the conversion of the broadcasting system from analogue to digital on the back-burner, slammed by Sentech on Monday for regarding value-added network service providers as public operators, criticised by Vodacom on Wednesday over what the latter regards as unlawful interconnection regulations, and forced to delay its planned hearings into high cellphone connection rates.

People can earn more overseas - but it seems many of us stay here for, as one reader suggested, "beaches, babes and sunshine".

Dave Glazier, junior journalist, ITWeb

Would it really be a good idea to give away one million SIM cards to "unconnected" South Africans over the next year? It seems the jury is still out, with some suggesting that Motorola`s plans will encourage people to steal phones they cannot afford to buy, now that they have a SIM card to put in them. Have your say on our latest forum. Many may remember the government`s 2003 promise to provide the disadvantaged with four million SIM cards within five years. That never materialised - perhaps Motorola`s will.

Adventurous plans seem to be afoot in the Telkom camp. News broke on Wednesday that it increased its offer for the Business Connexion Group to acquire its entire issued share capital for R2.36 billion. The bid is obviously an attempt to make good on Telkom`s stated ambition to snap up an IT company. But in the midst of all this we learnt yesterday that the telecoms operator faces a mass strike with 14 000 unionised employees downing tools next week, to protest against its profit-sharing scheme.

Something else to look forward to is footage of the FIFA World Cup broadcast to cellphones, with MTN revealing this week it has signed an exclusive agreement with Infront Sports & Media, giving the mobile operator rights to provide videos and photos from FIFA World Cup matches.