With liberalisation of telecommunications structures top of the agenda, the 11th annual telecommunications in Africa exhibition, Tel.Com Africa 2002, promises to be one of the more interesting gatherings of the year.
Industry experts and business expect Tel.Com to provide a platform for everyone to express views on the legislative and structural changes taking place in the industry,
The exhibition, to be held from 23 to 25 October at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, will draw together representatives from both sides of the telecommunications fence.
The statutory and government side of the industry will be represented by three separate organisations. The first of these is the Department of Communications, which is responsible for telecommunications policy in SA. The department is a shareholder, on behalf of the government, in Telkom, Sentech, the Post Office and the South African Broadcasting Corporation, among others.
During the exhibition, the department will host briefing sessions on the Electronic Communications and Transaction Act and the Broadcasting Amendment Bill. During the show, the department will launch the Digital Partnership South Africa, a programme intended to deliver technology and e-learning to communities.
Education and development aspirations will be represented at Tel.Com by the Information Services, Electronics and Telecommunications Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority. It plans to have its "Techmobile" on display during the event - a converted bus which includes interactive displays as well as a mini-LAN, a 12-notebook intranet and radar, and satellite-based Internet connectivity.
The third leg of statutory representation will be from the Independent Communications Authority of SA, the body charged with regulating SA`s telecommunications and broadcasting sectors. On top of its agenda will be discussions around the second network operator, underserviced area licences, community broadcasting licences and the development of policy on sports broadcasting rights.
In addition to opening the podium to state statutory viewpoints, Tel.Com will also provide a platform for alternative voices and opinions, and with more than 12 000 visitors representing a full spectrum of African government and business expected to attend, the debate promises to be lively.
A three-day telecommunications conference will run alongside the exhibition. Participants in the conference range from African government representatives to those representing the newest technologies, such as mobile, wireless and satellite, as well as broadcasting and networking technologies.
Industry insiders, such as Edwin Thompson, regulatory director of UUNet SA and co-chairman of the Internet Service Providers` Association, will be among the telecommunication specialists to address the conference. Thompson says he will take a position challenging the competition and liberalisation that will enter the telecommunications market within the coming months.
Representatives from further afield will also participate. One of the delegates confirmed is Jan Lingren, VP of mobile Internet for Swedish company Ericsson. His address is titled "Mobile Internet applications, dot-com to dot-reality".
The conference programme includes several critical themes such as revenue management, leading-edge applications, policy regulation, Internet protocol, skills development and access solutions.
Andile Ngcaba, director-general of the South African Department of Communications, will chair the conference plenary session, while Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, SA`s communications minister, will deliver the opening address.
A full conference programme and exhibition details can be obtained at www.teldotcom.org.za. Pre-register at the Tel.Com Africa 2002 Web site to obtain free entrance to the exhibition.
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