A R7 million UK-backed digital inclusion programme in KwaZulu-Natal is putting the wireless open access network (WOAN) model at the centre of efforts to expand affordable connectivity in underserved rural and township communities.
The Advancing Sustainable Connectivity and Community-Led Digital Economies in South Africa programme is being delivered through the UK-South Africa Digital Partnership, with support from the UK government's Digital Access Programme.
Implemented by Teen Entrepreneur through AdNotes in partnership with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), the initiative aims to strengthen community-owned connectivity infrastructure, while creating opportunities for local economic participation.
A key component of the programme will be the deployment of WOAN infrastructure in rural communities.
The model allows multiple operators to share telecommunications infrastructure, potentially reducing the cost and barriers associated with deploying networks in areas that have traditionally been underserved by larger operators.
The move comes after the South African government put on hold plans for a WOAN model in the country.
The concept of the WOAN was met with some scepticism after failing to bear fruit in some countries, such as Mexico, where it has been implemented.
Industry bodies like the GSM Association also cautioned about the implementation of WOAN models, noting they do not deliver on promises to provide better coverage, more competition, or lower prices for consumers, with most failing to get off the ground.
Community support
In a statement, the British High Commission Pretoria says the initiative will strengthen the capacity of 25 local community network operators (LCNOs), which will receive technical, business and regulatory support to develop and sustain local networks.
The operators are expected to deploy 250 public WiFi hotspots, connect 150 public facilities, including schools, libraries and clinics, and provide connectivity to 1 500 homes.
The British High Commission Pretoria says the programme is intended to demonstrate how community-based operators can help address South Africa’s connectivity gap, while contributing to local economic development.
“The UK and South African government share a commitment to expanding digital inclusion, and supporting local community network operators is central to that effort. Because they understand the communities they serve, they are uniquely placed to help expand connectivity, while supporting local businesses, developing skills, creating jobs and delivering lasting economic and social impact,” says acting British High Commissioner to South Africa, Lisa Weedon.
The WOAN approach is particularly relevant to communities where the economics of conventional network deployment can make it difficult to justify investment, the British High Commission Pretoria adds.
Rather than requiring each operator to build and maintain separate infrastructure, an open-access model allows network resources to be shared by multiple service providers.
This can lower deployment costs and make it easier for smaller and community-based operators to enter underserved markets.
The programme also envisages greater local ownership of connectivity infrastructure, with community network operators playing a role in delivering services and supporting economic activity within the areas they serve.
The British High Commission says partnerships with companies, including Seacom and the Tech Credit Fund, will provide LCNOs with expertise, infrastructure and financing support to build sustainable networks.
The programme’s focus on community-owned networks comes as South Africa continues to grapple with the affordability and availability of broadband services in rural areas.
For communities, better connectivity could improve access to online education, healthcare, government services and digital commerce, while giving local entrepreneurs and businesses access to markets and digital tools.
The project is already demonstrating the potential of community-led connectivity in the iLembe District, according to AfricaiTA founder Njabulo Hadebe.
“Rather than allowing poor connectivity to limit the potential of our communities, we turned that challenge into a solution. Today, schools, households and businesses across iLembe District are connected to opportunities that were previously out of reach.
“This achievement would not have been possible without the invaluable support of our partners, the South African government and the UK government, who share our vision of a more connected and inclusive future,” says Hadebe.
Shared resource
The initiative’s WOAN component could also provide a practical test of how shared network infrastructure can work at community level.
While the WOAN has featured prominently in South Africa’s telecommunications policy discussions as a means of promoting infrastructure sharing and competition, implementation has proved challenging.
The KwaZulu-Natal project takes a more localised approach by applying the shared-network principle through community operators, potentially allowing smaller providers to use infrastructure that would otherwise be beyond their financial or technical reach.
The British High Commission Pretoria believes the programme is expected to generate lessons that could inform efforts to extend community-led connectivity beyond KwaZulu-Natal.
For the DCDT and its partners, the emphasis is not only on connecting households and public facilities, but on developing a model in which communities have a greater role in building, operating and benefiting from the digital infrastructure serving them.
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