Matsepe-Casaburri punts government ICT role

By Paul Vecchiatto, ITWeb Cape Town correspondent

Cape Town, 25 May 2006

The establishment of a broadband development council, Sentech`s future role in the development of the submarine cable, and the rapid implementation of the Electronic Communications Act were addressed in the communication minister`s budget speech today.

Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri spoke before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications, Department of Communications officials, industry representatives and other ICT observers in Parliament today, when she announced her policy decisions.

The minister said government has prioritised the roll-out of broadband infrastructure with three focus areas: the information super highway, wireless broadband and international communications network access.

"As clearly shown by international experience, where adequate infrastructure exists, access to it is more affordable. Experience has also shown us that where adequate infrastructure is in abundance, this has been as a result of direct and deliberate government intervention, particularly so in developing countries," the minister said.

"As a country we have to ensure the broadband backbone is robust enough to meet our socio-economic development, business, as well as the science and research needs of our country."

Allocated funds

Matsepe-Casaburri said this is consistent with cabinet declarations that SA is a developmental state. "We have decided to examine the contribution that the assets of state-owned enterprises can make to achieve affordable broadband access."

She added that a policy decision on this matter will be announced soon.

The minister said a Digital Migration Working Group had been formed and is working. She added that work related to the frequency spectrum, including consultations with the southern African development community, has been given to the International Telecommunications Union.

Matsepe-Casaburri noted that funds have been allocated to national signal distributor Sentech for the digitisation of its network.

Government has already decided that Sentech is a strategic national asset and the minister announced two policy decisions for the state-owned company.

Firstly, Sentech will form the core of a national wireless broadband infrastructure network. Secondly, Sentech wireless broadband infrastructure network will be expanded beyond the current footprint and enabled to carry voice to the end-user - giving full effect to its multimedia licence.

Matsepe-Casaburri addressed the issue of competition being introduced into the international telecommunications landing facilities by saying the Electronic Communications Act`s provisions will be introduced "speedily".

"I will be consulting shortly with ICASA [the Independent Communications Authority of SA] on my intention to issue a policy directive regarding this matter."

She said ICASA will have to ensure access to international cables and facilities do not unfairly exclude others, access to such cables is provided on a cost basis, and access is duly regulated as access to essential facilities.

The minister declared that, as a matter of policy, all holders of licences that will qualify to be converted into individual electronic licences will have the ability to self-provide with respect to their international traffic within six months of the Electronic Communications Act coming into force.

Eassy does it

She reaffirmed the country`s commitment to the development of the East African Submarine Cable System (Eassy).

Matsepe-Casaburri said the policy decisions for Eassy should result in open, non-discriminatory and affordable access to the international landing facility and that cross-border terrestrial and submarine cable segments are can be developed, owned and maintained, as appropriate, by special purpose vehicles.

The Industrial Development Corporation has developed such a special purpose vehicle for managing Eassy.

The minister announced the formation of a broadband advisory council made up of African experts from Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and Botswana. This council will be supported by a representative task team of South African experts that will be announced in the future.

As part of government programmes to reduce ICT costs, the minister has appointed Tshilidzi Marwala to chair the local loop unbundling committee to oversee the development of the local loop unbundling process.

Addressing the issue of universal service licensees, the minister said she will issue a policy directive to ICASA to facilitate the deployment of W-CDMA (wideband code division multiple access) and other cost-effective technologies for these licence-holders.

To complement the underserviced area licence-holders, the Universal Services Agency is also to continue with rolling out digital hubs.