The second oldest European settlement in SA's Western Cape province has embraced technology and is soon to become the continent's first town offering free WiFi services to all of its inhabitants and visitors.
An initiative between the Stellenbosch Municipality - under mayor Conrad Sidego - the University of Stellenbosch and social network Mxit, the move to provide the town with ubiquitous Internet connectivity started at the end of February.
According to Mxit CEO Alan Knott-Craig Jnr, the rollout has seen steady progression and is set to be completed within the next four months. “I will be surprised if [free WiFi] is not completely ubiquitous - all the way from Franschoek to the very far end of the area, the edge of Somerset West - by the end of the year.”
As it stands, says Knott-Craig, the collaborative group has already rolled the service out for the region's low-income communities. “'Basically, [WiFi] is now free for most people in Kayamandi and Idas Valley, among others.” This is where the real advantage of free WiFi lies, he says. “The people who need it the most are the people that don't have it.”
He says Mxit got involved in the project - the brainchild of Sidego - because of the additional bandwidth the platform had to offer. While Knott-Craig says the fact that the project is well under way and looking more imminent than ever is a “miracle”. He says a number of individuals and corporates have helped towards its realisation by way of financial investment.
“We managed to raise extra money from private individuals and corporates in the Stellenbosch area, so that is funding the remainder of the rollout.”
No strings attached
Knott-Craig says the WiFi service will be offered to the community on a no-strings-attached basis. “There are no catches - no surveys or advertising, nothing.”
He says, from Mxit's side, bandwidth and technical resources are taken care of - while the council provides electricity and sites. “It all kind of just works together and it is actually happening. It is a miracle.”
He says Mxit will now start working closely with the University of Stellenbosch for the supplementation of bandwidth. To complete the project, about R2 million is needed for the physical equipment. “The WiFi repeaters cost a bit of money and you have to put them all over the place, but once you have got that right the whole area is covered all at once.”
All WiFi-supported services will be available, with the exception of large downloads - which will be prohibited to ensure sufficient and constant network connectivity for all.
Knott-Craig confesses the project is “a bit of an experiment, much like the rest of my life”. However, he says, it is well off the ground and hopes are high that it will work.
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