The ISPA’s official representative body (IRB) says it welcomes today’s (17 October) colloquium on ICT policy reform organised by the minister of Communications and Digital Technologies.
“The ISPA is excited about the opportunity to review the current policy and legislative dispensation and the manner in which it is implemented,” says Sasha Booth-Beharilal, ISPA chair. “While the minister and the department have recently refreshed national policy on rapid deployment of networks, data, and cloud services – and the use of radio frequency spectrum – this is a dynamic industry and there are always emerging issues such as the impact of the entry of LEO satellite services in South Africa over the next decade and the way in which AI is changing the way we live and work.”
It is also clear that the current policy targets require revision and updating.
“The connectivity targets set out in the South Africa Connect National Broadband Policy and other documents like the National Infrastructure Plan 2050 have been missed or are clearly going to be missed,” she says.
The ISPA would like to see a broad consultative process to reformulate these targets and to develop clear strategies to ensure future deadlines are met.
“The ISPA supports the adoption of targets linked to the concept of Universal Meaningful Connectivity (UMC),” says Booth-Beharilal. “It is not enough to have targets limited to connecting schools or households: we also need to ensure that the services provided over that connectivity are affordable for all South Africans – that they can afford the devices such as tablets and smartphones needed to use the service and have the skills to use the service safely and securely.”
Another hot button issue for the ISPA is the need to address funding and performance shortcomings which are hampering efficient regulation of the sector. This is urgent given the number of critical processes which ICASA will have to oversee over the next five years including the next spectrum auction, renewal of service licences, and IMT spectrum licences, reviewing its regulations on transformation, and updating the licensing and satellite licensing frameworks to accommodate LEO providers.
“The ISPA proposes that – after 25 years – it is an opportune time to undertake a full institutional review of the operation of the communications regulator to increase its effectiveness and delivery in a complicated and evolving sector,” says Booth-Beharilal. “At the same time, the success of the 2022 spectrum auction in raising money for the fiscus is a clear message to the government of the value of ICASA and its central role in South Africa’s digital future.”