connectivity

Connection poverty is assassinating a generation of young, entrepreneurial South Africans who represent the future success, or failure, of our embattled nation. It’s also quietly throttling the numerous established businesses, the skills, experience and knowledge their many employees could offer the next batch, and the learnings, revenues, and reinvestments they could make to support the whole event.

Some ISPs are concerned about the timing of ICASA interim transformation requirements, suggesting that April 2022 does not give them enough time to establish effective agreements. 

In short, no, it’s illegal, and you will be caught. But, that said, there are legal ways to provide connectivity. It is also legal to put Wi-Fi across your own property but that changes if you cross a public space. You’re also not allowed to share your Internet link according to the contracts you sign for connectivity.

Our recent regional event at Polokwane on April 15, 2021, was one of our best attended. WAPA members came from several provinces to hear about the new regulatory changes in our sector, the impact of emerging satellite services, how to deal with the fibre challenge, how to cope with new threats in our unlicensed 5.8GHz spectrum, and TV white space opportunities. We know WISPs face significant challenges now. You have to deal with new regulatory requirements that may have a marked effect on your businesses. You face a whole raft of competitor businesses and rival technologies. And your markets are changing very quickly.

Decent broadband internet without fibre is too good to be true. Or is it? The sad reality for many South Africans is that they’ll never get access to fibre. Fibre needs a cable and can only be delivered where the cable reaches. Added to that, the fibre signal can only go so far from the box on the corner of the street. If you’re on a farm or even a smallholding the nearest street with a box on the corner is miles away and may as well be in the frozen wastelands of Canada for all the good it does you.