broadband

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.

To connect the rural unconnected to affordable internet is not so much a technical problem but more one of economics. For the large mobile operators, it is of no economic value to connect people who live away from the main rural highways in sparsely populated areas, even as a loss- leader project. TV WhiteSpace technology is the way forward.

It feels like everyone has broadband except you because everyone talks about watching streaming TV like Netflix and Showmax while you’re stuck paying a grand a month to watch satellite TV.

WAPA Committee member Paul Colmer takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the hype around 5G and the related Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

The hype is everywhere, it’s the answer to all world evils, it’s 5G. Is it real and what can we expect from our galactic adventure? The problem lies in the fact that the hype is there to herd the investors into the trillion-dollar global playing field but where there is hype you require a new vocabulary to fuel it. This inevitably leads to confusion. Read more about cutting through the confusion

Fancy a trip to the luxurious Emoya Estate in Bloemfontein? Why not join WAPA on 8 February to indulge in a training session on fundamental fibre technology that’s sure to reduce your stress levels.

Situated less than 9 km from the Western Bypass in Bloemfontein, the Emoya Estate hotel and spa is situated in a game reserve. The tranquil environment belies the fact that it easily accessible, while providing the perfect atmosphere for information sharing.

The training agenda includes: