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SA closer to cheaper ICT

Johannesburg - If the government has its way, the South African public will soon enjoy lower telecommunications costs and affordable broadband, as well as broader access to information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and services, it emerged on Friday.

The discussion paper detailing the specifics, as recommended at the end of the first colloquium on telecommunications pricing, should be ready some time in August ahead of the second colloquium due in October, communications deputy director general Joe Mjwara said.

A nine-member working group has been set up to collate the information and recommendations transpiring from the conference which was attended by those representing the ICT industry and private, civil and public sectors.

While calling for reductions on behalf of the government, Mjwara said the intention was to have broad support from various sectors.

He dismissed claims that the government had been - until Friday - mum about the working group so as to systematically deny some influential people a chance of being elected.

Mjwara said: "We're putting together an electronic database to ensure no-one is left out and the process remains inclusive and transparent."

He said the state and the operators - Cell C, MTN, Telkom and Vodacom as well as Sentech, which provides broadband - had a very healthy relationship and that the operators had also expressed the need for discussion.

Saudi-owned Cell C is the only voice communication licencee that is yet to enter the broadband arena while Wireless Business Solutions is also part of the five-player market.

Telkom, 38%-held by the government, is dominant in broadband space while Vodacom introduced 3G in the country seven months ago and managed to attract 14 000 users by March.

Telkom has appealed to the government to be more active in the roll out of broadband.

Mjwara said the input costs remained part of the government agenda, adding that it should not be surprising that the colloquium process - which attempts to yield lower pricing in ICT and universal services for all - will get the cabinet lekgotla's attention on Tuesday.

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