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Cape Town - The City of Tshwane's Wi-Fi TV network hit a record download milestone on Thursday, signalling high demand for online video.
The free internet video-on-demand service launched in December 2014 and is for those making use of the city’s open Wi-Fi networks.
Non-profit Project Isizwe has helped the city roll-out the free Wi-Fi services, which are available across the city in areas such as the Pretoria CBD and Mamelodi.
"We hit one million downloads on Tshwane Wi-Fi TV today," said Alan Knott-Craig Jnr, CEO of Project Isizwe, which has been tasked with developing the network.
The network also forms part of the City of Tshwane's programme to roll out free Wi-Fi to all residents in an effort to become a digital city.
"Tshwane has made history by becoming the first metro to roll out free Wi-Fi and indeed our announcement of the provision of this service was made before the City of New York's announcement - this is indeed a ground-breaking achievement for an African city," Executive Mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa said in his State of the Capital City Address.
Knott-Craig said that the journey to develop the service emphasised local production of content.
"Thirteen weeks ago we launched Wi-Fi TV with three crews in Soshanguve, Mamelodi and Atteridgeville. We recruited youngsters in the townships, trained them with basic video journalism skills, and gave them cameras and MacBooks. Then we set them loose to find local stories in their communities and upload to the Tshwane Free Wi-Fi network."
Local online content
The result is that people have demonstrated an appetite for local online content.
"This is surely a game-changer. Over 50 000 people have downloaded the segment where the mayor gives awards to the Tshwane Top 21 matrics. Who does that? Only people that are really interested in what's happening in their own town," said Knott-Craig.
International organisation, the GSMA, has highlighted the importance of local content in driving demand for data.
"The vast majority of digital content and mobile applications and services accessible across SSA have been developed in more advanced markets," the organisation said in its The Mobile Economy Sub-Saharan Africa 2014 report.
Local online content is key to driving demand for data, says the GSMA. (Duncan Alfreds, Fin24)
"There has been little or no customisation in terms of either the content or the languages available online," the report adds.
According to the former department of communications' presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Communications, in 2013, 33.3% of the South African population had internet access.
However, the department (now renamed the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services) submitted ambitious targets of 50% access at 5mbps by 2016, 90% by 2020, and 100% at 10mbps by 2030.
Economic growth
How this will be achieved is a significant challenge according to the government's South Africa Connect: Creating Opportunities, Ensuring Inclusion South Africa's Broadband Policy.
"Pervasive and affordable broadband is likely to stimulate innovation in broadband applications and services. This needs to be accompanied by investments in the development of critical mass, in ICT R&D capabilities, in innovation support measures and in advanced human capital development," says the document.
The GSMA says that mobile broadband is a driver of social upliftment and economic growth.
"Encouraging the uptake and usage of mobile broadband is one of the most cost-effective ways for governments to improve access to healthcare, education and other public services, while fuelling economic activity."
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