The South African government has announced intended participation in broadband networking to promote more Internet penetration in the country.
“The government will continue to be a critical investor in the development of broadband networks,” chief director for ICT policy at the Department of Communications Norman Munzhelele said.
He added that state-owned companies are central in delivering wholesale broadband networks.
Wholesale, open-access networks are key to creating a level playing field, he said.
The strategy rests on the primary employment of state-owned service providers as well as investment in broadband networks. Open-field access is said to be the key.
The government will be working on the establishment of a national broadband network (NBN), such as Canada and Australia already have. The main goal will be the improvement of broadband capacity in supplying to the “general population, especially in rural and underserviced areas,” Munzhelele was quoted saying by TechCentral.
Meanwhile, requests are being submitted to the cabinet for plans of Internet considerate construction. Munzhelele explains that the law for building constructions is aimed to be altered so that Internet network will be considered in every building plan. Approval is awaited by the end of the current financial year, ending March 2013.
Guidelines on electronic communications facilities, publicly funded infrastructures and radio frequency spectrum for wireless broadband are other aspects being incorporated into the execution of making Internet in South Africa universal.
The government is also open to competition and investors in aiding the speeding up and expansion of plans. They will encourage all people to build high-speed fibre-optic infrastructure into to businesses and homes.
The news was announced at an industry and government workshop on broadband in Midrand on Tuesday.
