Kodachrome Maybellene

I know these are old, but they are interesting...

VANs dread new licence fees

The proposed licence fee structure for new telecommunications licences could put a damper on the victory celebrations of smaller value-added network service providers (VANs). They could now see themselves hammered by up to a 30-fold increase in their licence fees.

The telecoms regulator had to review urgently how spectrum was divided up between network operators to make sure consumers can finally benefit from liberalisation of the sector. Spectrum allocation is a crucial issue for the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) to resolve, after a high court ruling theoretically made SA one of the most competitive telecoms markets in the world, Mike Silber, regulatory adviser to the Internet Service Providers’ Association (Ispa) said this week.

Value-added network service providers are poised to self-provide. That's going to be very good for our economy.

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in Work at 08:28 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

VANS deadline looms

On 14 November 2008 ICASA released a General Notice indicating that it had resolved to issue all Value Added Network Services (VANS) with ECNS and ECS licenses as part of the license conversion process. This note seeks to provide guidance to VANS license holders as to what is required of them to take advantage of this development. ICASA requires that all VANS licensees submit the information like the full name of the licencee, shareholding details, ownership details of historically disadvantaged individuals, contact & address details and whether the licensee prefers to be converted into a class or individual ECNS. The Notice also requires the submission of a detailed technical plan, including a "propagation analysis" and for the licencees to suggest its own social investment obligations.

The number of South African Internet users increased by 12.5 percent this year, the fastest growth in seven years, but Africa's biggest economy still lags Egypt, Nigeria and Morocco, a report showed on Thursday. An Internet access report by research firm World Wide Worx said 4.5 million South Africans were now using the Internet -- less than one in 10 -- and said growth in 2008 was driven by a 50 percent rise in broadband users.

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in Work at 11:02 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Ivy backs down, won't appeal against Altech victory

In a surprise development, but one which will be widely welcomed in SA's telecommunications industry, communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri has elected not to continue to fight the fast liberalisation of the sector.

Communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri has thrown in the towel over the Altech matter of being granted an individual-electronic communications network service (I-ECNS) licence. She has been termed a villain for opposing it, says the minister.

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in Work at 14:18 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Self-provisioning Whoop-dee-do

The elation about the court's put-down of Poison Ivy is, in a way, misplaced. Why qualify "provisioning" in the first place? It was a victory, for sure. Poison Ivy got spanked when she tried to play the age-old delay-by-litigation game to prevent the "independent" regulator from taking her at her word, and permitting value-added network services operators to lay their own infrastructure. But celebrating this undeniable victory misses a larger point.

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in Work at 08:56 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

New life for old PCs

Microsoft has teamed up with six local computer refurbishment partners as part of its secondary PC programme to make computers affordable to the poor. Ali Hoballah, Middle East and Africa regional GM of Microsoft Unlimited Potential Group, met with South African PC refurbishment partners to discuss the way forward for delivering cost-efficient, reliable and environmentally responsible computing.

"In SA, for every three new PCs, there's one secondary PC available. Ultimately, the biggest benefit of the programme is its social economic impact; it generates job opportunities and skills development."

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in PhD at 08:45 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

This morning it was announced on the news that the floor crossing legislation has officially been banned. Isn't that funny? Just when things could have gotten really interesting with a potential of ANC members to cross over to Lekota's new party. The banning or abolition of the legislation has been in the wind for a while now, so one might argue that well its just coincidence, but then I found this blog where my skepticism is shared

But I wonder whether there might not have been another reason for the ANC to have had a change of heart about floor crossing. If it is true, as Blade Nzimande said yesterday, that the ANC had been aware of Lekota’s intention to form a breakaway party from the beginning of the year, then one might wonder whether there is not a more cynical explanation for the ANC’s sudden attack of principles.

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in Daily Activities at 10:01 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

The new, improved Icasa

The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) should not have bent over backwards to the minister of communications in 2004 over the infamous question of value added network services (VANS) self-provisioning, says chairman Paris Mashile.

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in Work at 09:58 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

One Laptop per Child XO Laptop (Give a Laptop, Get a Laptop) - Buy a laptop from Amazon and one will be donated to a poor country somewhere. I am hoping we'll buy a bunch for research and feel-good-ness

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in PhD at 09:09 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

E-Rate for schools a joke

The Democratic Alliance (DA) recently announced that they are deeply disappointed by the slow implementation of the schools e-rate. "More than seven years after the Communications Ministry announced the introduction of a special "e-rate" for schools that would halve the cost of their Internet calls, a reply to a parliamentary question shows that not a single public school, and only nine Further Education and Training (FET) colleges, have so far benefited from this promise," the DA said.

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in PhD at 09:05 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Not everyone will go for this because they are just not capable (hence moderately-sized bang) of commencing "with the roll-out of a network within 12 months of their licence being issued. They must also submit a 'comprehensive technical plan' and indicate how they will voluntarily contribute to social and economic development."
Icasa defies Ivy, throws open SA telecoms

The Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) has defied communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri’s wishes and signalled it will throw open SA’s telecommunications industry by allowing Internet service providers and other companies to build their own networks in competition with Telkom and other incumbent operators.

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in Work at 15:04 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Legal costs mount as Ivy fights liberalisation

The cost to taxpayers of communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri’s legal bid to put a stop to the fast liberalisation of SA’s telecommunications sector is mounting fast. The minister on Thursday lost a third court battle in her effort to prevent new network operators from being licensed to compete with incumbent licensees such as Telkom and the mobile providers.

Communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri would be well advised to cease her legal challenges against Altech getting an electronic communications network service (ECNS) licence, says Altech CEO Craig Venter. Yesterday, a second High Court ruled in Altech's favour and upheld the right of value-added network services (VANS) to obtain ECNS licences and so self-provide, or build their own networks.

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in Work at 11:35 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Altech strikes Ivy out for third time

The Pretoria High Court today ruled against communication minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri's urgent interdict against the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA), to prevent it from issuing telecommunications licences to value-added network services (VANS).

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in Work at 15:23 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Shope-Mafole still in DG hot seat

Lyndall Shope-Mafole will continue as director-general of the Department of Communications (DOC), despite her resignation from the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to join the new political party mainly made up of dissidents.

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in Work at 16:18 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Ivy in stunning court defeat

Communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri has suffered a humiliating legal setback in her efforts to ensure that SA’s telecommunications industry is not immediately thrown open to full-scale competition. In a move that will have far-reaching implications for the information and communications technology sector, acting high court judge Norman Davis has denied the minister leave to appeal the court’s recent judgment which found in favour of telecom group Altech.

Telecoms companies were celebrating at the weekend when a bid by Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri to challenge a high court verdict allowing them to build their own networks was rejected.

South African ICT firm Allied Technologies (Altech) has successfully opposed the government's High Court appeal against a judgment that Altech and about 300 other value-added network services (Vans) can build their own telecommunications networks, Altech said on Friday.

The Internet Service Providers' Association of South Africa (ISPA) has welcomed the news that the High Court has denied the Minister of Communications, Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, leave to appeal a recent judgment by the court which found in favour of telecom group, Altech. ICASA is now required to issue all VANS licences issued prior to 19 July 2008 with an IECNS licence as well as an appropriate ECS licence. However, because the Minister still has the right to petition the Supreme Court of Appeal before 21 November 2008, it is advisable to wait until after this date before the matter can be regarded as settled. Thereafter, VANS’s entitlement to an IECNS licence can be regarded as certain.

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in Work at 16:10 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

I am stoked!

Barack Obama accepts US presidency-elect
Congratulations, President-Elect Obama
Obama wins election as first African-American President of U.S.
Victory speech, CNN

We're hoping to have an Obama won party this evening to celebrate

Posted by Ingrid Siebörger in Daily Activities at 13:01 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)