Cashing in on the development potential of ICT {writer: Staff reporter}

All indications are that the next few months will be a period of high activity for the information and communications technology (ICT) industry.

While a substantial chunk of this activity will be piggybacking on the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup, the government has also embarked on a strategy to accelerate ICT projects over the next few months.

Following on the so-called Medium-term Strategy Framework (MTSF) announced by Minister Trevor Manuel earlier this year, the government towards the end of August laid out an action programme to speed up ICT projects during the remainder of
this year.

The programme also lays down tight deadlines for departments that were given specific goals to achieve.

If the programme is successfully implemented over the coming months, South Africa should, by March next year, be well positioned to be internationally competitive in, and to utilise the development opportunities offered by a rapidly advancing ICT sector.

The MTSF identified the use of ICT and science and technological innovation and development as instrumental in its goals to improve and sustain economic growth.

Vital initiatives have been allocated to specific departments. The strict deadlines set will also be monitored.

Shortly on the heels of the announcement of the ICT strategy, Minister of Communications Siphiwe Nyanda said that his department was finalising South Africa’s broadband policy and that the release of a discussion document
was eminent.

He added, in an address to the Southern African Telecommunications Network and Applications Conference, that the department was also in the process of finalising the national radio frequency spectrum policy.

He also alluded to the fact that there was increasing pressure from various quarters demanding integrated, affordable and mobile communications solutions, creating the need for migration to Internet protocol (IP) based platforms.

He also noted that South Africa’s lack of infrastructure, while often seen as a barrier, was also an opportunity as it meant that there was no need to adapt from aged legacy systems, and the country could move straight to IP, which also provided opportunities for digital inclusion.

In terms of the action programme, the Department of Communications has been given the biggest responsibility in this area. It is expected to create a favourable ICT environment through digital migration and its industrial opportunities, and to create a competitive market with regard to domestic and international bandwidth.

The department is expected to finalise and implement the local and digital content strategy by December this year.

The digital terrestrial television standard is expected to be gazetted by March next year. The set-top box (STB) manufacturing strategy, including the ownership support scheme, is to be completed at the same time.

The schedule in the action programme also determines that the Digital Dzonga STB conformance scheme will be in place and STB manufacturing will commence by March next year.

Besides its broadband policy, the department also has to put in place a cost-effective funding model for the rollout of high-speed broadband infrastructure. A final national broadband policy is also to be in place by March next year.

The government declared that it will complete the implementation of infrastructure development for the World Cup by March next year. It will ensure that the Department of Communications and others that are involved, have all ICT infrastructure requirements completed in time for the start of the tournament.

The overall solution for the tournament will include international audio and video connections with reliable backup connections from the tournament’s international broadcasting centre to international networks, and solutions incorporating a fully redundant environment that provides seamless network.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has been tasked with ensuring that institutions, which support technology development, are fully operational by November next year.

The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and the National Intellectual Property Management Office (Nipmo) have been identified as the two main institutions.

The TIA opened its doors in July, while Nimpo offices are still being established.

DST would have to submit approved business plans for the establishment of centres of competence and technology platforms in key sectors by December this year. These sectors include alternative energy, information security, as well as medical devices.

The DST would also have to develop and implement a commercialisation strategy in support of the local electric vehicle industry. Implementation of this strategy has been set for December.

The programme states that the DST would need to continue investment to ensure that South Africa wins the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) bid, including the Karoo Array Telescope, as part of plans to develop the science and technology infrastructure needed to position the country to win this bid.

The Department of Health is expected to perform an audit of health ICT at all levels of the national public health system. A draft ICT audit report with recommendations is expected to be presented to the National Health Council (NHC) by October
this year.

A draft national health ICT strategy for the department will be presented in November this year, and the final strategy will then be adopted by the NHC in March 2010.

The department has previously stated it would prioritise the ICT projects as a means of achieving its service delivery goals. It highlighted the need for a strong ICT infrastructure and stated it would develop an e-health strategy in its drive to improve service delivery.

As part of its revitalisation policy, the department is expected to finalise the health technology plan and strategy. It has already embarked on a process of developing a national electronic health record for all patients in public hospitals.

The draft policy will be presented to the NHC and the final plan would be adopted by the NHC and incorporated into provincial health plans also by March next year.

High-speed international bandwidth from Seacom, GL1 and Teams will also become fully operational by the end of the year, and Easy and MainOne by 2010.

In the meantime, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) and telecommunications companies are embarking on a process to cut interconnection rates after a meeting between Icasa, Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, Telkom, Neotel and the Internet Service Providers Association in early September.

At the meeting it was decided, among others, to conclude negotiations between the operators by the end of December this year. Icasa proposed 1 February 2010 as the implementation date for an agreement.

This development is particularly important in light of the explosion in mobile technology applications, which goes much wider than simply voice- or text-based communication.

According to a recent statement by the JSE-listed ICT company, Spescom, on the launch of a mobile solutions division, there are already three billion mobile device subscribers worldwide. “That means that there is effectively a mobile device for every two people on the planet, thus changing consumer and business behaviour significantly,” it was stated.

Viv Crone, chief technology officer of the Spescom Group said, “The mobile device is the lifestyle enabler of the 21st century.

“It is no longer just a voice communication device, it’s a miniature PC, it’s the Internet in your pocket, a ‘brand in the hand’ of the user, a mobile bank, an always-on virtual presence in a Web 2.0 world, a GPS, TV, radio, iPod, camera, video recorder, e-mail, instant messaging platform and more.

“It has become so sophisticated that few realise, or know how to fully exploit its capabilities,” she said.

South Africa should, by March next year, be well positioned to be internationally competitive in, and

to utilise the development opportunities offered by a rapidly advancing ICT sector