Understanding the market and access gaps present in South Africas broadband internet sector

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dc.contributor.advisorVan Ryneveld, Marken_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorCull, Domonicen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorCameron, Alanen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-17T12:15:17Z
dc.date.available2017-01-17T12:15:17Z
dc.date.issued2016en_ZA
dc.description.abstractInternet access is a prerequisite for meaningful individual and national participation in the knowledge economy and removing barriers to such access serves broader national socio-economic policy imperatives. This critical review of the literature posed the questions: What is South Africa's current telecommunications context from a Universal Access and Universal Service point of view and does a market gap and/or access gap remain despite efforts to address such gaps since 1994? If so, how do either or both the market gap and access gap appear in the South African context and what are key hurdles that need to be overcome in order to close these gaps? The review provides a plain language explanation of how broadband Internet access can benefit South Africa's economy, and describes the negligible impact of existing policy in an anti-competitive market environment. A brief overview of South Africa's telecommunications history since 1994 until 2016 helps to contextualise the sector. In the early 1990s, 2% of South Africans had access to voice telephony. A few years later Universal Service and Access regulation was overtaken by the rapid adoption of mobile phones. With more than 40% voice telephony domestic penetration the network effect of quicker communication stimulated the domestic economy. Having achieved Universal Access objectives relating to voice communications, today nations seek the compounded advantages from the network effect of broadband Internet access. South Africa's GDP is predicted to grow by 1.34% for every 10% increase in broadband penetration, through increased productivity, job creation and greater access to cheaper services. However almost two thirds of South Africans cannot afford Internet access; and neither action by the free market nor the state is effectively increasing levels of cheap, accessible Internet. Incumbent service providers dominate the South African telecommunications sector and have little incentive to accelerate Internet access and adoption to low-income households and areas outside of the major metropolitan areas. It is therefore necessary that policy facilitates: competition in the ICT product and services sector, effective spectrum management, productive Internet use by lowincome households and user demand for online content.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationCameron, A. (2016). <i>Understanding the market and access gaps present in South Africas broadband internet sector</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Civil Engineering. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22750en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationCameron, Alan. <i>"Understanding the market and access gaps present in South Africas broadband internet sector."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Civil Engineering, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22750en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationCameron, A. 2016. Understanding the market and access gaps present in South Africas broadband internet sector. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Cameron, Alan AB - Internet access is a prerequisite for meaningful individual and national participation in the knowledge economy and removing barriers to such access serves broader national socio-economic policy imperatives. This critical review of the literature posed the questions: What is South Africa's current telecommunications context from a Universal Access and Universal Service point of view and does a market gap and/or access gap remain despite efforts to address such gaps since 1994? If so, how do either or both the market gap and access gap appear in the South African context and what are key hurdles that need to be overcome in order to close these gaps? The review provides a plain language explanation of how broadband Internet access can benefit South Africa's economy, and describes the negligible impact of existing policy in an anti-competitive market environment. A brief overview of South Africa's telecommunications history since 1994 until 2016 helps to contextualise the sector. In the early 1990s, 2% of South Africans had access to voice telephony. A few years later Universal Service and Access regulation was overtaken by the rapid adoption of mobile phones. With more than 40% voice telephony domestic penetration the network effect of quicker communication stimulated the domestic economy. Having achieved Universal Access objectives relating to voice communications, today nations seek the compounded advantages from the network effect of broadband Internet access. South Africa's GDP is predicted to grow by 1.34% for every 10% increase in broadband penetration, through increased productivity, job creation and greater access to cheaper services. However almost two thirds of South Africans cannot afford Internet access; and neither action by the free market nor the state is effectively increasing levels of cheap, accessible Internet. Incumbent service providers dominate the South African telecommunications sector and have little incentive to accelerate Internet access and adoption to low-income households and areas outside of the major metropolitan areas. It is therefore necessary that policy facilitates: competition in the ICT product and services sector, effective spectrum management, productive Internet use by lowincome households and user demand for online content. DA - 2016 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2016 T1 - Understanding the market and access gaps present in South Africas broadband internet sector TI - Understanding the market and access gaps present in South Africas broadband internet sector UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22750 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/22750
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationCameron A. Understanding the market and access gaps present in South Africas broadband internet sector. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Civil Engineering, 2016 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22750en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Civil Engineeringen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherUrban Infrastructure Design and Managementen_ZA
dc.titleUnderstanding the market and access gaps present in South Africas broadband internet sectoren_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMPhilen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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