It’s no secret that broadband services in South Africa are expensive and that 
the infrastructure isn’t there to provide high speed connections. A report by the Department of Communications revealed that South Africa is lagging far behind the developed world in terms of broadband speed and also has some of the highest Internet and telecoms tariffs in the world. Yet, despite the dismal statistics the ASDL broadband sector is showing signs of growth and improvement in various arenas.
Vodacom cables
Vodacom laid down 720 kilometres of fibre optic cables this year in a bid to improve wireless broadband service to businesses. Wally Beelders, Vodacom business executive, predicts a vast improvement for telecommunications and broadband services in South Africa in the future. Beelders said: “South Africa’s telecommunications landscape is going to be dramatically reshaped over the next few years, as the price of bandwidth plummets and newly empowered businesses and consumers increase their appetite for hosted services and applications.”
Seacom cables
The highly awaited Seacom cable system also went live this year. The 1.28-terabyte- per-second fibre optic system links Africa to global networks and promises improved broadband services in East and South Africa. The improved bandwidth will also result in lower broadband costs and spur on the development of additional infrastructure for telecommunications. A spokesperson on the project said: “Seacom will provide the catalyst for African consumers, business and government to realise the benefits of connectivity and collaboration across the globe.” The new cable is said to increase South Africa’s international bandwidth by 500%.
Telecoms licences for Internet Service Providers
New licences have been granted to Internet service providers, enabling them to build their own telecommunications networks or buy broadband capacity at wholesale prices to use for reseller services. These licences will provide more stiff competition and, ultimately, more competitive rates for broadband services. Arthur Goldstuck, MD of World Wide Worx, which recently released a report on rising internet access in South Africa, said: “the new generation of service providers will be able to introduce business models that were never possible before”.
As South Africa sees improved infrastructure and enlivened competition for telecommunications and broadband services, connectivity will improve and rates will drop, putting us in line with the developed world.
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