Regulating Telecommunications in South Africa

"An original contribution to the fields of both politics, policymaking and telecommunication studies generally, and more specifically in the niche area of internet penetration and universal service and access...A well-researched and consistently interesting study."

-Victoria Graham, Associate Professor of Politics, Philosophy and International Studies, Monash University, South Africa "The empirical analysis of these [policy] failures is arresting and important and is a substantial contribution to the scholarly field. I salute Dr. Lewis' powers of observation and analysis."

-Robert B. Horwitz, Professor of Education, the University of California, San Diego, USA.

"The detailed narrative and the development of universal access and service policy in relation to best practice norms is unprecedented...an extraordinarily detailed and rich discussion..."

-Ahmed Veriava, Lecturer in the Department of PoliticalStudies, the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

This book provides the first full account of the 20-year story of universal access and service in South Africa's ICT sector. From 1994 the country's first democratic government set out to redress the deep digital divide afflicting the overwhelming majority of its citizens, already poor and disenfranchised, but likewise marginalised in access to telephone infrastructure and services. By this time, an incipient global policy regime was driving reforms in the telecomms sector, and also developing good practice models for universal service. Policy diffusion thus led South Africa to adopt, adapt and implement a slew of these interventions. In particular, roll-out obligations were imposed on licensees, and a universal service fund was established. But an agency with a universal service mandate was also created; and licences in under-serviced areas were awarded. The book goes on to identify and analyse the policy success and failure of each of these interventions, and suggests some lessons to be learned.

Charley Lewis is an independent analyst, researcher and educator, covering the broad field of ICT policy and regulation.

Autorentext

Charley Lewis is an independent analyst, researcher and educator, covering the broad field of ICT policy and regulation. A former high-school teacher, computer programmer, trade unionist, and, later, a university academic, he retains an abiding passion for universal access and service.

Klappentext

This book provides the first full account of the 20-year story of universal access and service in South Africa's ICT sector. From 1994 the country's first democratic government set out to redress the deep digital divide afflicting the overwhelming majority of its citizens, already poor and disenfranchised, but likewise marginalised in access to telephone infrastructure and services. By this time, an incipient global policy regime was driving reforms in the telecomms sector, and also developing good practice models for universal service. Policy diffusion thus led South Africa to adopt, adapt and implement a slew of these interventions. In particular, roll-out obligations were imposed on licensees, and a universal service fund was established. But an agency with a universal service mandate was also created; and licences in under-serviced areas were awarded. The book goes on to identify and analyse the policy success and failure of each of these interventions, and suggests some lessons to be learned.

Inhalt

Chapter 1: The Digital Donga Chapter 2: Universal Access and Service: The Rise of International Practice Chapter 3: Universal Access and Service in South Africa's Telecommunications Policy Chapter 4: Universal Service Obligations Policy Chapter 5: The Universal Service Fund Chapter 6: Under-serviced Area Licences Chapter 7: The Universal Service (and Access) Agency (of SA) Chapter 8: From policy conception to policy implementation to policy outcomes