This ‘UniFi’ project, a partnership between between UniNet and the Knysna municipality, has proven to be very effective in reducing municipal telecommunication spending, bringing services to the town’s inhabitants at reduced costs and in shrinking the digital divide.
Currently around 90% of the coastal town and its surrounding areas, as far as 40 km away, are covered by WiFi. This coverage coupled with innovative service offerings has already had a significant impact on telecoms services in the region.
With savings of up to 80% for data communication costs between municipal offices, free telephone calls between Municipal offices using VoIP telephony and free calls to Municipal offices for the community it is not difficult to see why Knysna has embraced this partnership.
David Jarvis, CEO of UniNet, said that telecoms services are now wirelessly delivered to 62 municipal sites in the region. There are 160 outdoor hotspots, and Jarvis pointed out that free web surfing is available at many of the local hotspots.
Through this wireless network people also have free access to all online municipal content, educational sites, e-government sites and local business directories.
Jarvis said that there is no reliance on existing telecommunications or power infrastructure for last-mile access. Solar power proved to be adequate for providing these services.
UniNet generally operate in the 5.8 GHz band but he reports that they have had no problems with the notoriously congested 2.4 GHz band with their services run smoothly even in high density WiFi areas like Cape Town.
Currently, commercial services to the Knysna community include VoIP telephony, Internet access and wholesale data.
These services are generally cheaper than traditional telecoms prices in South Africa raising the question as to how a company can absorb the infrastructure costs and offer cheaper services whilst still managing to make a profit.
One has only to compare South African telecoms costs to international competitors to realize that the public are paying too much for an inferior service.
Call charges on UniNet’s system start from as low as 10c per minute for local calls, but once users break out of the local network the tariffs fall in line with standard call rates. What is exceptional about this system is that the first 100 VoIP minutes are free on the local network.
UniNet’s flat-rated WDSL service starts at R 250-00 per month for an uncapped 56 kbps service, with its premium uncapped 256 kbps service costs R 799-00 per month. UniNet also competes in the traditional DigiNet market, with tailored offerings starting from R 650-00 per month.
This project relies on the municipalities’ PTN license and UniNet’s VANS license to stay out of hot water when it comes to telecoms regulation. Last year Telkom said that UniNet’s project is in contravention of the Telecommunications Act, and has taken the issue to ICASA.
UniNet is not particularly concerned about this complaint, and with good reason. According to Jarvis the Department of Communications gave its full support for this initiative, and even gave assistance in UniNet’s second round of financing.
There is currently no clarification on the legality of self-provisioning, but there is a strong feeling that an announcement will be made regarding this issue within the next few weeks.
If this announcement is in favour of self-provisioning we will most likely see a significant increase in Wireless Service Providers, especially in the broadband space. This will go a long way to increase competition and lower prices for always-on internet.
Quelle: MyADSL, 04.04.2006