|
 |
The latest Telecommunications regulatory
announcements by government provide
significant benefits for telecommunications
service providers” says Mr. Rodney Koch, CEO
of ICOZA Internet Company South Africa.
The new regulations announced by the Minister
of Communications, Dr. Ivy Matsepe-Cassaburi,
greatly enhance the benefits users in the
government and private sectors will enjoy
through greater choice of access froma number
of new competitors, and greater affordability
to sustain such access. The Internet is an
essential part of the e-Government roll out
plans - both from an intra-Governmental as
well as citizen facing perspective.
“The pricing of the South African
telecommunications has made South Africa
uncompetitive in the past, when it came to the
delivery of call centre services relying on
outbound calls, for instance. The recent
announcement is a great step towards levelling
the playing fields and placing South African
and foreign operators in a better position to
steer business our way”, says Mr. de Koch.
|
|
ICOZA welcomes the direct benefits envisaged
by the Minister which include:
 |
A more competitive ICT environment.
|
|
|
Improved access to ICT infrastructure and
services.
|
|
|
Affordable telecommunications services
|
|
|
A variety of choice in services being
provided by the ICT sector to meet both
economic social needs of our society.
|
“To create greater access to all South
Africa’s citizens and to make such access
more affordable all add to our efforts to
bridge the digital divide and to reinforce
South Africa’s position as the
telecommunications hub for the rest of
Southern Africa., emphasises Mr. de Koch.
“Another benefit announced by the Minister,
‘that public schools and public further
education training institutions will be
entitled to a 50% discount on: all
telecommunications calls to an Internet
service provider; and any connection or
similar fees or charges levied by an
Internet service provider for accessing the
internet or transmitting and receiving any
signals via the internet or for such access
and transmission and reception’, is welcomed
by the whole community” says Mr. de Koch.
ICOZA is well positioned, as the first
private sector Tier 1 empowered ISP
initiative to provide such essential
services. As a value added network service
provider ICOZA may carry voice using any
protocol; and may also be provide services
by means of telecommunications facilities
other than those provided by Telkom and the
Second National Operator or any of them.
A key area of benefit enabled from 1
February 2005 under the new regulations, is
the ability to provide VOIP services. IP
telephony, known in the industry as
Voice-over IP (VoIP), is the transmission of
telephone calls over a data network like one
of the many networks that make up the
Internet.
Typical choices future users of VOIP can
look forward to are:
|
|
Computer-to-computer calls - This is
the easiest way to use VoIP. Users don't
have to pay for long-distance calls. Users
will require software, a microphone,
speakers, a sound card and an Internet
connection. Except for your normal monthly
ISP fee, there is usually no charge for
computer-to-computer calls, no matter the
distance.
|
|
|
Computer-to-telephone - This allows
anyone with a phone to call from their
computer.
|
|
|
Telephone-to-computer – With the
right software installed on the computer to
receive these calls, costs can be greatly
reduced on long-distance calls.
|
|
|
Telephone-to-telephone - Through the
use of gateways, the user can connect
directly with any other standard telephone
in the world. By calling through a service
provider’s gateway discounted calls may be
offered. A is entered and the user is
connected through an IP-based network, again
reducing costs, especially on long distance
calls
|
“We can look forward to a very exciting
period as an ISP service provider, to offer
better, more competitive and a greater
variety of services to our customers”
concludes Mr. de Koch.
About ICOZA
ICOZA is a joint venture between the J&J
Group and Internet Solutions. ICOZA is a
first tier ISP, providing a complete range
of ISP and value-added services to support
customers’ connectivity and eBusiness
infrastructure requirements. ICOZA is
committed to developing Black skills in the
ISP sector of the market.
About the J&J Group:
J&J is a strategic investment and management
company with interests in IT, financial
services and diversified industrials.
|
