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EC Act Objectives: 1 Promote the universal provision of electronic communication networks and electronic service and connectivity for all. 2 Promote the empowerment of historically disadvantaged persons, including Black people, with particular attention to the needs of women, opportunities for youth and challenges for people with disabilities. 3 Prescribe terms and conditions on any universal access and universal service obligation 1 Electronic Communication Act No.36 of 2005, section 2(c) 2 Electronic Communication Act No.36 of 2005, section 2(h) 3 Electronic Communication Act No.36 of 2005, section 8(2)(g) 2

ICASA Process: Licence entities/companies to provide electronic communication services. In doing so impose terms and condition in return of issuance/granting of licence, these terms and conditions would include: – Universal access and universal service obligations – Generally are of social nature in the main meant to benefit targeted communities i.e. schools (schools connectivity), public institutions, underserved and underserviced areas – To expand the reach of services i.e. network service including infrastructure 3

ICASA Process: Four Operators have had their schools connectivity obligation finalised: – Cell C, Vodacom, MTN and Neotel Sentech and WBS will be finalised in this financial year – The commencement date for implementation is 1 st April 2014 – Operators are required to complete implementation within 5 years (they can complete in less time if they are capable) – Failure to complete within 5 years carries a hefty penalty Cell C, Vodacom & MTN have total combined schools of each operator has schools Neotel has a total of 750 schools Note: the figure is inclusive of institutions of people with disabilities 4

Schools Connectivity: To provide schools deemed not in a position to afford internet access in the commercial market For the purpose of teaching and learning To increase the knowledge base accessibility to wider recourses within the learning environment To widen the scope of imagination of learners by interaction with a wider population by way of communication via social platforms, s etc In the main to enhance the educational process for our learners 5

Schools Connectivity: Each school will have the following: – 25 computers for learners (i.e. tablets, PADs, Desk tops or Laptop based on what the operator sources) & 1 Printer – 1 computer for the Educator & 1 computer for administrative purposes – All computers will be connected on LAN within the school and all computers will have access to the internet – All LAN within the school will be connected to DBE portal for content access and any other – Mostly these would be housed in trolleys each time a class wants to use the computers they will wheeled into the class – Each trolley will have power for charging can be locked and be securely stored in a strong room for safe keep hence no need for dedicated classroom 6

Schools Connectivity: Special needs schools will have the following: – Same number of computers or depending on the number of learners – 1 computer for the Educator & 1 computer for administrative purposes – 1 Printer – All computers will be connected to a LAN within the school and all computers will have access to the internet – All LAN within the school will be connected to DBE portal for content access and any other The computers will be specific to the needs of the students hence the computers will adoptable to suit the disability i.e. brail keys for the blind, printer that can print in brail, special keypads, joy sticks etc. NB: The trolley system will also be used 7

Schools Connectivity: Activities to date Each operator has been allocated total of approx schools each to connect The schools are from the Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Northern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape as priority provinces Each province has a designated project coordinator to work with operators from DBE Operators have since commenced implementing the schools connectivity Some operators have commenced implementation as of 1 st September 2014 More schools will be provided each year by the DBE, these are schools with buildings to securely store and implement the project 8

Schools Connectivity: Activities to date On average each operator will be spending in the region of R * – R * per school By end of April 2015 ICASA will be in position to share the total number of schools connected Some operators are eager to complete the implementation within a shorter timeframe i.e. in less than five years *operator estimates 9

Schools Connectivity: Future Activities At present ICASA is working with DHET in order to: – Find their specific needs/requirements for FET – Process will be finalised by December 2014 In order to have the remainder of the schools in the country connected ICASA will be imposing obligations on other licence holders thus to increase the number of schools from currently. There are approx. 400* operators in the market that ICASA can impose obligation *currently operational meaning providing licensed services 10

Schools Connectivity: Future Activities The obligation will include focus on public health institutions and other services in underserved and underserviced areas. Internet is to impose obligations on the rest of Licence Holders currently providing communications services The current proposed obligations are: – Schools connectivity; – Public Health institutions – Provision of containers that will have computer for access to internet and phones for voice service in underserved & underserviced areas continued 11

Schools Connectivity: Future Activities Schools connectivity; – Will be done under the same basis as currently being implemented – Currently a total of schools will be connected within 5 years at no less than schools per year – There is a total of approx public schools in the country, hence a remainder of need to be provided the same facilities – Schools with no computers, in underserved and underserviced areas all will be prioritized – ICASA has approx. 400 entities operational with only less than 6 with obligations, hence the remainder of the entities will be allocated schools to connect 12

Schools Connectivity: Future Activities The process of implementing the stated above is currently an on-going process. The Authority target completing the process by March 2015 Licence holders will be expected to commence roll-out in 2015 or at least preparation for roll-out. 13

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