Sentech: A costly affair

ADSL South Africa (Broadband South Africa), 21 October 2007

The cost associated with the rollout of wireless broadband by Sentech over the next four years is expected to reach R3.1 billion. Taxpayers will have to foot more than 80% of the bill.
 
‘The rollout of wireless broadband by the state-owned signal transmitter Sentech is expected to cost 3.1 billion rand over the next four years. Of this, the department of communications has bid for 2.5 billion rand to be allocated to it in the medium-term budget statement which will be delivered by finance minister Trevor Manuel in two weeks' time’ (Wireless broadband to cost R3.1bn, Michael Hamlyn, Inet-Bridge, 18 October 2007).
 
In other words, Sentech’s wireless broadband rollout will be a costly affair for taxpayers.
 
How large will the network be eventually and who will benefit from it initially?
 
The network will eventually cover the entire South Africa although not all South Africans will initially benefit from it.
 
‘The wireless broadband network will eventually cover the entire country, but initially Mathabathe said, its priority will be to bring broadband to remote districts, schools, health facilities and government departments. It will benefit in particular home affairs offices and the Thusong local multipurpose centres’ (Wireless broadband to cost R3.1bn, Michael Hamlyn, Inet-Bridge, 18 October 2007).
 
In other words, although only remote districts, schools, health facilities, et cetera will initially be targeted to benefit from Sentech’s planned wireless broadband network, the whole of South Africa should benefit from it on the end of the day.
 
ADSL South Africa (Broadband South Africa) welcomes the rollout of a wireless broadband network by Sentech despite the high cost to taxpayers. At least initially because we won’t support the network if it turns out to be just another ‘white elephant.’