SA was ranked 12th out of 46 emerging and developing countries in a broadband affordability report compiled by the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI).
The report was presented at the ICT for Development (ICTD) Conference, which concluded in Cape Town yesterday, and sought "to understand why some countries have succeeded in making Internet access affordable and universal, and what others can do to catch up quickly".
The study included an "affordability index", which was devised by assessing how communications infrastructure and access either contributes or prevents affordable Internet around the world.
Countries were allocated overall scores between 0 and 100 for the index, with higher scores indicating better levels of affordability, combined with strong policy and regulatory conditions for advancing future affordability.
SA scored 41.4 for communications infrastructure and 63.2 for access and affordability, while its overall composite score was 46.5 - a figure which placed the country at number 12 on the index.
The top ranked nation was Malaysia, with an overall score of 68.6, while Morocco placed highest of all African states, with 50.9, placing it seventh on the index.
Infrastructure barriers
High infrastructure costs for widespread broadband access continue to be a hindering factor for affordable internet, says the A4AI.
The report indicates entry-level broadband subscription costs over 27% of average income in developing countries covered by the affordability index, while developed nations pay around 2% of monthly per capita income.
Costs become more prohibitive in developing countries for those with a poverty line income of $2 per day.
Innovative use of existing infrastructure could be a viable option to fast-track broadband access, says professor Gary Marsden, co-chairman of the ICTD Conference.
"There has been great work done by Microsoft in a trial using TV white space technology to provide Internet access to people in Limpopo," says Marsden.
Broadcast television spectrum became a means to connect the rural northern region of SA. "It was promising and seems like a viable option," he adds.
National Broadband Plan
The report comes in the wake of the Department of Communications' (DOC's) new broadband policy, published by minister Yunus Carrim, on 6 December.
The document, titled "South Africa Connect", set a target user experience of 5Mbps broadband connection to be available to 50% of the population by 2016 and 90% in 2020.
The DOC also indicated target connection speeds would be reviewed annually.
One of the initial steps to achieving affordable Internet, according to the A4AI report, is collaboration with the private sector and this was also included in the policy document.
The DOC says it will ensure "the relative powers and resources of both public and private sectors are integrated to achieve wide-based access to broadband".
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