Page 13 - EngineerIT December 2022

THE ECT WORLD

Connectivity for all is a driver for job

creation and economic development

By Prof Albert Lysko, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

elecommunications have proven to be a lifeline for keeping many businesses
running during the pandemic-induced lockdowns. Internet access is equally
Tcritical for growing our economy and the overall progress of the fourth industrial
revolution advancements.
Internet connectivity creates jobs. The World Bank states that mobile broadband
provides between 2.5 and 4.0 additional jobs for each broadband job. In South Africa,
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online shopping has created numerous jobs, including the creation of 2,870 new jobs at
Checkers Sixty60 alone. 2
Furthermore, increasing broadband connectivity leads to improved economic
activities. For example, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has estimated
that “an increase of 10 percent in mobile broadband penetration in Africa would
yield an increase in 2.5 per cent in the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita”.
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Building broadband internet is like building a network of highways and roads that allow
instantaneous access to information, products, services and immediate payments,
helping the economy grow.
Having many people still unconnected is slowing economic development. The World Albert Lysko
Bank says that “only about 35 percent of the population in developing countries has
access to the internet (versus about 80 percent in advanced economies)”. South Africa
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is inbetween. According to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa for industrial processes and sensors. In
(ICASA) , the proportions of households who have access to the internet at home and use time, these features will help improve
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mobile devices are at 8.3% and 64.1%, respectively. Connecting more people can help to access to the internet.
offer them new opportunities as well as increase prosperity. Furthermore, the Council for
There are two key factors preventing people from being connected to the global Scientific and Industrial Research
internet community. One is the access to the internet and the cost of such access. For (CSIR) recently developed a new
instance, ITU states: “a 10 per cent drop in mobile broadband prices will boost adoption communication technology enabling
of mobile broadband technology by more than 3.1 percent”. The other factor is in the television white spaces (TVWS). The
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relevance of the content, understanding the opportunities offered by the internet and TVWS signals can travel well, including
the ability to access the content (e.g. literacy and language). through vegetation, and so TVWS
To improve access, one must build networks and provide connectivity/access can help to close the currently
to the internet. Satellites can offer the widest broadband coverage, including Connecting existing connectivity gaps
remote and rural areas, yet is expensive right now. Fibre is the king of more people can in challenging-to-reach
connectivity, but the high cost of deployment often restricts availability help to offer them locations. Now, the CSIR
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to higher-income neighbourhoods. Cellular, especially 4G/LTE, is the most is working on the 5G and
widely used broadband, thanks to its widespread and nearly ubiquitous new opportunities beyond 5G technologies,
set of services. as well as increase aiming to offer better
Over 32% of South Africa’s population resides in rural , sparsely prosperity. and cheaper connectivity
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populated areas, where the cost of deploying and providing internet for all.
connectivity can be three times higher than in dense urban areas. With this, the The second key factor
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high cost of internet access is still a challenge as South Africa ranks 136th worldwide preventing people from being
for the cost of mobile data. 8 connected to the global internet
Despite the challenges, South African citizens receive the latest technologies, community is the relevance of the
including the fifth generation of mobile networking, 5G. The 5G is so far expensive, and content offered on or via the internet
its coverage is small geographically. However, 5G includes many features, including a and the ability to read it. Fewer than
much higher speed, better options for coverage in rural areas, and a new level of support 10% of South Africans have English as

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