Let us liberate the Internet!

IT IS more than irritating to realise that, despite the fact that South Africa was one of the first developing countries to get on to the digital communication bandwagon in the early 1990s, we are still getting scalped when it comes to the costs of data.

In the beginning, cellular technology was so cute and cutting edge; and the companies emphasised the huge costs of putting in infrastructure ... so we meekly accepted that call costs would be huge.

As the networks grew, and technology improved, we still didn’t notice that economies of scale did not apply to us and call rates did not go down.

When we began getting data through these digital networks, we also went along with the arguments that state monopoly player Telkom was choking supply, or that the huge international “pipes” seemed to exclude Africa.

Today, competition is improving and new communications networks, including fibre, are being set up in our neighbourhoods. High-speed international cables link Africa to the rest of the world.

We are waking up to the fact that we are being ripped off in data charges, with many allegedly less sophisticated countries in Africa paying fractions of what we do.

This is more than another example of rampant capitalism. It can be viewed as economic sabotage.

Broadband connectivity and affordable data are, undoubtedly, drivers of economic growth. Anyone who stands in the way of that is hurting South Africa and its people.

So we welcome Parliament’s intention to get tough with providers to force them to bring down data prices.

Let the Internet loose and see this beloved country fly!