SATA advised to make ICT solutions affordable
EZULWINI – There is hope for affordable and innovative information, communication and technology (ICT) services in Eswatini, as operators and service providers in the region deliberate on improving the sector.
The Minister of ICT, Princess Sikhanyiso, who was represented by Principal Secretary (PS) in the ministry Phesheya Dube, urged ICT service providers and operators to ensure that the multi-country collaborations delivered affordable solutions to the regional populations. Dube was speaking during the Southern African Telecommunications Association’s (SATA) 23rd Capacity and Traffic-Southern Africa Conference, which was held at the Happy Valley Hotel in Ezulwini and hosted by Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (EPTC). The conference brought together operators, service providers and the industry champions with the objective of generating solutions that will help the Southern African Development Community (SADC) improve connectivity in the region and globally. It will last until March 17, 2023. The theme of the conference is ‘Connecting SADC Regionally and Internationally through ICT Infrastructure and Services’.
“This regional conference is vital in ensuring seamless, affordable quality connectivity within SADC and the rest of the world,” the PS said.
The minister, through the PS, stated that the conference came at the right time and to be hosted in the country was a cherry on top as the National Development Plan identified ICT as a critical pillar for the economic development of the country.
“Our landlocked Eswatini will indeed maximise the exploitation of ICTs in the removal of all natural barriers imposed by our geographic location, and we recognise the importance of your sector in the creation of the requisite environment for economic development,” Dube said.
He urged the participants to ensure that the multi-country collaborations delivered solutions to the regional populations. The minister cited that the current era of COVID-19 had proven that ICT was at the centre of people’s livelihood as it was used in education, banking, shopping, hospitals and many other transactional activities requiring solid, reliable borderless solutions. “Information has no borders, thus ICTs must not create barriers anymore as more and more business is remotely transacted. It is, therefore, vital that in your deliberations you address the costs of your solutions; we all need affordable solutions. Your benefit will be in capturing the inherent demand that exists in your respective markets.@
The PS added: “Price elasticity of demand is alive and well in telecommunications services; a great example is in the proliferations of internet services beyond borders. Rural entrepreneurs can now exploit markets beyond their villages and national borders,” he said.
Dube stressed the need to be innovative in the region to avoid being trapped as perpetual consumers, given that value creation was key in ensuring that universal solutions and local content brought value to their countries