Open Access Networks:A success story

The idea behind Broadband is mainly to open doors for inclusive access, where anyone can play on a fair and non-discriminatory platform, while promoting and ensuring fair trade. Open Access Networks is one of the few community-driven success stories. An attempt to ‘level the playing field’ and stimulate competition as a means to promote greater creativity and innovation. Open Access has played a greater role towards participatory democracy, or what Roelf Diedericks, Technical Director at Neology, called “networking democracy”. Critiques will agree as well that apart from these good philosophies, such plans will promote new entrants of smaller players to survive, thus creating employment. These social obligations are at the heart of Neology ‘s plan. But is it feasible?

Well, that is a question everybody asked before, for now it is evident that progress has been made over and above. By looking at Neology’s Infrastructure layer as a third component on its three Open Access layers, success is achievable, and indeed, some victories have been made. Neology offers competitive Municipal Wifi, seen by Google and Microsoft as ‘viable’. However, it is essential on the part of the government to ensure that regulations seek to promote, not restrict, access.

See Lloyd Gedye’s story, The Hatfield connection, on M&G Online

Recommended reading:

Professor Guy Berger on the digital future: Networking is today’s need, but access still needs attention

Also read SA to lead African broadband initiative