ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK: The high cost of data is holding economy back
A quarter of smartphone users in South Africa have a mechanism to access the internet, but cannot afford to do so
It's a common fallacy that lack of investment is a key obstacle to internet growth in South Africa. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that price rather than infrastructure is the problem. The Internet Access in South Africa 2017 research report, released this week by World Wide Worx and Dark Fibre Africa, shows that the four major mobile network operators have, between them, invested more than R30-billion in infrastructure in their last financial year. To put this in context, the spending by the government on the massive infrastructure built for the 2010 Fifa World Cup was put at R33-billion. While many of the stadiums built then have become white elephants, the improvements in transport infrastructure have been a lasting legacy. Improved highways, airports and specific projects such as the Gautrain and rapid bus transport systems continue to deliver benefits long after people have forgotten how badly the projects disrupted the country. In effect, the operators are deliveri...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.