PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO: 849
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 23 March 2010
QUESTION PAPER NO: 8
DATE OF REPLY: 29 March 2010
Ms M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Communications:
1) Whether he has taken any steps to facilitate discussions between
Telkom and private telecommunications companies (names furnished)
regarding the provision of a voice telecommunication service to the
residents of the Northern Cape whose radio communications service is
being curtailed by the Astronomy Geographic Advantage. Act, 21 of
2007; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
2) what is the basic outline of the technological possibilities of
connecting a mobile phone service to the existing party lines/manual
exchanges in the areas of Carnarvon and Williston;
3) whether Telkom is currently conducting (a) its own investigation or
(b) an investigation in consultation with other communications service
providers on the possibility of providing a data solution
programme/policy so that residents outside the abovementioned towns
will be able to access internet services; if not, why not, in each
case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?
NW985E
REPLY:
1) I have not facilitated any discussion between Telkom and any other
operator regarding the provision of a voice telecommunication service
to the residents of the Northern Cape. However, I can confirm that I
had discussions with the Minister of Science and Technology as well
as the Director-General of the Department of Science and Technology
regarding this matter. The SKA infrastructure requirements requires
an interference- and noice-free area and as such deployment of any
terrestrial radio infrastructure will have the potential to interfere
with the planned SKA infrastructure. In order to prevent unknown
interference and protect the SKA infrastructure roll-out, it is
therefore necessary to relocate/decommission any radio infrastructure
that has a potential to interfere. In this regards, the Department of
Science and Technology made an undertaking to fund the provision of
alternative technologies in-order to ensure that the residents of the
Nothren Cape continues to have access to communications services.
2) I cannot reply as this question is not clear.
3) I was informed by Telkom that one of the potential replacement of the
constructed infrastructure includes satellite communications in the
form of Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT), which by its nature will
provide both voice and data communication, including Internet.