/ 3 September 2007

World Cup set to boost ICT in South Africa

Information and communication technology (ICT) in South Africa is expected to get a boost from the 2010 Soccer World Cup, with infrastructure providers and local government spending billions to ensure a successful tournament, according to key players at the recent ICT Journalist Media Forum.

Botlenyana Mokhele of the Department of Communications (DOC) said that the event provides an opportunity for the government to accelerate the development of state-of-the-art, robust, reliable and affordable ICT for 2010.

Local organising committee (LOC) technology manager Zakes Mnisi said the International Broadcast Centre will serve as the central hub for all broadcasting facilities. The 30 000-square-metre facility will accommodate up to 100 broadcasters from at least 50 countries, have about 1 000 people on the premises around the clock and require more than 500 telephone lines. The largest studio will be 50 square metres.

The forum also heard that other long-term benefits of 2010 ICT development include high-definition television (HDTV).

The South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) acting chief technology officer, Nic Bonthuys, said that by 2009 the broadcaster will already have six high-definition outside broadcast units. HDTV, he said, offers a better-quality picture that particularly enhances sports broadcasts.

The SABC, as the official broadcaster, will be responsible for carrying all unilateral signals for its own local coverage and for international broadcasts from the stadiums to the International Broadcast Centre, which will be the gateway to local and international video and audio circuits.

The SABC is also investing in digital terrestrial transmissions, which will be rolled out from November 2008. Digital broadcasts will, however, run in parallel with analogue until the latter mode of transmission is switched off in 2011.

South Africa’s major ICT infrastructure providers are also gearing up to ensure sufficient bandwidth for the broadcast demands of the 2010 World Cup, as well as for the 300 000-plus international visitors who will be relying on state-of-the-art telecommunications technology during their month’s visit.

World Wide Worx MD Arthur Goldstuck said World Cup ICT requirements extend far beyond infrastructure and facilities. It poses an exciting challenge for industry players to meet the high expectations of sophisticated cellphone users from across the world. He said that in 18 months’ time the South African ICT environment will be unrecognisable due to optic-fibre cable being laid, among other improvements.

Telkom is among the local companies appointed as an ICT partner for the World Cup. Its technology will provide the fixed-line telecommunications backbone for broadcasting the soccer action to the world. In essence, Telkom will enable the interconnection of important event venues, including the 10 World Cup stadiums, broadcast compounds, media centres, the International Broadcast Centre and Fifa headquarters.

Gauteng minister of finance Paul Mashatile emphasised that the province is looking at ICT beyond 2010. One of the major challenges it is already addressing is meeting broadband demand and reducing the cost of doing business in Gauteng.

Other major projects in the province, such as the Gautrain, will allow for a reduction in costs as optic-fibre cables will run in the underground track section between Park Station and Marlboro.

The clear message of the ICT media forum was that the investment to be made by World Cup partners and the government will leave an ICT legacy to benefit South Africans beyond 2010. — I-Net Bridge