By Destine Nde
For years, internet connectivity in smaller towns and rural areas – including my home town of Willowmore in the Klein Karoo — lagged behind those in the big cities, thereby contributing to the so-called ‘digital divide’. However, this has gradually improved, until today, one can say that connectivity in Willowmore is as good as anywhere else in South Africa.
Many residents access 5G connectivity via cellular networks, namely Telkom, Cell C, Vodacom and MTN. But this is quite expensive, which prevents or hinders many people from harnessing the internet’s incredible power to improve their lives.
Then there is Openserve, a network provided by Telkom. Recently, Openserve fibre cables were laid around the commercial and administrative part of the town, with much improved results — faster speeds and stronger connections. Openserve subscribers pay a connection fee and after that a monthly rate to remain connected to the network. They are provided with a router and a satellite dish. However, not many people can afford this.
Also available is Herotel—Openserve’s main rival. It operates in more or less the same way, although the prices differ. Both service providers charge clients different rates for different packages. Herotel, for example, charges R499 per month for wireless connection with a speed of 4Mbps, R699 per month for 6Mbps, R849pm for 8Mbps, and R999pm for up to 10Mbps. More local people are using Herotel than Openserve.
Another option is that of portable wireless modems, connecting to the internet over the cellular network. This is an older option, but some people still make use of it. In contrast with fibre, portability is an advantage.
Wireless connectivity in Willowmore is generally good, and is hampered only by bad weather, particularly strong winds and hailstorms. However there are a few network towers in place to help mitigate this problem. They help to extend the reach of wireless networks, and boost signal strength.
So the technology is in place. The key issue now is to enable more people to afford it. In other words, in Willowmore, as elsewhere in South Africa, the ‘digital divide’ is no longer as much of a technical divide as an income divide.
The government is busy rolling out a broadband connectivity program called SA Connect, aimed at broadening access to the internet. Besides connecting government facilities, including schools, health care facilities, government offices and police stations, this is meant to involve establishing ‘community Wi Fi hotspots’ in thousands of communities throughout the country.
To the best of my knowledge, no such hotspot has yet been established in Willowmore, and there is no talk abojut it either, leaving residents to rely on commercial services instead.
During Youth Month, Ntebo Mtobe from the Department of Employment and Labour announced that the department plans to open a satellite office in Willowmore. We can only hope that this will help to provide more residents with jobs and incomes, thereby improving their ability to make use of the transformative power of the internet – among others for their children’s education.
FEATURED IMAGE: No phone, no life … two members of the Nde household on the internet. (Photo: the author)