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SA, ITU to collaborate on rural broadband [New Vision (Uganda)](New Vision (Uganda) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) South Africa's department of telecommunications and postal services and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will collaborate on a new project to test "new, sustainable approaches to bringing broadband connectivity to rural post offices". The idea, according to a statement issued by the ITU, which is a specialised agency of the United Nations that focuses on information and communications technology, is to support rural post offices in South Africa to deliver "essential digital financial and other services to their communities". The agreement follows a meeting at the ITU's plenipotentiary conference in Korea at the weekend between telecoms and postal services minister Siyabonga Cwele and Brahima Sanou, director of the ITU's telecoms development bureau. "The project will be implemented in cooperation with the Universal Postal Union as well as partners from industry and civil society," the ITU said in its statement. "This project will support the national broadband policy — South Africa Connect — which aims to provide affordable, high-capacity and reliable connectivity to support advanced applications and services for government, businesses and consumers, with a special emphasis on rural and underserviced communities." The telecoms department did not reply to an e-mailed query, sent on Wednesday, seeking more details on how the project will be implemented in practice, how much it will cost and what technologies will be used. COPYRIGHT (c) 2014 NEWVISION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |