NEWS
Independent Communication Authority of South Africa makes available additional 6E spectrum for users
The Independent Communication Authority of South Africa , ICASA has officially made a large tranche of additional
Paul Colmer
6E spectrum available to South African users , with immediate effect .
Paul Colmer , EXCO member at Wireless Access Provider ’ s Association , WAPA , says that the release of this new spectrum is the first step in the much-anticipated release of additional spectrum for both indoor and outdoor use .
“ While the current regulations only permit the use of lower-band 6E spectrum for indoor use , that is still going to open up a massive window of opportunity for Wireless Internet Service Providers , to maximise the potential of their broadband Internet services ,” says Colmer .
“ Using any number of already-certified 6E devices , like routers , handsets and even home entertainment appliances like TVs and other smart devices , users will enjoy a supercharged Internet experience , with much higher throughput and speeds , and much lower interference ,” he says .
“ Until now , you would need to be on a wired Cat6 cable network to get 1-gigabit-plus Internet and LAN speeds in your home or business , but with 6E devices , these speeds will soon be available wirelessly . Moreover , since very few currently use the 6GHz band , there is going to be much less channel interference , unlike existing and alreadycongested 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz bands .”
Enabling 6E outdoors will require the creation of Automatic Frequency Coordination , AFC databases , which are used to automatically prevent interference between long-range broadcast equipment for new and existing users , which in the 6E band are primarily satellite services at this time .
Absa Group collaborates with Women In Tech to empower women across the globe
Absa Group announced its collaboration with Women in Tech , an international non-profit organisation whose mission is to close the gender gap and support women in pursuing careers in technology . The collaboration will provide an opportunity for women in the information and communications technology , ICT sector across Africa and the globe to connect and converse on issues pertaining to the gender gap , provide access to critical skills and mentorship ; as well as elevate job creation .
According to Women in Tech , of the 236,000 ICT roles in South Africa , only 23 % of the roles are held by women , globally , women represent 31 %. In order to address this challenge , Women in Tech is driving empowerment through key elements , such as education , business , digital inclusion , and advocacy . By offering mentorship opportunities , imparting skills , and fostering self-confidence in women , they hope to make a difference and position them for success .
“ As Absa , we identify with Women in Tech ’ s vision to drive gender diversity in the workplace . We are committed to empowering Africa ’ s tomorrow , together , through increasing female representation and providing opportunities for women to advance . We were named one of the World ’ s Top Female-Friendly Companies in 2022 by Forbes and ranked 36th worldwide among 400 global companies excelling in championing women at work . Our collaboration with Women in Tech is another important step forward in empowering women and girls to take up roles in technology ,” says Johnson Idesoh , Group Chief Information and Technology Officer at Absa .
“ One of the core values at Women in Tech is collaboration , we believe that the team is stronger together because nothing great was ever built without teamwork . Our 2030 goal is to empower five million women and girls and our collaboration with Absa is immensely important in achieving this goal . We have no doubt that together , we will unlock many doors of opportunity for more women and girls , and we are excited about what the future holds ,” confirms Melissa Slaymaker , Country Director of Women in Tech South Africa .
Johnson Idesoh
14 INTELLIGENTCIO AFRICA www . intelligentcio . com