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The Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA)

The Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) is is an Industry Representative Body, in terms of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act. It was formed on 6 June 1996 and currently represents 156 Internet service providers with a diverse range of services and target markets. Members include non-profit providers and educational networks, as well as commercial service providers.

ISPA’s Internet exchanges

The ISPA is an active industry body, facilitating communication between Internet service providers in South Africa. Collaboration levels have historically been very high, leading to the formation of the Johannesburg Internet exchange (JINX) in 1996. This exchange point routes Internet traffic between different Internet access providers and serves as a means to keep South African traffic within the country’s borders. This reduces the costs of international Internet links and provides consumers with improved access to South African networks. In 2009 ISPA’s relauched the Cape Town Internet exchange (CINX).

Regulatory and policy activities

Since its launch, ISPA has played an important role in the development of South Africa’s telecommunications and Internet policy. ISPA has participated in policy discussions and made numerous presentations to policy makers in a number of important legislative processes, including:

VANS and PTNs licensing regimes
Facilities leasing and interconnection guidelines
Telkom rate review
Telecommunications Amendment Act
Electronic Communications and Transactions Act
Regulation of Interception & Provision of Communication-Related Information Act
Film and Publications Amendment Act
Electronic Communications Act

ISPA produces regulatory advisories on issues of importance to the industry and makes these advisories publicly available via its web site.

ISPA and the South African community

The Internet industry believes that it should give back to the community at large. Many of ISPA’s members provide cost-based or free services to educational organisations and other non-profit organisations.

In 2001, ISPA launched its own social development program, partnering with UniForum SA to provide Internet training to school teachers. Since inception, 1527 teachers have been successfully trained. Every year the Teachers’ Training Award Ceremony takes place at iWeek. The awards recognise teachers who have participated in the skills project and successfully imparted their newly-acquired knowledge to the local communities.

http://www.ispa.org.za

UniForum South Africa

Uniforum SA is a non-profit organisation tasked with the administration of the CO.ZA domain name space. With over 450000 registrations, the majority of South African domain names can be found in CO.ZA. These names represent 95% of the total number of registrations in .ZA and a large percentage of African ccTLD registrations for the entire African continent.

Funds resulting from UniForum’s domain registration activities are applied to education in South Africa. Education is a common passion amongst the CO.ZA community as a sound education results in a more competitive economy and ultimately a better life for all the citizens of this country.

Through its participation in the Mindset Computer Science Curriculum project, NetDay School of the Month project and ISPA Teacher Training initiative, the organisation attempts to address learner education, educator development and the provision of IT infrastructure.

UniForum’s social development takes place under the CO.ZA Cares banner, honouring those parties who have registered CO.ZA domain names, thereby keeping our country ahead in the road to a better education.

http://www.coza.net.za

Media Partner: MyBroadband

MyBroadband (also known as MyADSL) was started in 2003 and has experienced a meteoric rise in popularity which has seen it become the largest online IT website in South Africa. As the biggest online IT publication we have outstripped our competitors and maintained market dominance since 2006. In fact, MyBroadband has more monthly visitors than all the major online IT publications put together!

MyBroadband has by far the widest reach within the South African IT community with over 700 000 unique monthly visitors. The site attracts a mix of readers who have both a business and consumer focus.

iWeek 2009 is endorsed by:

WAPA

The Wireless Access Providers’ Association (WAPA), established in 2006, is a non-profit industry representative body acting as a collective voice for independent wireless operators in South Africa. WAPA’s primary objective is to ensure the sustainability of the ISM wireless access services market.

More info: http://www.wapa.org.za/