About the Hosts
The Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA)
The Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) is an Industry Representative Body, in terms of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act. It was formed on 6 June 1996 and currently represents 168 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 re-launched the Cape Town Internet exchange (CINX) allowing Cape Town-based ISPs to economically peer traffic in this region as well.
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, 1818 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.
UniForum South Africa
Uniforum SA is a non-profit organisation tasked with the administration of the CO.ZA domain name space. With over 561 0000 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 Grades 10 to 12 IT Curriculum project, NetDay “School of the Month” project and the ISPA Teacher Training initiative, the organisation attempts to address learner education, educator development and the provision of the ICT infrastructure in under-resourced schools.
UniForum has also recently, in partnership with ISPA and ISOC-ZA, established an Enterprise Development initiative to assist black-owned businesses in the Internet sector. The initiative, known as the EDEV project, will identify suitable candidates to receive assistance and will seek to better coordinate enterprise development initiatives with existing socio-economic development projects. The ultimate goal is to provide a more robust and effective Corporate Social Investment (CSI) platform for the Internet industry.
UniForum’s CSI programme falls under the CO.ZA Cares banner, honouring those parties who have registered CO.ZA domain names, thereby keeping our country ahead on the road to a better education.
