WAPA

The 10th of June, 2009, marks the first meeting of the Open Spectrum Alliance (OSA), a multi-disciplinary grouping of parties with a shared interest in working towards greater efficiency in the allocation, assignment and use of radio frequency spectrum in South Africa.

The OSA workshop will include guest speaker Steve Song, from the Shuttleworth Foundation, an overview of the current status of RF spectrum regulation in SA by WAPA Regulatory Advisor Dominic Cull, and an overview of Spectrum challenges in South Africa by Ronnie Seeber from Motorola.

WAPA and the Shuttleworth Foundation are founding members of the OSA, but the OSA is looking to rapidly grow support for progressive spectrum assignment models. Please get in touch with WAPA if your organisation would
be interested in supporting the OSA initiative.

WAPA is looking to employ or contract somebody who can help with technical and wireless operations management. This person must be neutral (not affiliated to a network operator) and independent. At the moment it’s a part-time position and focused on the Western Cape area.

Position: Operations Manager, part-time
Office location: Cape Town
Reporting to: WAPA Exco
Permanent / Contract: Negotiable, 5 days a week, half-day, 8:00 to 12:00
Required Start Date: ASAP
Renumeration: In the range of R5 000 per month, depending on experience
WAPA will also provide a mobile phone and petrol allowance

Summary of position: As WAPA’s Ops Manager you will be involved in all technical areas of running a non-profit industry representative body. You will need to coordinate and cooperate with members and partners. Candidates should have a strong wireless networking background and should be passionate and pro-active about improving the state of wireless networking in South Africa.

Responsible for:
* Highsite management policies
* Enforcement process
* Code of conduct
* Certification and training
* National coverage map

Must:
* Be Independent (neutral)
* Have own car and driver’s licence

Skills and knowledge required:
* Interference mitigation
* Wireless equipment, antennas, RF planning
* Internet, email and PC skills
* Technical writing skills

Personal Attributes:
* Good listener
* Integrity, Energy, Intelligence
* Excellent communication and writing skills
* High attention to detail
* Self motivated quick learner
* Proactive, problem solver

Bonus Attributes and skills:
* Interest in the telecommunications regulatory environment
* General interest in technology and internet services
* Training background

Please contact WAPA if you are interested in the position. We’ll respond and ask for your CV. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

WAPA is proud to announce the results of the third annual WAPA industry survey. The first survey was conducted in November 2006 with the formation of WAPA and has been done annually in November since then.

WAPA as a collective represents the second biggest provider of fixed service telecommunication infrastructure in South Africa today as well as the second largest group of telecommunications licensees. Note that the figures below are only a snapshot of industry data collected from WAPA members.

WAPA estimates that there are over 700 wireless providers operating in South Africa, the majority of which are not yet WAPA members. WAPA estimates the total number of fixed wireless subscribers to be in the order of 60,000.

Summary of results:

• Date: November 2008
• Respondents: 23 WAPA members
• Total WAPA members: 44, 33% growth
• Fixed Wireless Subscribers: 12 841, 57% growth, estimated split: 62% consumer market, 38% business market
• Annual Revenue: R55m, 4% growth
• High Sites: 860, 10% growth
• Staff Employed: 375, 40% growth
• Schools and social responsibility projects: 329, 71% growth
• HDI/BEE status average: 44%, 76% growth

General observations:

The 2008 survey for the first time included Wifi Hotspot subscribers, estimated at 20 000+.

Total revenue grew conservatively even though total subscriber numbers grew by 57%. The majority of subscribers in this year’s survey is residential. This reflects a trend towards more cost effective access for consumers.

Coverage areas expanded with a steady growth in the number of high sites and there was impressive sustained growth in employment and social responsibility projects.

The WAPA membership made very good progress in meeting and exceeding ICASA’s HDI/BEE ownership guidelines.

The majority of WAPA members indicated that licenced or lite-licenced (shared) spectrum should be a strong focus area for WAPA in the next year. The membership also expressed strong interest in building a collective national coverage map.

The full survey results are available to WAPA members.

The following goals have been identified by the WAPA management committee and will be WAPA’s main focus in 2009:

1. Spectrum: Promote an open spectrum assignment framework, ISM sustainability, education and enforcement around correct usage.
2. Membership Growth: Goal of 120 Members by the end of 2009.
3. Secretariat: More structured admin functions and employ a General Manager.
4. Awareness: Wider national representation.
5. Cooperation with other bodies: ISPA, WISPA etc.

The two main barriers to entry for new WAPA members have been identified to be initial cost and licencing requirements.

Because WAPA is on an active drive to sign-up more members we have changed the initial membership fee structure as agreed at our AGM last week.

A R2000 initial membership fee has been removed and we have a new process to help members without the required licensing apply and register for their licences.

Have a look at our Join WAPA page for more information.

WAPA membership grew from 33 members in 2007 to 44 members in 2008.. 33% growth. We would like to see a 50%+ growth rate in 2009.

The 2008 WAPA AGM was held at Eikendal close to Stellenbosch on Friday 14 November at 14:00.

Agenda and slides are here: wapa-agm-2008.pdf

Elected 2009 Management Committee:

• Leon Botes
• Joe Botha
• Dudley Davids
• David Jarvis
• Henk Kleynhans
• Nicola Smith
• Eugene van der Merwe

The Wireless Access Providers’ Association (WAPA) welcomes the judgement of the High Court of South Africa delivered this morning to the effect that VANS may indeed self-provide. The judgement vindicates WAPA’s own actions in taking the Minister and ICASA to court regarding the rights of VANS and will hopefully usher in a new age of telecommunications competition in South Africa.

WAPA urges ICASA and the Minister to accept the judgement and to work together with the VANS sector to plot a practical way forward which will serve the interests of SA consumers and put an end to the artificial restrictions placed on the provision of networks in South Africa.

WAPA is looking to employ somebody in a part-time secretary position to help with general admin and workflow functions in WAPA.

Position: Part-time Secretary
Office location: Cape Town
Reporting to: WAPA Exco
Permanent / Contract: Permanent, 5 days a week, half-day, 8:00 to 12:00
Required Start Date: ASAP
Salary: In the range of R3500 - R4500 per month, depending on experience

Summary of position: You will be the first point of contact for WAPA and perform administration duties including: financial admin, debtor management, co-ordinating meetings, member information management.

Skills Required
* Good Telephone Skills
* Internet, email and PC skills
* General book keeping

Personal Attributes
* Good listener
* Integrity, Energy, Intelligence
* Excellent communication and writing skills
* High attention to detail
* Self motivated quick learner
* Proactive, problem solver

Bonus Attributes and skills
* Interest in the telecommunications regulatory environment
* General interest in technology and internet services
* Experience with mailing lists, wiki’s and WordPress (CMS and blogging)

Please contact WAPA if you are interested in the position. We’ll respond and ask for your CV. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

The ISPA invited WAPA to endorse the iWeek 2008 conference by chairing the morning wireless session of Thursday, 18 September 2008. WAPA will be represented on the panel discussing wireless matters after a presentation by Jack Unger.

WAPA will again have a stand in the iWeek exhibition area this year to create awareness of our industry.

We encourage WAPA members to attend iWeek. iWeek attendance is free.

17-19 September 2008
The Forum,
Wanderers Building,
The Campus,
57 Sloane Street in Bryanston,
Johannesburg

WAPA asked its membership to respond to a few questions with the idea of creating more awareness in the industry.

Featured Member: Amobia Communications (Pty) Ltd.

How long have you been in business?

Amobia was founded in mid 2005 and we connected our first client in November 2005. About 3 years now.

Give us a quick company profile?

Amobia Communications is an independent network infrastructure provider. Amobia builds outdoor fixed wireless access networks. Our focus is on corporate branch connectivity solutions and high speed point to point links. Consumer services include cost effective wireless broadband internet access and wifi hotspots.

Amobia differentiates itself from many other WISP’s by not bundling any IP transit (internet access) with its range of business services. We aim to be a pure last mile infrastructure provider. This gives us an “inclusive” business model and allows us to partner with ISPs who use the Amobia network to provide internet services.

How and why did you start your wireless business?

We believed there was an emerging need for cost effective, last mile wireless services that could be deployed rapidly by a dynamic and professional company.

Which areas do you cover?

Western Cape: Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Somerset West, Strand, Gordon’s Bay. Gauteng: Johannesburg. North West: Potchefstroom. Eastern Cape: P.E.

What are your plans for the next year?

Our focus is on expanding our Johannesburg network and establishing a footprint in KZN reasonably soon. We are actively promoting our franchise business in non-metro areas.

What is your biggest challenge in the next year?

License conversion is a big one. Amobia hopes to receive an Individual ECNS and ECS license.

What’s new and interesting in your business?

We’re currently developing and testing a “last-yard” (wifi hotspot) distribution model to complement our current “last-mile” services.

2 or 3 memorable events in your business?

The completion of our Cape Town - Stellenbosch ring. This allowed us to be truly independent from Telkom’s network for the first time.

The SchoolWAN project, connecting 100 schools in the Western Cape.

The completion of our first Johannesburg ring and subsequent growing media attention.

Contact Details

www.amobia.com
0861 AMOBIA