South Africa’s population of 51.5 million includes a school-going population of over
12 million learners in public schools. South Africa’s digital services and media markets have
been slow to develop in the past decade. Thus, while two of nine provinces have introduced
computers in schools, e-education has not advanced. Education challenges, such as access to
knowledge resources, can be addressed by effective delivery of an extensive range of content
through e-education channels. However, Internet connectivity is low in public schools and
higher education institutions, broadband is inadequate, and there is only limited availability
of digital educational media. Three aspects of historical spectrum regulation have stifled the emergence of e- education: (a) universal service and access obligations in spectrum licenses have proved
inadequate in taking Internet to schools; (b) Internet service providers are not assigned
spectrum, despite their apparent interest in building wireless infrastructure networks and (c)
regulation has tended to focus on market players, rather than on required outcomes.
This investigation into spectrum regulation for digital services markets collects
evidence regarding interest in e-education and poses three issues for consideration by
regulators: (1) Licensed and unlicensed spectrum: Promoting broadband for public value
including educational services, (2) Regulation for innovation in digital services and media
markets, and (3) Pricing versus valuing spectrum.