This document discusses the increasing complexity of regulation needed to support Africa's digital economy and broadband growth. It notes trends driving demand for ultra-broadband, including online shopping, entertainment, education and e-government, but predicts consumer appetite is hard to predict. Forward-looking regulation that encourages innovation is needed across sectors like cloud, IoT, and cybersecurity. Challenges include regulating mobile money, cloud computing, IoT apps, and e-education/health while ensuring access. Advances are required in law, economics and social regulation regarding issues like privacy and concurrent jurisdiction of multiple regulators. Capacity and knowledge building among regulators is important to develop regulatory policies that balance innovation and regulation.

1. Connect2Connect Summit, Pretoria
19 – 21 July 2016
Ultrabroadband for a smarter Africa:
Responsiveness
to the increasing complexity of regulation
for the digital economy
Luci Abrahams,
Director LINK Centre, Wits University

2. Digital complexity involves
“the interconnected facets of globalization;
African cultural and economic expansion;
knowledge, innovation and learning;
mobile, wireless and broadband
[Internet-based] communications; and
the shift from relatively simple and basic forms of
e-commerce and e-government (2000’s) to the
complex e-transformation of all sectors
of the economy, from agriculture to manufacturing
and knowledge services”

3. Part I: Digital complexity economy
A> It’s complicated! There is some certainty, but mostly
great uncertainty about the future…of electronic communications, broadband
markets and the digital world.
B> Trends in demand for ultrabroadband for shopping (online and born
digital), travel (looking and booking), entertainment (film, Internet
broadcasting, music, gaming, VR, GoPro and YouTube videos, other), lifestyle
(online fashion and home) social communication (Skype, other), digital media
consumption, educational programmes and research (MOOCs, electronic
libraries, visualisations, GIS mapping, other), but the future consumer
appetite for specific digital products and services is unpredictable because
electronic government and e-health applications (critical care, sharing big data
for analytics) is slow to develop!
C> Forward looking regulation and regulatory certainty (cloud computing, IoT
regulation for smart cities/homes/business, cybersecurity regulation) can
improve ICT sector innovation and innovation in Internet-enabled sectors -
requires a new regulatory agenda for regulators across the African continent.

5. Part II
Digital Africa:
People, economy, Internet,
lifestyle, fashion, culture
Internet of Things (IoT)
e-education, e-health and
Internet of People (IoP)
Mobile money ecosystem
Cloud computing and personal data
Universality of the Internet,
ultrabroadband

6. Development of economic sectors requires innovation in
network infrastructures (power, electronic
communication services), in apps and e-services, NRENs
and RRENs linking to global cyber-infrastructure
Educationand
HumanResourceDevelopment:
Usageandinnovationrequires
increasingorientationtowards
advancedknowledgefor
innovationinordertopromote
advancedutilisation
PolicyandRegulatoryEnvironment:
Allconversationsleadbacktotheweak
roleofkeycontributorstotheenabling
(ornotdisabling)environmentand
accessstrategiesforubiquitousaccess
Socio-economic Development:
Research and Innovation: from sms to OTT services, mobile
money transfer, mobile Internet, lots of apps,
health, longevity and sport diagnostics and e-wearables,
data and big data analytics, online culture and culture online
E-SERVICES IN SOCIETY
DIGITAL AFRICA:
INTERNET,
KNOWLEDGE-
BASED, COMPLEXITY
CYBER-ECONOMY
Readiness
Readiness
Readiness
Knowledge and Digital Divide

7. 3D printing
of fabric,
shoes
and other
made-up goods

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click for more options:

9. Internet of People, Internet of
Africa (mining, education,
health, architecture)

10. Mobile money pulls it all together!
Undersea cable infrastructure – ultrabroadband?

11. Many African regulators do not have
sufficient broadband capacity to use
Skype for business
Many African universities do not have
sufficient broadband capacity
to participate in major continental and
global research partnerships which
involve big data exchange

12. Early days of cloud computing…
(we) want to do a real test, shut down the main system and
run on the DR site...would actually be running on the
cloud...then move everything there until the next innovation
comes along. From IT side we tried to keep up with new
innovations, next the cloud provider will have to keep up with
new innovations.
Part of this project is to have our own private cloud or private
Dropbox for agendas and minutes of Council meetings and
Section 80 meetings (special committee of non full-time
councillors to consider issues before presented to
Council)...since meeting documents for a one hour meeting
are very costly in terms of printing and the paper is not used
thereafter. Some users like paper to scribble notes, so we
need to build ICT literacy and build knowledge of the online
notes tools...

13. Part III
Challenges in sector regulation
to get to ultrabroadband
Regulating mobile money/mobile payments
Regulating cloud computing environments
Regulating to encourage IoT apps
Regulating to foster e-education, e-health

14. Requirement for advances
in law, social and economic regulation
with respect to cyberspace
• Mobile money payments – interconnection of mobile
money services in country and cross-border;
consumer rights and consumer protection;
concurrent jurisdiction of multiple regulators eg
electronic communications sector regulator and
banking regulator; collaboration amongst regional
and global regulators
• IoT = regulatory issues = spectrum management
reform (spectrum sharing, dynamic spectrum
assignment/access) addressing and numbering for
“globally addressable things”, competition regulation
to address abuses of dominance, privacy, security
and cybercrime

15. Requirement for advances
in law, social and economic regulation
with respect to cyberspace
• Universality – in e-education, in e-health
– Regulation of TVWS for various uses including but not
limited to e-education in urban and rural areas
– Concurrent jurisdiction and clarity of roles between ec
regulator and health professions regulator
• Consumer protection with respect to cloud services
and privacy issues with respect to personal data
held in the cloud – ex ante consumer protection
includes codes of conduct – require
amendment/refinement and regulatory guidelines or
practice note

16. Addressing cyber risk, advancing cyber security
Questions for investigation:
• How do we advance cyber governance and cyber
security through innovation?
• How do we advance cyber governance and cyber
security through regulation?
• What is the optimal balance between innovation and
regulation with respect to cyber security?
• What is the advantage of creating dedicated
institutions for cyber governance and cyber security?

17. Concluding remarks:
3 points on responsiveness of
the regulatory environment
• Regulation of cyberspace and regulatory
harmonisation across economic regions – SADC,
EAC, COMESA, ECCAS, ECOWAS, other
• Concurrent jurisdiction of regulators – competition
regulator, electronic communications sector
regulator, banking regulator, consumer protection
regulator, information regulator, health professions
regulator, other
• Capacity and knowledge-building: Regular
regulatory position papers published by academics
and practitioners and academic-practitioner forums

18. Thank you - Questions????
luciennesa@gmail.com