SA to host SADC ICT technical meeting

It will be attended by SADC member-states comprising directors general / permanent secretaries, technocrats, chief executive officers of regional agencies such as the South African Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (SATRA), Southern African Telecommunications Association (SATA), Southern African Post Office Association (SAPOA) and Communications Regulators Association of Southern Africa (CRASA) among others.

The meeting will discuss progress on previous commitments made by SADC governments on ICT matters such as the harmonised spectrum for electronic news gathering and the enhancement of the International Spectrum Management Framework. Other issues to be discussed include the regional approach to implement digital terrestrial television (DTT); digital content development and the technical aspects of DTT.

Progress reports

The meeting will also receive a report on several studies that have been undertaken and a progress report on other initiatives including the following: SADC Home and Away Roaming, HIPPSA study on regional regulatory frameworks, preparations for the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the World Radio communication Conference (WRC) and the updated feasibility study for the SADC Regional Information Infrastructure (SRII).

The director-general of the SA Department of Communications, Mamodupi Mohlala will officially open the permanent secretaries meeting on 11 March 2010. The meeting is in preparation for the SADC ICT Ministerial meeting in May 2010.

Details of the event:

Date: 11 - 12 March 2010
Time: 9am
Venue: The Protea Hotel, OR Tambo International Airport

For more details contact Richard Mantu on mobile +27 (0) 72 488 1520 or via email .