15years@ .org.za

15years@
.org.za
Before there was ISPA
   African Internet Development
Action Team
Four meeting of SA ISPs held
in 1995
Issues:
 Peering
Domain names
 Telecomms legislation
 ISPA has endured through...
3 major overhauls of comms legislation
 Pre-Telecoms Act
 1996 Telecoms Act
 2005 Electronic Communications Act
3 regulators
 Ministry of Posts & Telecomms
 SATRA
 ICASA
5 (and a bit) ministers
 Pallo Jordan (1994 – 1996)
 Jay Naidoo (1996 – 1999)
 Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri (1999 – 2009)
 Manto Tshabala-Msimang (acting, 2009)
 Siphiwe Nyanda (2009 – 2010)
 Roy Padayachie (2010 – )
And an increase in the number of Telcos
from just one to ±500.
Three phases of ISPA
 Early (1996-2000)
   Middle (2000-2005)
   Mostly fighting Telkom, establishment of INXes
Dotcom bubble, some common bad ideas
Expanding focus on regulatory
More activities (e.g. Teacher Training, Code)
Last (2005-2011)
 Mature organisation, recognised by government
 Increased partnerships, more activities (antispam)
Some highlights
 JINX and CINX
 A delicately balanced success story
Some highlights
 Members taking the moral high-ground
   Charging interest on overdue fees
Occasionally not fighting Telkom
Meeting inspiring people, seeing companies
grow
 Visiting ±200 ISPs
 Roadshows (900 km and 8 visits in just two days)
A few lowlights
 Very long meetings
 Personal threats of litigation
 Dealing with crazy people
Complainant: “I have disproved many
Nobel Prize wining economics models,
and many physics science models,
including Einstein’s Energy &
Relativity theories, Stephen Hawking’s
Big Bang theories, Edwin Hubble's
Expanding Universe at near speed c
theories, etc."
Serial spammer: “please tell your
members to stop being so rude to me”
Future
 Building a closer relationship with government
 Transformation and supporting entrepreneurs
 More business focus on ISPA's INXes
Postscript...