management , developers and operators face were discussed .
The challenges were :
• some property developers not making provision for telecommunication
• home owners and residents not taking up services
• landowners not understanding the proposed Communications Act
• a lack of information around how to connect your development
• operators ’ installation expenses .
It was made apparent that each sector works in isolation , and this creates ineffectiveness and loaded costs . Although the collaboration would be a framework developed within the private sector , the role of municipalities and building regulators was highlighted .
CAMPAIGN 2 – COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR AROUND FIBRE PRE-DEPLOYMENT Taking on board lessons learned in webinar 1 , Estate Living engaged with the public sector , driving interest in collaboration with the National Home Builders Registration Council ( NHBRC ) and the South African Local Government Association ( SALGA ), and offering them the opportunity for a round table discussion with property developers , community management and operators . Webinar 2 enabled all parties to highlight their challenges and get a better understanding of how a collaboration could work . Based on engagement and survey responses , property developers , if given the right framework , would make provision ; however , they don ’ t necessarily want to take on the role or costs of the operator .
CAMPAIGN 3 – THE OPPORTUNITY THAT FIBRE PRE- DEPLOYMENT CAN OFFER A DEVELOPER , AND THE WAY FORWARD In the final webinar of the 2020 series , we engaged with two developers who see fibre as a utility like water and electricity . They are developing large-scale sustainable communities with fibre infrastructure as their backbone . This webinar highlighted the possibilities for developers to make provision – possibilities that go way beyond just internet connectivity but also include renewable energy and security of supply . In the feedback session , it was made apparent that the developer market is in need of specification guidelines .
CONCLUSION Property developers in South Africa answer different income needs ; what is noticeable is that property developers who have an established record and cater to a buyer in a higher income group were the first to identify that fibre is a utility like water and electricity . But how this rolls out is still an unknown factor , and each development is isolated . Some developers are taking on the role of developer and operator ; others use the services of an operator or defer this decision until the homeowners association comes into play .
New developers in the retirement sector , such as Cosmo Developers , are only now starting to include fibre infrastructure , with Waterkloof Marina being their first project .
However , the challenges remain the same ; whether the developer makes provision or not , the competitiveness between operators and pre-COVID slow uptake in some communities have created inefficient and costly environments .
Moving forward , the collaboration framework should look at :
• cost management agreements between government , operators and developers
• educational campaigns that drive service uptake within communities
• access to infrastructure information and specifications
• the reduction of roadblock to market , such as lengthy and costly municipality permissions
• a strategy around access to infrastructure on the urban edges
• installation training and job opportunities
• education around technologies such as 5G . estate-living . co . za
59