The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) on Monday tabled its comments and understanding of ministerial determinations in the telecoms sector and announced the schedule to be followed ahead of February 1.
This comes as a result of Icasa’s two-day colloquium — held in October — meant to engage the telecommunications sector on the scope of the determinations by Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri.
“In addition to the colloquium, over 30 written submissions were received from licencees and interested parties documenting their views on the impact of the ministerial determinations,” Icasa said in a statement.
Icasa acknowledges that the determinations are the product of a policy trajectory that was begun in 1996. The determinations facilitate further liberalisation of the South African telecommunications sector and offer consumer benefits.
Based on an internal audit of regulatory amendments, the regulator has established a work programme that will result in final amended regulations being forwarded to Matsepe-Casaburri, by January 21.
According to the programme, the amended VANS Regulatory Framework will be expedited through a fast track process in the public interest with the intention to have applicants licensed before February 1.
Icasa also said several regulations required, with the exception of the interconnection and facilities leasing guidelines or regulations, will be gazetted for public comment by November 29, after which public comment will be due for submission by January 7, 2005.
The regulator is working towards drafting new interconnection guidelines — for both data and voice — in relation to the liberalised framework.
“A final programme for the interconnection and facilities leasing guidelines will be made public shortly, subject to finalisation. It is the authority’s intention that this framework is finalised no later than February 28,” the communications regulator noted. – I-Net Bridge