regulation

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has issued a discussion document aimed at implementing a regulatory framework for Internet protocol television (IPTV).

Steven Ambrose, an analyst at World Wide Worx, says the IPTV could be a nonstarter until there is broadband access and also fibre to homes and gated areas.

“Few people in South Africa have access to high-speed Internet at home. The current high-speed Internet service is not good enough for IPTV. There should be uncapped bandwidth for IPTV,” explains Ambrose.

The Botswana Thetha ICT Discussion Forum will be held on 10 March 2010 at the Gaborone Sun in Gaborone, Botswana.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has hinted that it could take on cellphone operators over ‘astronomical’ pay-as-you-go rates.

ICASA chairperson, Paris Mashile, told Parliament's portfolio committee on communications that there is an urgent need for competition in the pay-as-you-go market, which is used mainly by the poor.

Mashile pointed out that, "This is an area we have got to delve into and find out what we have to do to make it competitive, in terms of the prices coming down."

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has approved a cut in the rate charged by the three main cellphone operators to connect calls between networks.

Vodacom, MTN and Cell C last month filed an agreement with ICASA proposing a cut in the peak interconnection rate from R1.25 to 89 cents on March 1.

ICASA rejected the plan because it would have forced it to agree to a fixed gradual reduction over three years.

Communications Minister, Siphiwe Nyanda, has secured a saving for consumers from cellphone operators, which have agreed to an initial 36 cents cut in the peak mobile termination rate, from R1, 25 to 89 cents a minute.

Vodacom and Cell C will implement the cut from February and MTN on 1 March 2010, but all have agreed to introduce new, affordable retail products based on reduced rates from December 1.

Cellphone companies, MTN South Africa and Vodacom, have agreed to lower cellphone termination rates.

In a press statement, "MTN can confirm that an agreement has been reached with Vodacom, and is pursuing bilateral negotiations with Cell C and other operators."

MTN says the bilateral negotiations took place in terms of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) regulations, which had oversight over the process.

The Zambia Thetha ICT Discussion Forum will be held on 28 October 2009 at the Golfview Hotel in Lusaka.

The event forms part of a series of regional events that SANGONeT is hosting in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Botswana.