Public Consultative Workshop on Proposed Definitions of Universal Access and Service

The Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) will host a Consultative Public Workshop on 2&3 April 2009 in Johannesburg.

The main objective of the workshop is to solicit public input from interested and affected parties and organisations on the definitions of universal access and universal service, needy persons and under-serviced areas.

USAASA has published a Draft Position Paper in the Government Gazette No. 32048 dated 20 March 2009, which summarises the responses of 16 respondents to the Discussion Paper published  in August 2008, which set out proposed definitions of “universal access”, “universal service”, “under-serviced area” and “needy person”, as required by Chapter 14 of the Electronic Communications Act, 2005.

USAASA decided to convene the two-day public workshop in order to afford the respondents and other affected parties an opportunity to present their final input into the process before the recommendations are submitted to the Minister for consideration.

Enquiries: Trevor Nivi, USAASA, Tel: (011) 564-1600, trevor@usaasa.org.za