ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS ACT: ICASA ANNOUNCES NEXT STEP IN REMEDYING CALL TERMINATION MARKET FAILURE

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has announced the commencement of the next phase of a process intended to close gaps in pro-competitive remedies imposed on licensees in terms of the 2014 call termination regulations.

Following a review of the effectiveness of these regulations, ICASA published a document identifying areas in which market failures were found to persist – and determining how most effectively to address them. Three interventions are planned:

  • mobile termination rates will move to symmetry within a transitional period of twelve months
  • new licensees will qualify for asymmetry for a limited period of three years after market entry, and
  • licensees will be required to charge reciprocal international termination rates for voice calls originating outside South Africa.

During the phase of the process now in progress, the most efficient cost of providing wholesale voice call termination services will be determined.

This ‘cost modelling phase’ will begin with a request for information from licensees, focusing on ‘the structure and population of top-down and bottom-up cost models’. Workshops and other consultations will follow – feeding into the preparation of draft regulations, which will be released for stakeholder comment. The final regulations will be informed by input received.

Government Gazette notice on ‘cost modelling phase’

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

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