Prof. Alison Gillwald delivered a presentation on the 26th of November before the Parliamentary Committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services as it conducts its public hearings on the Electronic Communications Amendment Bill.
Prof Gillwald made a presentation to the committee on an update on the issues pertaining to the cost to communicate. In particular, the measures introduced in other jurisdictions to reduce the cost to communicate and break duopolies/monopolies; on where a WOAN has successfully been introduced to reduce costs; and on the growing convergence in the ITC sector and how this applies to ICASA’s section 192 role.
Below are our comments drawn from the presentations:
- We congratulate President Ramaphosa’s recent effort to urgently address obstacles in the sector such as the licensing of high-demand spectrum by ICASA and the reintegration of the two Ministries
- Institutional incapacity, policy uncertainty and regulatory inefficiency have, among others, shackled potential of sector to contribute to digital economy.
- Long green and white process holding up rapid deployment, high demand spectrum release and institutional rationalisation only introduce amendments to three Act.
- Still require policy and implementation that cuts across sectors – digital economy vision
