Comments on: Icasa drops interconnection fee bombshell

By: dominic

dominic — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:05:25 +0000

@Andrew – ICASA has forced them to back down from their three year glide path to nowhere and now they are trying to occupy the moral high ground by doing what they agreed with the Minister to do in the first place. Perhaps for one of the first times in its history ICASA has achieved something meaningful for telecoms competition in this country.

As to whether ICASA will have the ability to do the work we have to wait and see and it probably will end up in the courts. But at least there is an initial reduction of 36 cents in the meantime (and without the 89c – 85c – 81c insult which was proposed).

Handset Subsidy Regs have morphed into a Code of Conduct on the Sale, Lease, Rental and Subsidisation of Subscriber Equipment (see http://www.ellipsis.co.za/draft-code-of-conduct-on-the-sale-lease-rental-or-subsidisation-of-subscriber-equipment/) which, IMO, is also doomed for failure.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:17:57 +0000

While it is laudable that ICASA has not kowtowed to the networks, the real question is whether ICASA has the necessary muscle and political will to implement the regulations that are required.

it’s a win-win for the networks. ICASA refuses to accept a voluntary reduction, and if its history is anything to go by, will take years to implement any kind of regulation. In addition any draft regulation will be fought tooth and nail by the networks’ bulldog legal teams.

Don’t hold your breath for any consumer relief any time soon.

By the way, what happened to the handset subsidy regulations? .. weren’t they supposed to come into effect in early 2009? What’s that? Withdrawn because of legal pressure from the networks? Surely not?

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:55:35 +0000

ICASA finally comes to the party, and is not being bullied into accepting the meager revenue protection strategy proposed by the MNOs. Big win for the consumer in South Africa (assuming ICASA gets the numbers right of course)

By: Annee

Annee — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:00:01 +0000

And every MLCR operator around the country with sims on site breaths a huge sigh of relief!

By: Editor

Editor — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:22:57 +0000

@dominic: You’re absolutely correct: As I tweeted last night: Icasa has made the right decision here. Regulatory investigation must determine interconnection rates, not the cellphone companies negotiating among themselves. Thumbs up to Icasa. Now let’s hope they regulate this area properly. Duncan

By: dominic

dominic — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:00:34 +0000

@ donovan – whereas the mobile networks which are trying to slime a ridiculous reduction over three years and get ICASA to sanction it are genuinely acting in the interests of consumers?

ICASA have done absolutely the right thing. Unfortunately they now have to do the work required to get a proper reduction, and this is where it all too often goes pear-shaped.

By: Brett

Brett — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:32:05 +0000

Well you didn’t really think it was going to actually happen did you? Banks, telecoms, mining, energy, they all get to do what they want with no interference from the competition board.

The poor sods who do get penalised in the end just pass it on to the consumer

By: donovan

donovan — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:02:03 +0000

Hardly a bombshell. ICASA is known for its obstructiveness, not for its action in the interests of consumers. And SA consumers are known to be consistently disappointed.

By: Anonymous Coward

Anonymous Coward — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:03:59 +0000

!casa!!!!!!!!