MTN, Vodacom in the clear on collusion charges
The Competition Commission has finally ruled in a case of alleged price fixing by MTN and Vodacom, finding in favour of the two operators. The matter had been under investigation since 2004
The Competition Commission has finally ruled in a case of alleged price fixing by MTN and Vodacom, finding in favour of the two operators. The matter had been under investigation since 2004
Broadcast signal distributor Sentech received a hard rap across the knuckles from members of parliament’s communications portfolio committee on Tuesday for its late distribution of crucial documents. “This is disrespect of the highest order,” ANC MP Eric Kholwane said, after members heard an apology and explanation from Sentech board chairman Quraysh Patel for MPs only receiving copies of his organisation’s revised strategic plan that morning.
Parliament’s portfolio committee on communications called off a meeting it was due to hold with executives from dysfunctional state-owned signal distributor Sentech on Tuesday morning. Sentech flew four company members, including its chairman, Quraysh Patel, to Cape Town this week to present its turnaround strategy to the committee. However, Sentech’s “plan for sustainability” did not reach the parliamentarians until Tuesday morning, giving them no time to review the document ahead of the meeting.
Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille has accused mobile phone operators MTN, Vodacom and Cell C of being “arrogant and unreliable”. Her comments came after the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) turned down a proposed voluntary reduction in interconnection rates received from the three operators on 25 January. “Their proposed reduction of peak-time rates [...]
Vodacom CEO Pieter Uys has denied accusations that the cellular group colluded with rival MTN to hike interconnection fees months before Cell C began operating in an attempt to stunt the then-new player at the start. Politicians, including ANC MP Johnny de Lange and Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille, have accused the two incumbent [...]
The department of communications is considering a cooling off period for councillors of the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) to ensure that they are not simply poached by the industry they regulate. Communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda (pictured), in written reply to a question from Independent Democrats leader Patricia De Lille, said the department “intends [...]
The parliamentary portfolio committee on communications is expected to issue a statement late on Tuesday in which it will call on mobile network operators to reduce interconnection rates to 60c/minute by 1 November 2009, and to 15c/minute by 1 November 2012. It is also expected to outline plans to review the Electronic Communications Act to [...]
The Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) has come under fire in parliament for the time it has taken it to craft regulations needed to bring down high mobile interconnection rates. Responding to a question from Congress of the People MP Julie Kilian over why it has taken the authority more than three years to [...]
There is a strong case for intervention by Icasa to reduce interconnection charges between mobile operators. Here’s what needs to happen for costs to come down, writes Patricia de Lille
Consumers are being duped into believing that mobile call costs are going to plummet once the country’s cellular network operators begin reducing call termination rates, the fees they charge to carry calls on each other’s networks. That’s the view of Jacques du Toit, MD of VoxOrion, a subsidiary of JSE-listed telecommunications group Vox Telecom. “What [...]
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