Carrim urges SA operators to work with ICASA

HumanIPO reported earlier this month the High Court in South Gauteng ruled in favour of legal claims by Vodacom and MTN that the new MTR regulations published by the ICASA are “invalid and unlawful” – the regulator having failed to follow statutory procedural requirements in constructing the regulations.

However, exercising the court’s discretion in the public effort, the judge ruled the regulations – which cut MTRs by 50 per cent and impose asymmetric billing to the detriment of the larger operators – would be implemented on April 1 for a period of six months pending review of the regulations by ICASA and the drawing up of properly researched regulations.

Carrim called on operators to assist ICASA in drawing up these regulations.

“Clearly, the costs have to come down. It’s not just in the interests of the poor and disadvantaged but the economy as a whole. We urge the mobile operators to cooperate with ICASA in providing the necessary information and in other ways to ensure that this process is finalised expeditiously,” said Carrim.

Carrim made the call after meeting ICASA to discuss progress on MTRs, the broadband value chain analysis study, and measures required to implement SA Connect, the country’s broadband policy.

“We received a report from ICASA on progress and are reasonably satisfied. They requested more resources from us and we agreed in principle to give them appropriate support,” said Carrim.
“We remain fully supportive of ICASA’s work on lowering the cost to communicate, without, of course, interfering in its independence. In fact, a major issue raised in the public hearings on the ICT Green Paper throughout the country has been the high cost to communicate. And, of course, the parliamentary committee is unanimous in its support for the ICASA regulations.”