The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has commenced a review of mobile termination rates (MTRs), issuing questionnaires to licensees to submit their input.
HumanIPO reported in January ICASA published new MTR regulations, providing for 50 per cent cuts to rates, as well as substantial asymmetric billing to the detriment of larger operators.
Leading operators Vodacom and MTN launched legal challenges to the new regulations, alleging the regulator had not followed statutory procedural requirements in arriving at the rules and asking the court to delay implementation.
The High Court ruled the regulations were “invalid and unlawful” and ordered ICASA to conduct a full review with the aim of arriving at a new set of regulations by September, though it exercised its discretion in the public interest and allowed the unlawful regulations to be implemented until new regulations are drafted.
ICASA yesterday said it had started conducting a review and had issued questionnaires to licensees seeking information to inform the review process.
The regulator said under the auspices of the three yearly review of MTR regulations, it is required to consider “the wholesale voice call termination markets to which the regulations apply, the effectiveness of competition and the application of pro-competitive measures in those markets”.
Licensees are required to submit responses to the questionnaires by June 13, with ICASA saying the questionnaires ensure the review will be “transparent and fair”.
“In undertaking this process ICASA is carrying out its mandate of protecting consumers and promoting competition in the sector,” the regulator said.
The questionnaire is also available for download on the regulator’s website, and ICASA said it would welcome input from industry players and members of the public.
A questionnaire clarification workshop for licensees will be held tomorrow at ICASA’s head quarters, between 10am and 3pm.
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