The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) appears to have met telecommunications companies halfway in the setting of the annual licence fee payable to the regulator.
The new fee, owed by broadcasters and network providers who require licences from ICASA, is connected to the amount of revenue each licensee makes.
HumanIPO reported in January the Internet Service Provider’s Association (IPSA) were unhappy with ICASA’s proposal to lift the fee from 0.1 per cent of revenue to 0.75 per cent. In the finalised regulations companies that produce more than ZAR1 billion (US$108 million) in revenue from licensed services will pay 0.35 per cent to the regulator.
There are four other categories which slide down to a minimum percentage of 0.15 for those producing less than ZAR50 million (US$5.4 million) in revenue.
Licence holders are required to submit their financial statements calculating how much they owe within six months of their financial year end.
The post in the Government Gazette also states any company’s failure to pay their annual licence fee will result in the suspension of their licence by the authority and possibly a fine not exceeding ZAR1 million (US$108,000).
