South African Telecommunications Landscape a snapshot

1
South African Telecommunications Landscape- a
snapshot

• Prior to the 1st democratic election
• Postmaster general
• Telkom
• no mobile operator
• Negotiations for the licensing of mobile
  operators
  
• 1993 licensing of MTN and Vodacom, with
  negotiated empowerment requirements and universal
  service obligations
  
• 1994 1st democratic elections
• Telecommunication Policy - managed
  liberalisation
  
• 1996 Telecommunications Act
• Provided for 5 year exclusivity for Telkom
• South African Telecommunications Regulatory
  Association (SATRA)
  

2
South African Telecommunications Landscape- a
snapshot

• 2002 - Licensing of the 3rd mobile operator
  Cell C
  
• 2001-todate Process of licensing the Second
  National Operator
  
• 1998 2000 Merger of the Independent
  Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and SATRA
  
• 2000 - Independent Communications Authority of
  South Africa (ICASA) Act enacted and ICASA
  launched.
  
• Regulate broadcasting and telecommunications in
  the public interest
  
• Established both in terms of the Constitution
  Act, IBA Act and Telecoms Act.
  
• Accountable to the Constitution and the Law
• Independency enshrined in the Act

3
South African Telecommunications Landscape- a
snapshot

• Roles and responsibilities
• Minister
• Develop policy
• Approve through accepting or rejecting or
  referring back a licensing recommendation from
  ICASA
  
• Approve regulations developed by ICASA through
  public consultation
  
• Etc.
• ICASA
• Regulate and license in the public interest
• Develop regulations, conduct a licensing process
  and recommend to the Minister
  
• Impose license conditions
• Collect fees
• Manage the frequency spectrum
• Etc.

4
South African Telecommunications Landscape- a
snapshot

• 2001 Telecommunications Amendment Act
• Created a framework for managed liberalisation
• Allowed for dates to be determined by the
  Minister, which would counteract against the
  exclusivity afforded to Telkom
  
• Also made provision for a multimedia and
  international carrier of carriers licenses
  

5
South African Telecommunications Landscape- a
snapshot

• Universal Service Agency
• Established in terms of the Telecommunications
  Act of 1996
  
• Operated under the auspices of the Ministry of
  Communications
  
• Promote universal service and access
• Conduct market studies
• Advice the Minister and ICASA
• Rollout some ICT projects ranging from
  telecentres, multimedia centres, etc.
  
• Manage the Universal Service Fund
• Through fees 0.2 of the turnover contribution
  by telecommunications service operators,
  collected by ICASA

6
South African Telecommunications Landscape- a
snapshot

• 2004 - Licensing of the Under Serviced Area
  Licenses (USALs)
  
• 2002 licensing of the Multimedia and
  International Carrier of carriers licenses to
  SENTECH
  
• Other operators
• Value Added Network Services
• Private Telecommunication Networks
• September 2004 Ministerial determination
• Enabling mobile operator to self-provide not
  obliged to get their fixed links from Telkom
  
• VANS no longer obliged to get their facilities
  from Telkom and SNO
  
• VANS no longer restricted to provide data only,
  can now provide voice using any protocol
  
• VANS can lease, sublet, assign, cede their
  telecommunication facilities
  
• No longer, only Telkom can provide public
  payphones
  
• Declared e-rate to become operational on 18
  January 2005
  

7
South African Telecommunications Landscape- a
snapshot

• Fixed line subscribers approx. 5 million
• Mobile operator subscribers approx. 22 million
• 2003/4 extended access to 1800 mHz, migrated
  SANDF and SAPS
  
• 2004 licensing access to 3G
• Imposed license obligations

8
South African Telecommunications Landscape- a
snapshot

• Challenges
• Convergence bill, currently under discussion
• High costs of telecommunication
• Interconnection regime for USALs and new
  operators
  
• ICASA amendment bill to be published
• Etc.
• Presented by
• Lumko Mtimde, ICASA Councillor
• 25 July 2005