Call termination rate discussions drag on

ICASA is set to meet with various licensees over call termination

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) held public hearings in relation to the Draft Call Termination Regulations from 28 to 30 June 2010.

At the public hearings the regulator granted licensees the opportunity to request a meeting with ICASA to discuss certain confidential matters relating to the debate around call termination.

ICASA said that they are planning to meet with Neotel, Vodacom, Telkom, Nashua Mobile, Cell C and MTN over the next two weeks to discuss “confidential matters around call termination”.

“These meetings are at the behest of the above licensees who wish to share with ICASA confidential information as an outcome of issues raised during the public consultation process on the draft call termination regulations,” ICASA said in a press statement.

In April ICASA surprised many South Africans when it proposed that mobile termination rates should be reduced to R 0.65 from July 2010 and further reduced to R 0.40 from July 2012.  The regulator further proposed that fixed termination rates are to be reduced to R 0.15 from July 2010 and further reduced to R 0.10 from July 2012.

The regulator was widely commended for showing some teeth in its Draft Call Termination Regulations, but the continued discussions (and hence delays) regarding interconnect rates unfortunately reveals a more familiar face of ICASA.

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