Battle over ICASA's independence

[Newsfeed]

Battle over ICASA's independence

The City Press has reported that the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) and Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams are “at war”.

According to the report, the minister is being accused of “meddling in the independent authority’s work and withholding their funding by refusing to approve its annual performance plan (APP)”.

 

[genetic]

ICASA having balls for once. Good.

 

[DXL]

I sent my comments to the DOC some time now but these clowns will not listen.

We have 9 provinces.
We should have an independent WOAN in each province.
We have 6 companies already that have LTE networks so theres space for 3 new entrants.

Eg. Vodacom wins Limpopo and they must cover 100% of Limpopo with LTE and offer wholesale access to other 8 Operators at cost.

Competition will allow for unlimited number of MVNO.

Each WOAN will be allowed to offer retail as well to their customers countrywide.

We can have almost 9 Operators offering data Services countrywide with another 9 MVNO's so theres more than enough competition.

 

[j4ck455]

The reason, the City Press said, is that Ndabeni-Abrahams wants to save the announcement of 5G cellular networks in the local market and the sale of new spectrum for her own election promises.

I thought Ramaphosa was running for president, is Ndabeni-Abrahams' mugshot also going to be on ballot papers and in what capacity?

As for the "I" in ICASA, everyone knows it means Incompetent and not Independent.

 

[Sabre]

I sent my comments to the DOC some time now but these clowns will not listen.

We have 9 provinces.
We should have an independent WOAN in each province.
We have 6 companies already that have LTE networks so theres space for 3 new entrants.

Eg. Vodacom wins Limpopo and they must cover 100% of Limpopo with LTE and offer wholesale access to other 8 Operators at cost.

Competition will allow for unlimited number of MVNO.

Each WOAN will be allowed to offer retail as well to their customers countrywide.

We can have almost 9 Operators offering data Services countrywide with another 9 MVNO's so theres more than enough competition.

Poorly considered recommendation. Large, poor provinces like Limpopo, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and Mmumpulanga will be exorbitantly expensive to roll out infrastructure, the Network oprator would need income/access to the small, high income areas like Gauteng and Western Cape in order to spread the risk and costs.

 

[WalkWithMe]

I sent my comments to the DOC some time now but these clowns will not listen.

We have 9 provinces.
We should have an independent WOAN in each province.
We have 6 companies already that have LTE networks so theres space for 3 new entrants.

Eg. Vodacom wins Limpopo and they must cover 100% of Limpopo with LTE and offer wholesale access to other 8 Operators at cost.

Competition will allow for unlimited number of MVNO.

Each WOAN will be allowed to offer retail as well to their customers countrywide.

We can have almost 9 Operators offering data Services countrywide with another 9 MVNO's so theres more than enough competition.

Never ever will happen. There is no logic in this. Makes no sense for low density areas. Rural/Low density areas will never cover the costs

 

[Swa]

They've never been independent. That is the real problem.

 

[Geoff.D]

Poorly considered recommendation. Large, poor provinces like Limpopo, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and Mmumpulanga will be exorbitantly expensive to roll out infrastructure, the Network oprator would need income/access to the small, high income areas like Gauteng and Western Cape in order to spread the risk and costs.

And you should add it shows the levels gross ignorance of the subject at hand.

They've never been independent. That is the real problem.

They have hardly ever been able to exercise their independence without interference in complete violation of SAs international commitment in terms our membership of the ITU as contained in the ITU's constitution and incidentally, also in the constitution of the UN.

 

[Ragel]

I sent my comments to the DOC some time now but these clowns will not listen.

We have 9 provinces.
We should have an independent WOAN in each province.
We have 6 companies already that have LTE networks so theres space for 3 new entrants.

Eg. Vodacom wins Limpopo and they must cover 100% of Limpopo with LTE and offer wholesale access to other 8 Operators at cost.

Competition will allow for unlimited number of MVNO.

Each WOAN will be allowed to offer retail as well to their customers countrywide.

We can have almost 9 Operators offering data Services countrywide with another 9 MVNO's so theres more than enough competition.

And those geniuses in government can’t figure this out? Send them an email we would all like cheaper rates.

 

[Ragel]

Again its about licence fees. Does she think it will win voters when they don’t get their salaries because of her pig headed nonsense? Another incompetent person in a position she doesn’t belong

 

[The_MAC]

I sent my comments to the DOC some time now but these clowns will not listen.

We have 9 provinces.
We should have an independent WOAN in each province.
We have 6 companies already that have LTE networks so theres space for 3 new entrants.

Eg. Vodacom wins Limpopo and they must cover 100% of Limpopo with LTE and offer wholesale access to other 8 Operators at cost.

Competition will allow for unlimited number of MVNO.

Each WOAN will be allowed to offer retail as well to their customers countrywide.

We can have almost 9 Operators offering data Services countrywide with another 9 MVNO's so theres more than enough competition.

Sorry, big NO.

Density is the key variable, and it is not consistent.

I will take Gauteng, and you can take rural hilly KZN..

Not to mention the complexity around hand-over between networks and billing..

If it was 100% state-funded, then sure, maybe

 

[DXL]

Sorry, big NO.

Density is the key variable, and it is not consistent.

I will take Gauteng, and you can take rural hilly KZN..

Not to mention the complexity around hand-over between networks and billing..

If it was 100% state-funded, then sure, maybe

4G Spectrum will include at least 10MHZ of 800mhz Band Spectrum and at least 30MHZ of 2600mhz Band Spectrum. Remember there are Cell Masts everywhere in South Africa for 2G services.

So If you have won the Province and your Licence requires you to rollout to far and wide then by all means its what you will need to do. Given that KZN is the countrys second largest contributor to the Fiscus and Business alike we need to take the good with the bad. What we lose on the swings we make on the roundabouts. Remember you will be resaling your services to other Licenced Network Operators so you need to have great coverage everywhere.

 

[Shadowchaser1]

Again incompetence is showing. Not knowing what telecoms is about, is the front runner once again. Don't be surprised if she is not there after the elections. What does not understand is that 5G is already being tested in SA and around the world. The announcement she want to make is maybe for a party they want to hold in near future. They can't even get the digital migration from the ground and I will be surprised if they are on time next year.

 

[Chris.Geerdts]

I see some interesting interactions ahead : https://www.ellipsis.co.za/wp-conte...on-the-Licensing-of-the-WOAN-26-July-2019.pdf