Individual Licence Database Query

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Paul Hjul

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I was having a look at ICASA's database of ECA individual licence holders and found a very peculiar anomoly in the List of Individual-ECS and Individual-ECNS Licensees Database: Telkom and Vodacom are not listed as having both IECNS and IECS licences which they require to conduct their services, Telkom is listed as having an IECS licence but the ECNS is missing which is vital for them to have the copper network. My gut is that ICASA made a clerical error and that the list is simply wrong but it may be that the list was drawn up based on returns and fees being paid and so on. Either way it is a regulatory anomoly that should be looked into. I have emailed the two officials at the company who are listed as responsible and CC'd the regulator both emails. It might be an interesting story.

Dr Barendze

I am writing to you to inquire as to Telkom's IECNS licence as the regulator ICASA on their listing from 2011 of individual licences in terms of the ECA has a notable absence with respect to Telkom holding an IECNS licence. The database has been presented to the public and media at the following URL:

https://www.icasa.org.za/Legislatio...l/ItemDetails/mid/949/ItemID/183/Default.aspx

I am fairly certain that the absence of a listing for Telkom as having an IECS and IECNS licence is a result of an oversight and that the database does not correctly reflect the situation although it is not clear where the oversight arises. Moreover the anomaly showing up in the database could reflect a problem which is in the public interest to be known - such as non-payment of an annual fee - and therefore warrants further inquiry, which I am now doing. If you could kindly email me a copy of Telkom's IECNS licence and investigate as to why Telkom is not listed as having one on this database.
I have CC'ed ICASA (on the [email protected] address) as it is their database which gives rise to the query.

I will be publishing a copy of my email to you (and ICASA) to the MyBroadband forum together with my email in a similar vain to Vodacom who have an inverse problem - namely a missing reference to a IECS licence.

Yours Sincerely
Paul Hjul
Click to expand...

and to Vodacom
Mr Nyoka

I am writing to you to inquire as to Vodacom's IECS licence as the regulator ICASA, on their listing from 2011 of individual licences in terms of the ECA, has a notable absence with respect to Vodacom holding an IECNS licence. The database has been presented to the public and media at the following URL:

https://www.icasa.org.za/Legislatio...l/ItemDetails/mid/949/ItemID/183/Default.aspx

I am fairly certain that the absence of a listing for Vodacom as having an IECS and IECNS licence is a result of an oversight and that the database does not correctly reflect the situation although it is not clear where the oversight arises. Moreover the anomaly showing up in the database could reflect a problem which is in the public interest to be known - such as non-payment of an annual fee - and therefore warrants further inquiry, which I am now doing. If you could kindly email me a copy of Vodacom's IECS licence and investigate as to why Vodacom is not listed as having one on this database.
I have CC'ed ICASA (on the [email protected] address) as it is their database which gives rise to the query.

I will be publishing a copy of my email to you (and ICASA) to the MyBroadband forum together with my email in a similar vain to Telkom who have an inverse problem - namely a missing reference to a IECNS licence.

Yours Sincerely

Paul Hjul
Click to expand...
 
A couple of years ago, but I don't that provides any explanation for this.
 
it will be a very very bad day at the office for some people if it has happened that the licence has been irrationally split. I think if its the case I will have to offer Mr Barendse a beer after giving him hell at both the LLU hearings and for poking at this bear. Interestingly the have his name spelt differently on the list to on Telkom's page
 
>>My gut is that ICASA made a clerical error

why look further than that?
ICASA has not yet proved capable of maintaining an accurate database of service or frequency licensees (which is kind of core functionality). I can assure you that both of those entities have valid IECS and IECNS licences

Dr Barendse afaik
 
The database has the name with a z which also likely an error.

The list being wrong is a problem, the possibility that the error arises because of a licensing fee issue (the compiler of the list basically listing licenses for which they have processed a check list) makes it more interesting.
 
Paul Hjul said:
The database has the name with a z which also likely an error.

The list being wrong is a problem, the possibility that the error arises because of a licensing fee issue (the compiler of the list basically listing licenses for which they have processed a check list) makes it more interesting.
Click to expand...

sorry - list has never been right
licence fees would be paid on IECNS + IECS licence combined, i.e. due by the licensee not by the licensee per licence
 
I have my doubts as to whether those databases are complete and whole.
While doing some enquries of a similar nature on licenses, other entities have also not popped up, but I know they have a license.
And it's not a case of "classified entities being hidden under different names" either.
 
MickeyD said:
It is possible... they had the same licence.
Click to expand...

nope
Telkom - public switched telecommunications network/service (PSTN / PSTS) licence
Vodacom - mobile cellular telecommunication service (MCTS) licence

each of these got converted into a IECNS + IECS circa Jan 2009 so both companies have their own licence pair
 
2 working days later and no response from Vodacom or ICASA - not an acknowledgement of receipt which I was expecting from ICASA. Telkom however replied by mid-afternoon yesterday. The emphasised "that at no stage has ICASA instituted proceedings as required by law for either the revocation, suspension, cancellation or withdrawal of Telkom’s licences" and confirmed that Telkom "all times made timeous payments". They also furnished me with a copy of the two licences which arose at the end of the conversion process in 2009. All and a very professional reply given quickly and efficiently, also - especially considering the query was from . If I'd give a score for Telkom regulatory service team it would be 8 out of 10 - they lost 1 point for not having an official rep on MyBB and 1 point for not pointing out that the database has a name spelt wrong :D.

I'll give ICASA at least two weeks before writing to them to ask why their database is clearly wrong.
 
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