DStv competitors licensed by 2014: Treasury

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) is to finalise licensing of additional broadcasting services during the 2013/2014 financial year, according to the Estimates of National Expenditure document for communications (vote 27).

Licensing of more broadcasters will promote competition by enabling new entrants to participate in the broadcasting sector and remove bottlenecks to competition, the document said.

ICASA is expected to use consultants to assist in finalising the licensing of these additional broadcasting services, with the Treasury document revealing that it is estimated that the regulator will spend R31.9-million on consultants.

This is the equivalent of 16.3% of the allocation for spending on compensation of employees at ICASA during the 2012/2013 financial year, Treasury said.

In addition to helping finalise the licensing of new broadcasting services, consultants are also used to provide “specialised skills and capacity” to help develop the roadmap for the licensing of spectrum to support government’s “Broadband for All by 2020” vision.

Consultants will develop a “two-phased proposal on frequency migration strategy” that will feed into the roadmap, Treasury said.

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