INTERNET Solutions faces the loss of equipment worth R540000 as well as a fine by the Independent Communication Communications Authority of SA for using equipment illegally.<\/p>\n
Icasa, the communications industry regulator, has been beefing up the enforcement of the Electronic Communications Act, which requires registration of all signal distribution equipment and reception devices.<\/p>\n
In June last year, Icasa went to IS offices and confiscated three Dragon Wave 24 megahertz wireless transmitters worth R180 000 each. <\/p>\n
The company was then charged by Icasa’s complaints and compliance committee with using equipment that was not type approved.<\/p>\n
The hearings, originally scheduled for last November, were postponed for the second time yesterday. <\/p>\n
Siyabonga Madyibi, director of regulatory affairs at IS, said: “This [prosecution] was essentially a result of a misunderstanding.”<\/p>\n
IS is one of 300 companies that were recently awarded a critical communications services licence allowing it to build its own network.<\/p>\n
The company has about 70 percent of the companies listed on the JSE as customers, and Madyibi said the delay to its testing programme meant it would not be able to introduce new technologies or lower prices.<\/p>\n
“They’ve been dragging their feet in letting us know if we have type approval for the equipment or not, and we assume that it’s because of this process,” Madyibi said.<\/p>\n
Terry Motau, Icasa’s legal representative, said: “The parties met last week in an attempt to reach an amicable solution. Since we could not put this in place we asked for a postponement.<\/p>\n
“We envisage a plea-bargain scenario where the accused pleads guilty and we impose a fine,” Motau said.<\/p>\n
Icasa councillor Kobus van Rooyen said there was a possibility that the committee would not accept the settlement that the parties agreed upon. <\/p>\n