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SOUTH AFRICAN DEREGULATION - SITUATION STILL UNCLEAR One of the writers (Daniel Espitia) in our last issue wrote that it was still unclear whether there would be one or two fixed line competitors for Telkom when its exclusivity period ended. A reader responded by saying that Robert Breyer had written in his Opinion column in the October 2000 issue of the SA Computer Magazine that Telkom's exclusivity period will officially terminate at the end of 2002. Breyer wrote:"Until recently, it was a foregone conclusion that this exclusivity period would be extended by another year, if Telkom meets rollout requirements. In 2003 one and only one additional operator would be licensed (the so-called SNO). Much to my surprise, Andile Ncaba, Director of the Department of Communications, recently made my day. He announced that we would have at least two new competitors to Telkom! So there won't be a cosy duopoly, and the great South African rip-off looks likely to end some time after 2002". It appears that Andile Ngcaba, Director General of the Department of Communications, did indeed make this comment at a gathering about a month ago. However according to the terms of its licence, Telkom can still reserve the right to request a sixth year of exclusivity should we make 90% of our roll-out target by the end of March next year. At this point, Telkom's Board of Directors, has not made a decision on whether or not the Company will request the sixth year. In terms of the number of competitors
in the fixed line market, the Government have only recently appointed
their policy advisor (a consortium of Booze Allen, Hamilton and
BMI-Technology). The policy advisors are expected to make their
recommendations by the end of this year. We e-mailed Andile Ngcaba
to clarify the issues but have not yet received a reply. When
there's a reply, you'll be the first to know. Ghana Telecom-GT has announced the suspension of it's GSM mobile service which it launched recently under the brand name : ONE Touch, writes Kwami Ahiabenu II. In a related development the National Communications Authority (NCA) has suspend the mobile telephony license of Ghana Telecom stating that it did so in interest of the general public. Furthermore a mediation committee has being put together by the Ministry of Communications and the NCA to resolve some technical issues as well as concerns raised by the Ghana Association of Mobile Network Operators(GAMNO). ONE Touch accredited agents have therefore been forced to suspend all forms of advertising and the sale of ONE Touch services. But existing customers connected to the network can still use their phones. Meanwhile Ghana Telecom is reported to have concluded the physical infrastructural work for interconnectivity between it and the two other mobile phone operators namely Mobitel and Celltel. Though the revenue sharing component of the interconnectivity agreement is yet to be concluded. Because Ghana Telecom had not concluded interconnection agreement with the other operators before it started operating its US$40 million GSM network a court action was mounted by two members of the Ghana Association of Mobile Network Operators[GAMNO] namely Mobitel and Spacefon to restrain GT from opening its ONE Touch service. Other operators also fear that Ghana Telecom will subside its mobile service from its fixed network profits in order to gain a substantial market lead. The application to restrain
Ghana Telecom from operating its GSM network the Accra High Court
was adjourned to the 20th November 2000. ESKOM-BACKED CONSORTIUM TAKES OVER LESOTHO'S TELCO LESOTHO: Mountain Kingdom Communications,
a consortium dominated by Eskom Enterprises, the venture arm
of South Africa's state-owned electricity utility, is to take
over 70% of the Lesotho Telecommunications Corporation. The consortium,
which also includes Mauritius Telecom and Zimbabwe's Econet Wireless
group, is due to sign the privatisation deal early in November.
NAMIBIA DEREGULATES BY AWARDING 2ND LICENCE TO TELE2 PUBLICON NAMIBIA: Namibia's telecoms
sector is being deregulated with the award of a licence to the
wholly local-owned Tele2 Publicon. Tele2 Communication Group
has a 51% stake in the business, with six other minor shareholders
holding stakes ranging from 14% (in the case of employees) to
5% (the National Property Academy). NIGERIA: SIEMENS WINS ANOTHER NITEL CONTRACT Despite a Committee on Communications
investigation in the House of Representatives designed to break
the monopoly enjoyed by Siemens as the sole equipment supplier
for NITEL (see issue 16), the company has gain won a N2.5bn ($23m)
contract to provide 54,390 digital telephone lines in seven Nigerian
cities. Installation is due to be completed within nine months.
SOUTH AFRICA: SEX MOTIVATES A THIRD OF ALL INTERNET USERS Sex is the subject that over
a third (36%) of South Africa's internet users are most interested
in and women are more inclined to chat and use e-mail than men.
These are just some of the facts revealed in a survey released
by MSN. And they told you that they were using to improve their
mind. Hmmm... I-TOUCH LAUNCHES SHARE PORTFOLIO SERVICE South Africa's iTouch has rolled
out its revamped ShareLINE service locally and internationally.
ShareLINE enables mobile users to personalise the share information
they want to hear each time they call for the latest JSE prices.
Zimbabwe's Supreme Court Wednesday
ruled the state's monopoly in the provision of fixed telecommunications
services as unconstitutional, paving the way for private investors
to enter the lucrative sector. Unless President Mugabe chooses
to ignore the ruling.
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This page last updated on January 28 2004.
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