Electronic Communications Act? Any day now …
ITWeb has reported that the Electronic Communications Act is expected to be promulgated soon:
The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) expects the Electronic Communications (EC) Act to be promulgated within the next couple of weeks.
Spokesman Jubie Matlou says the regulator had expected the EC Act to be promulgated by 1 July, and it is now only a matter of time before president Thabo Mbeki makes an announcement of the implementation date for the Act.
ICASA chairman Paris Mashile recently told Parliament that the authority would need about R57.5 million for the EC Act conversion and postal service integration. This figure excludes human resource costs associated with the conversion, he said.
ICASA will ensure the change in the legislative frameworks causes as little disruption as possible, he adds.
ICASA will publish how the EC Act will be implemented in the Government Gazette, within 30 days of its promulgation, Matlou notes. It will also map out the licence conversion process, conveying the schedule that will be followed, he says.
Work is already underway in anticipation of this legislation coming into effect. This Act changes the framework of the communications industry somewhat. To download a copy of the Act, click on this link.
Update:
The Electronic Communications Act and the Icasa Amendment Act both came into effect today. According to Moneyweb:
Two key pieces of legislation that will help introduce much-needed competition into the telecommunications market become operational on Wednesday.
The department of communications says the presidency had announced the Electronic Communications Act and the Icasa Amendment Act would be in operation as of July 19 2006.
The long-awaited acts will replace a number of other pieces of law, including the archaic and restrictive Telecommunications Act.
The ECA aims to initiate much-needed competition into the until-now monopolised telecommunications space.
“It makes the distinction between sales to subscribers (retail) and market players (wholesale), and gives the industry regulator Icasa more teeth to ensure that competition does indeed take place,??? analyst André Wills previously told Moneyweb.
In line with the Icasa Amendment Act, the postal regulator will no longer form part of the department of communications and instead will fall under Icasa.
“This is terrific news for the country and must be welcomed by the whole sector, both public and private. The commencement of the acts gives us a clear indication for the rapid modernisation of the ICT [information communication technology] sector that would put us at the forefront in the global development of the ICT sector,” said deputy communications minister Roy Padayachie in the statement.
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