What worries Busa about contentious electronic communications bill
Licensees will no longer have an incentive to invest and innovate to differentiate their networks as they will be subject to open access, the body says
Business Unity SA (Busa), which represents organised business, has urged MPs to review controversial proposed legislation to regulate infrastructure sharing in the telecommunications sector, saying it will create uncertainty and probably put off investors. One of the contentious proposals in the Electronic Communications Amendment Bill is the establishment of a wireless open-access network (Woan), which the government says is aimed at driving down communications costs by facilitating entry of more players. The government says the bill is also intended to improve competition, regulation and infrastructure sharing in the sector amid a spectrum crunch. The high cost to communicate in SA has been blamed largely on lack of competition and the spectrum crunch. Mobile giants including Vodacom and MTN have previously voiced concern about the proposal to reserve most of the high demand for Woan and the suggestions that the government would take away spectrum already assigned to operators. Th...
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