Nationalisation spectre lurks in spectrum plans
The integrated ICT policy white paper is a threat to the telecommunications industry
The integrated ICT policy white paper, approved last month by the cabinet, is a threat to the telecommunications industry and must be revisited urgently because it will chase away those investing billions of rands a year into network infrastructure. That's the blunt warning from MTN South Africa CEO Mteto Nyati, who said this week that if the government went ahead with a plan in the white paper to create a single national wireless open-access network, it would result in the creation of a new monopoly, to the detriment of consumers. The white paper has been widely panned by industry players and analysts for requiring that all unallocated mobile spectrum be made available to the new network, and for raising the prospect of operators' existing spectrum allocations - which they've used to build their 2G, 3G and 4G networks - being nationalised. "The white paper introduces uncertainty in the industry ... and will make current players question whether they should be making investments in ...
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