Regulator switches tactics, starts consulting telecomms industry
Earlier this week, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) met with representatives of the telecommunications industry in a consultative meeting to discuss the proposed regulations for tariff limits, and another set of regulations to resolve disputes.
In a statement released after the consultations, CRAN said “The proposed regulations prescribing tariff limits for telecommunications services will apply to licensees that are deemed to be dominant operators in the market for national data transmission and for those operators who provide telecommunications services for the pre-arranged connectivity in the form of leased lines. The Regulations apply to managed and unmanaged transmission services (independent of the protocol used such as PDH, ATM or Gigabit Ethernet).”
“The purpose of these regulations is to prescribe price caps, which licensees may charge for leased line and other pre-arranged connectivity” said Festus Mbandeka, the regulator’s Chief Executive Officer.
“CRAN increased the price caps with inflation from the original cost study which was completed in 2015 due to the fact that this decision was to ensure that Telecom Namibia is not negatively affected as a provider of leased lines” he said adding that the effective date of the new regulations is subject to an existing sub-regulation and that this is planned for 01 January 2018.
“This will provide operators in the market enough time to implement the regulations and apply for new tariffs” he said.
The proposed regulations for the Adjudication of Disputes, aim to define the nature and ambit of a dispute that CRAN is required to adjudicate in terms of the Communications Act No. 8 of 2009 and to set out applicable procedures for adjudicating disputes
“The regulations make provision for alternative disputes resolution in the form of mediation and to regulate the procedures for such mediation. The regulations will deal with the procedures for the resolution of complaints and requests for adjudication received by CRAN and will apply to complainants, and service providers” concluded Mbandeka.
