Menu
Advisory

Call for comment on Call Termination Amendment Regulations

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has called for comment on the draft Call Termination Amendment Regulations 2018 (draft Regulations), published in terms of section 67(8) of the Electronic Communications Act 36 of 2005.

As indicated by ICASA, the draft Regulations seek to reduce call termination rates – this being the price that mobile and fixed network operators charge each other for terminating calls between networks – through the following proposed interventions:

  • A glide path period, where a charge for terminating a call on mobile and fixed location would be 12c and 8c respectively, from October 2018 to September 2019; 10c and 5c for the period October 2019 to September 2020; and 9c and 3c from October 2020 onwards. According to ICASA, it used both top-down and bottom-up cost models to inform its determination of the cost for call termination in this regard. In this regard, ICASA seeks comment from stakeholders on what the reasonable level for termination rates for the duration of the glide path period (and/or beyond) should be.
  • Asymmetry for small players and new entrants for the duration of the three-year glide path. The asymmetry for mobile services is proposed to be at 5c from October 2018 to September 2020; and 4c from October 2020 onwards. Asymmetry for fixed services is proposed to be 1c from October 2018 to September 2020; and fall away completely from October 2020 onwards. Similarly, ICASA seeks comment from stakeholders on the justification for the granting of asymmetry, whether or not it should be granted for the duration of the glide path period (and/or beyond), and the reasonable level for such asymmetry.

The deadline for comment is 7 September 2018, and should be emailed to [email protected].

The draft Regulations are accessible here.

A brief overview by ICASA is accessible here.

Please note: The information contained in this note is for general guidance on matters of interest, and does not constitute legal advice. For any enquiries, please contact us at [email protected].

Related Posts