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Integrated ICT policy nears completion

Staff Writer
By Staff Writer, ITWeb
Johannesburg, 11 May 2016
Minister Siyabonga Cwele says new spectrum policy will support open access networks.
Minister Siyabonga Cwele says new spectrum policy will support open access networks.

South Africa's new integrated ICT policy will be finalised in the next few months. This is according to telecommunications and postal services minister Siyabonga Cwele, who delivered his budget vote in Parliament yesterday.

Cwele admitted that last year, his department had committed to table a new Integrated ICT White Paper before the end of March 2016.

"The policy is in its final stages of consultation and approval as we plan to finalise it in the next few months," he said in his budget speech.

Last month, Cwele told members of the telecommunications and postal services committee that the draft policy would be finalised by June.

The long-awaited policy document should outline government's plans for the rollout of broadband across the country and direct the allocation of spectrum.

"A new spectrum policy will support open access networks as it aims to open the use of high-demand broadband spectrum for use by all licensees, while adequately compensating those who invest in infrastructure."

He said the White Paper also proposes a rapid deployment policy that will provide a "simplified, streamlined and nationally coordinated framework to accelerate the deployment of electronic communications networks"; which will drastically reduce the costs to operators and ultimately consumers.

According to Cwele, the new policy also proposes radical supply side interventions to accelerate inclusive growth of the ICT industry and pushes a movement away from "monopolistic infrastructure-based competition, to open access broadband networks".

Cwele noted the policy is informed by the developments, innovation and convergence of technologies in the ICT sector and is government's tool to implement what is envisaged by the National Development Plan.

"It is based on the equality provisions of our Constitution and introduces a range of interventions to ensure everyone in SA, irrespective where they live or their socio-economic status, can access the benefits of participating in the digital society."

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