The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) hopes to make its recommendations for the first 10 underserviced area licences (USALs) to the minister by 6 April, even though its deliberations were unexpectedly halted earlier this week.
According to ICASA`s USAL project manager, Phineas Moleele, the regulator has received the additional information it requested from the 14 bidders, following the public hearings conducted in February.
"The deliberations were due to begin on Tuesday, but one of our councillors suffered a family tragedy, so we halted the deliberation process out of respect to her," says Moleele.
"We are hoping to continue with our deliberations during the course of next week, but we will have to see how it goes, as we do not wish to appear insensitive."
He says that despite the delay in the process, ICASA aims to make its recommendations to minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri by 6 April.
"Although it`s difficult to set specific times to processes such as these, we will certainly endeavour to deliver our recommendation to the minister by then, and we definitely hope to have the USAL process completed before the second half of the year."
The 27 USALs that are ultimately to be issued form part of the government`s ongoing liberalisation of the telecommunications market, with the aim being to license small operators to serve certain areas with low penetration of telephones.
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