The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) has confirmed it is in the process of issuing a licence for the second national operator (SNO).
However, it would not discuss the key areas that would ensure the SNO would compete on equal footing with Telkom.
According to councillor Lumko Mtinde, who also chairs the SNO committee, the Telecommunications Act provides that ICASA ensures the terms of the SNO licence are not less favourable as compared to the current Telkom licence.
ICASA is therefore working on the draft licence that was issued last year to ensure the final document takes into consideration Telkom`s current licence, he says.
Mtinde would not estimate how long the process would take but says ICASA is trying to speed up the process to ensure the SNO licence is issued soon.
The SNO stakeholders have lodged their shareholder agreement and technical plans with the regulator.
"We are therefore considering all documents submitted and viewing them from a regulatory point of view," Mtinde says.
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