The Department of Communications` colloquium to discuss a coherent convergence policy begins in Sandton tomorrow. The two-day colloquium initiates a process expected to result in the adoption of a coherent convergence policy by the end of next year.
After the colloquium, it is expected that a convergence bill will be prepared and tabled in Parliament before the end of the current session. Parliamentary debate should take place in late 2003 and early 2004, with changes also being made to the regulatory regime sometime in 2004 and market changes introduced in 2004 and 2005.
Department of Communications` director-general Andile Ngcaba says in a colloquium pre-briefing on the department`s Web site that he looks forward to "robust debate" and participation in the colloquium. The discussions will include a plenary and breakaway sessions to include the areas of applications, content, infrastructure and services.
Stakeholders are expected to discuss a wide range of questions, including the rules of cross-ownership, reselling of spare capacity, transitional arrangements, the role of the ICT BEE Charter in the new environment, local content regulation, the use of existing infrastructure, TV licence issues in the mobile environment and the effects of the convergence environment on consumers.
Ngcaba says the convergence of technologies and services challenges the existing legislative and regulatory frameworks. Describing convergence as "the integration of IT, computing, broadcasting and telecommunications", the department says it offers both business and social opportunities and challenges.
Ngcaba points out in the briefing that there can be no delays in the development of a comprehensive convergence policy. He says waiting five to ten years to develop a new policy on convergence could result in SA falling behind the rest of the world and becoming marginalised globally.
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