Various communications organisations plan to create an umbrella body to represent telecommunications users` interests. The provisionally named Communications Users Association of South Africa (CUASA) is looking for input from potential members to help it form its identity and identify its role.
"No one has been able to stand up and speak with one voice across all industry sectors on issues such as price increases and service levels, policy and legislation and regulation," CUASA said in a statement last week. "The increasing pace of change in telecommunications and telecommunications usage, coupled with the growth of factors such as convergence and the Internet, mean that the matter has to be addressed with urgency."
"We found that there is a need for a new group to represent the interests of users," says convening committee chairman Mike van den Bergh, who is also the chairman of SAVA, the SA Value-added Network Suppliers Association. SAVA, the National Telecommunications Users Group and the SA Telephony Managers Association form the backbone of the new body.
Van den Bergh says the name was deliberately chosen not to exclude data and broadcast transmissions, as these are areas it plans to cover.
A number of businesses and corporates are involved in the formation of CUASA, as is the SA Chamber of Business, and the convening committee hopes that the small and medium enterprise sector will also become involved. Association with consumer organisations that can represent individual and home users is also being investigated.
CUASA sees itself as a vehicle to put pressure on operators and regulators to lower tariffs on services. Van den Bergh says the organisation will not be a "quiet" one. "We certainly see it as a pressure, advocacy and lobbying group that can speak with a coherent voice."
The group is conducting a survey of potential members on its Web site at www.cuasa.org.za, to determine what role it should play with regards to the industry, government and regulators. The survey will run until 11 August.
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