Legal clarity on wireless Internet access is one step closer to a reality today as the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA), the telecoms regulator, holds public hearings in Sandton on submissions it received from the industry.
Industry players have expressed increasing frustration on the issue, which remains uncertain because it is not explicitly covered in the Telecommunications Act. Wireless networking is one of few remaining growth areas in networking, according to research groups, but the opportunity is dwindling as competition increases and prices drop.
Meanwhile, recent developments suggest that hotspots are proliferating, with M-Web, Wireless G and other service providers piloting sites they say are getting a lot of interest.
The regulator invited written submissions in a discussion document in June. More than a month after the deadline for submissions, the body meets today with stakeholders and interested parties to hear oral submissions.
Lisa Thornton of Lisa Thornton Inc, a law firm specialising in information and communications technologies, says the ICASA proceeding is in terms of section 27 of the Telecommunications Act, and therefore ICASA will publish findings and recommendations, but these will not necessarily be binding.
This morning`s agenda includes oral submissions by Telkom, MTN, the Internet Service Providers` Association and Cell C. This afternoon, M-Web, Vodacom and Eskom (Esi-Tel) and Transtel - the state-owned enterprises within the second national operator, will fill out submissions.
Written submissions can be viewed on ICASA`s Web site.
The full list of submissions on ICASA`s site includes: Cell C, Chille Internet Hotspot Services, Cisco Systems, Eskom/Transtel, D-Link, Bridges.org, Intel, Internet Solutions, Internet Service Providers` Association (ISPA), Motorola SA, MTN, M-Web, Ross Orwin (Independent), Spectra Consulting, Tel-net-com Consulting, T-Systems, Vodacom, Telkom and Wireless G.
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