Vodacom, SA's largest cellular provider, says the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) will need to supplement its regulations for local loop unbundling (LLU).
The company was presenting its position during public hearings convened by ICASA into how best to implement LLU.
The hearings will aid the regulator in determining a framework for freeing the last mile, which it has to publish next month to meet its deadline. ICASA published a discussion document in June, and invited written comments until the middle of last month.
LLU has been on the cards for the past decade, but has yet to become a reality in SA. Freeing up access to the last mile is seen as vital to stimulate competition, aid economic growth, and push down the cost of communications.
Managing executive of regulatory affairs Pakamile Pongwana told the authority more regulations are needed to deal with issues that have not been defined in the discussion document, such as power, collocation of infrastructure, as well as access and maintenance arrangements.
Vodacom says, in its written response, that the regulations should be limited to access to unbundled facilities, and not access to the network. These regulations will be needed before access to the last mile will become a practical reality, it adds.
In addition, Pongwana says a regulatory impact assessment must be done to determine whether ICASA's objectives will be met, and an audit needs to be carried out on the fixed-line to determine whether it can viably be accessed, as the quality of copper is a concern.
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