Government's discussions about liberalisation of the telecommunications market do not mean new operators will spring up next year, says ANC MP Kgotso Khumalo.
ITWeb reported last week that Khumalo had said a third fixed-line operator and a fourth mobile operator would be in place by 2009. But Khumalo, a member of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications, says he did not say that.
"The discussion we are having now is at what point we should introduce the third fixed operator and the fourth mobile operator. We are in discussions with the telecoms industry about how we should liberalise the market and that includes discussion about the new operators.
"The impression created by the original story was that by next year the additional operators would be running and that was a bit of a jump. I need to clarify the fact that I did not issue some kind of ministerial directive on the new operators."
A Neotel spokesperson said Neotel had not been formerly informed of any discussions on another network operator in SA.
"Nonetheless, as previously stated, we will always welcome any support measures if they are geared towards driving down the cost of communications in the country; our interests are to the end consumer," he said.
Nokia Siemens Networks, at whose event Khumalo spoke last week, also had no additional comment on the statement reportedly made by the MP.
"Nokia Siemens Networks will respect any decision the South African government makes on the liberalisation of the telecoms industry," said MD Linda Khumalo.
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