VoxTelecom, a division of DataPro, the telco and premier Internet service provider, has become the only other South African telecommunications company - barring Telkom - to be granted an international telecommunications licence under the EU`s new "authorisation regime", giving it the ability to interlink with tier one telecommunications operators, such as British Telecoms.
Prior to 25 July, all telecommunications companies operating in the UK had to apply for the appropriate telecommunications licence. This process required companies to apply to Ofcom, the regulator for the UK communications industries, for a licence before being able to operate and supply services to consumers. VoxTelecom, according to Jaco Voigt, Director: VoxTelecom, had this authority - but was reaffirmed as a UK licence-holder when it was awarded a licence under the new authorisation.
The reconstruction and re-issuing of licences comes after the UK implemented a new EU framework for the regulation of electronic communication networks and service providers.
"The difference between the old licensing regime and the new general authorisation regime," explained Voigt, "is that all communications providers will now have a single set of general conditions to comply to."
He said being reaffirmed as an international communications licence operator is "extremely good news" for the company as it places VoxTelecom on par with top tier telcos, like British Telecom (BT) and AT&T, to allow it to interconnect with their network infrastructures, thereby enabling optimum call routing internationally for its customer base.
"Big operators like BT are not obliged to interconnect with any business. The fact that VoxTelecom has been granted this licence means that the big players like BT are compelled to allow us to route our traffic via their networks. It is good news for our customers as their calls are routed via the most advanced global networks ensuring superior call quality. Our telco licence also gives us a competitive edge in the local market by enabling us to deliver a quality service at the most cost-effective pricing."
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