The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) wants to set a new trend in the country; the body wants to launch a high-level inquiry into the state of competition in the ICT sector.

The regulator says that the growth of the sector is constantly changing as well as growing and felt the necessity of opting up a separate body which will take care of the implications for the local and international industries.

One area in which these changes are pronounced is in the competitiveness of the electronic communications, broadcasting and postal sectors and the assumption that greater competition will lead to reduction in the cost to communicate.

Another issue is what impact any consolidation of the market will have on the state of competition, the cost to communicate and bridging the digital divide. The question of the assignment of spectrum for broadband will also have an
effect on the state of competition in the ICT sector.

“It is against this background that the Authority is embarking on a wide ranging inquiry to develop a full appreciation of the implication of these unfolding changes and developments on the regulation of competition in the ICT sector,” it
states.