The findings of data inquiries being undertaken by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) and the Competition Commission are on track for publication in June and August respectively, Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Dr Siyabonga Cwele said on Thursday.
Delivering the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services’ budget vote for the year ahead, he explained that Icasa’s planned release, next month, of the findings of its Priority Market Study should list markets prone to ex-ante regulation and priority markets to be subjected to market review processes.
“We have urged Icasa to prioritise the broadband data market because 'data must fall' and we must work together to achieve this goal,” he said, noting that the department’s cost to communicate programme has been progressing well.
In July 2017, Icasa launched a probe into priority markets in the electronic communications sector as part of various initiatives to tackle the high costs of communication in South Africa.
Further, the commission’s findings into a market inquiry into the high costs of data are due for publication by August.
“Businesses and consumers will be waiting in anticipation for the outcome of the commission's inquiry into data costs,” Cwele said.
The commission launched its inquiry in August 2017 with the publication of the terms of reference for the market inquiry into the state of competition in the data services market following a series of 'data must fall' social protests and public outcry over the high costs of data.