The wireless open access network (WOAN) will come under the spotlight this week when parliament’s telecommunications and postal services committee holds its public hearings on the Electronic Communications Amendment Bill.
Role players in the telecommunications sector will be making oral presentations from today (26 November until Friday (30 November).
The Bill was tabled before the National Assembly by the former Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services Siyabonga Cwele, and seeks to amend the Electronic Communications Act of 2005, to provide for transformation of the sector through enforcement of broad-based black economic empowerment.
It also provides for, among other things, lowering of cost of communications, reduction in infrastructure duplication and encouragement of service-based competition through wireless open access networks.
Today (26 November), the committee will hear presentations from Professor Allison Gilwald on cost-to-communicate, the Independent Communication Authority of South Africa, Broadband Infraco, South African Local Government Association and Business Unity South Africa.
Tomorrow (27 November), Sentech, Smile, South African Communications Forum, Liquid Telecoms, Internet Service Providers Association, Wireless Access Providers Association, ABT Africa and the National Association of Broadcasters will make their presentations.
Cell C, MTN, Progressive Blacks in Information Communication Technologies and, the Youth Economic Alliance will make oral presentations on Thursday (29 November)
On Friday (30 November), the committee will hear presentations from Telkom and Vodacom.