via Potraz finalises compulsory infrastructure sharing draft | The Herald August 20, 2015
THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) is finalising draft rules for compulsory sharing of infrastructure in the telecoms sector following last month’s directive from Government which gave the sector three months to comply. According to Potraz, infrastructure sharing could cut costs by 15 to 30 percent and reduce individual companies’ capital outlay by 60 percent.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa has since expressed concern over high costs of telecommunication services resulting from duplication of investment in infrastructure.
As such, Potraz held its last consultative meeting with the local telecommunication companies in Harare on Tuesday ahead of the last open-house meeting with all the stakeholders at the end of this month.
POTRAZ acting director general Mr Baxton Sirewu said in an interview that after Tuesday’s meeting, only the open-house meeting with all stakeholders will be left before the draft rules are sent to the Attorney General’s office.
“We are now finalising the regulations draft before presenting it to the open house,” he said.
This will entail participation of councils and local authorities.
It is expected that once enforceable, the rules would bring down the cost of telecoms services and promote investment into the sector.
The rules should be ready for implementation before year end.
Potraz contends that sharing infrastructure reduces the time operators require to enter the sector, cuts down barriers and enables Zimbabwe to keep pace with rapid technological developments across the entire world.
Major telecoms companies in Zimbabwe include Econet Wireless, Telecel and State owned mobile operator NetOne, which are mobile networks and TelOne, the State-owned fixed telecommunications company.
A technical expert working group set up by Potraz will examine general principles of sharing, pricing methodology, role of Potraz, role of the Government and its relevant arms.
It will then make recommendations on the modalities of setting up a one stop shop for the establishment of infrastructure sharing.
COMMENTS
I hope it will be done in a fair way. All should have some input in the infrastructure and if not should pay for it. Now knowing Zimbabwe…. no rule of law.
Another ZANU project to steal other peoples property without paying
Zim must be serious about luring investors. Constant tinkering with operating rules/laws scrares away investors. This infrastructure-sharing proposal is grossly unfair to say the least! It’s like getting a bus operator who invested heavily buying buses sharing passengers with another person who simply concencentrates on mobilising passengers and putting them aboad someone’s bus! This is a ‘HWINDI’ situation. Come off it. And is it constitutional?
Same as the laws that made stealing farms legal
Another theft by ZANU. All they want is using the 1’500 towers Econet has put up. Of course free of charge. That is like they would say to a 100 room hotel owner 20 rooms are now ours and we run them, and of course take the profits. Again very investor friendly and then they want to lure investors into the country? Absolute madness.