The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has announced a phased plan for ICT Sector data collection in South Africa starting with a workshop with industry stakeholders next week Tuesday. The data collection system will replace the multiple reports requirements currently required of licensees according to the regulator.

Willington Ngwepe, chief operating officer at ICASA urged all ICT industry stakeholders to take part in the upcoming process,

"The authority aims to become the authoritative source of ICT sector statistics and data to consumers, government, industry and other stakeholders. To achieve this, ICASA wishes to design and implement an ICT sector data collection system..."

Ngwepe says the first phase of the project will involve the design of the questionnaire and collection of necessary indicators that will cover among others, ITU requirements that ICASA is obliged to collect, measurement of progress towards achievement of SA Connect: Broadband Policy requirements, as well as other indicators that measure the performance of the sector.

The Internet Service Providers' Association (ISPA) regulatory advisor Dominic Cull agrees with Ngwepe about the importance of the exercise.

"The collection is important because we need to have a clear and accurate picture of the current state of the industry – levels of competition, services and the like – if we are going to be able to design appropriate regulation and responses to try and improve things. We are also required through our membership of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to provide them with country-specific data "said Cull.

ICASA has appointed BMI-T to design and implement an ICT sector questionnaire, validate industry submissions and prepare a report on the performance of the sector.

The Authority says it has also entered into a Non-Disclosure Agreement with BMI-T and that all information collected as part of the data collection project would only be used for the purpose for which it was provided.

Proposals for licensing spectrum

Cull reiterated the need for reliable information to ITWeb Africa.

"Information about the ICT sector is needed because in the past we have not had a clear picture of the state of the electronic communications industry and service provision in SA and we need to be scientific in attempting to meet the South Africa Connect targets," says Cull.

"Industry would welcome the appointment of BMI-T as consultants to guide this process as their longstanding knowledge of the development of the industry, as well as technical insights, will greatly assist in bridging the gap between the regulator and industry so that this can be a constructive exercise," he explains.

ICASA published an Information Memorandum for radio frequency spectrum prospective licence to provide mobile broadband wireless access services in South Africa earlier this month and the document is currently under scrutiny from the ICT industry.

Cull has advised that those reading the contents of the information memorandum interact with ICASA directly when they need clarity as it "is vague in places and contradictory in others."

Applications for the radio frequency spectrum licenses within the designated ranges will begin after ICASA issues a formal invitation to interested parties.