Electronic Communications Act, 2005 (Act No. 36 of 2005)

Regulations

Reasons Document to the Amendment of the Call Termination Regulations, 2014

5. Concerns raised around the Public Consultation Process followed by the Authority
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5.1 Stakeholders complained that the Authority had not provided them with sufficient and adequate time to analyse the draft regulations, and the impact thereof, in order to make meaningful submissions. They claimed that the short public comment period is prejudicial to interested parties in that only twenty-one (21) days were provided for submissions to be made. They further stated that the proceedings were completed with undue haste.

 

5.2 The Authority's response is as follows:
5.2.1 The Authority initiated this process in January 2017 with the aforementioned cost modelling phase starting on 1 October 2017. There had been numerous one-on-one meetings with stakeholders, in addition to multiple opportunities for stakeholders to make written submissions on the cost modelling exercise, between October 2017 and July 2018. During this consultation period, stakeholders requested extensions on a number of occasions, some of which the Authority acceded to. The Authority considered it important and necessary to have all relevant stakeholders involved in the process. The Authority, therefore, deems that the consultation period consisted of the 10-month consultation period and the 21-day period after the draft Call Termination Regulations, 2018 were published was sufficient for stakeholders to raise their concerns.