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South Africa: Auditor Studying USAL Applications Print E-mail
Tuesday, 17 May 2005
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) is waiting for the report of an external auditor on the applications for under-serviced area licenses (USALs) before proceeding with the licensing process.

The deadline for applications for the second round of USALs was extended from February 21 to April 22 by communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri to give enough time to carry out a series of awareness raising road shows in the regions where they are due to be awarded. The second round of USALs will be awarded in the following regions: two districts in each of the Limpopo, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West provinces, for 14 municipalities.

According to ICASA councillor Phineas Moleele, project manager for USALs, the regulator expects the auditor's report by next week at the latest.

"The auditors will study the bids in terms of the requirements laid down in the invitation to apply (ITA) and their report will highlight any challenges that have been picked up in the bids," he says.

"Once we have studied the report, ICASA will then make an announcement regarding the number of bids received and the number that qualify to apply for a USAL."

Moleele says that when ICASA makes this announcement, the next step in the process will be the opening of bids for public inspection and written comment, after which public hearings on the second round of bidding will be held.

The USALs form part of government's commitment to a liberalised telecommunications sector, and will ultimately see small operators being established to serve 27 areas with a very low telecom service penetration, of which six have so far been licensed.

Source: ITWeb