Regulation – Research ICT Solutions

20 May 2022

Australia’s readiness for the metaverse

by Steve Esselaar Digital economy, Regulation, Weekly News

RIS has been investigating what future networks are going to look like. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR) will require massive increases in computational efficiency and is collectively known as the metaverse. An immersive, metaverse experience requires low latency. While download speeds are one component, latency is probably the most important. Generally, fixed fibre networks have far lower latencies than wireless. Except in Australia. Why? The biggest complaint from Australian telco’s is the role of the National Broadband Network (NBN). The wholesale market is dominated by the NBN. The process to build the NBN was initiated in 2009 and […]

17 Mar 2021

D.R. Congo: International Bandwidth Tax

by Steve Esselaar Digital economy, Digital trade, Regulation, Taxation

RIS has just completed an analysis of the proposed International bandwidth tax in D.R.Congo. In January 2021, operators were notified that they were required to pay a 5% fee on all international bandwidth. Our analysis shows that 47 countries in Africa use more international bandwidth per capita than D.R. Congo and 44 are cheaper for a basic 300 MB basket per month. 10MB per day for a month, i.e., 300MB, costs 4.6% of the average GNI per capita per month in the D.R. Congo, double the target of the 2% affordability target of the Broadband Commission. The result of an international bandwidth […]

08 Dec 2020

Data Price Floor Regulation in the Context of Universal Service in Africa

by Steve Esselaar Regulation

RIS’s latest report is on the role of price floor regulation in the digital era. Fair competition will result in the optimal mix of investment in network infrastructure and affordable prices for end users. Price controls can be important tools for ICT regulators to establish and maintain fair competition. Price ceilings, at cost plus an appropriate profit margin, have been used successfully to limit the misuse of market power and are used for monopoly services, such as access to national backbone networks and submarine cable landing stations. Price floors have been used to prevent predatory pricing and club effects by […]

25 Nov 2020

Rethinking Regulation in the Digital Era

by Steve Esselaar OTT Regulation, Regulation, Taxation

In October, RIS presented to the West African Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) and the Communications Regulators Association of Southern Africa (CRASA) on the role of regulation in the digital era. The purpose of the workshops was to explain three components of regulation in the digital era: The definition of OTTs and how they should be regulated (download here); The impact of OTTs on MNO revenues (download here); How to rethink ICT sector taxation (download here). In each of the presentations, we explain how regulation is going to have to change in the digital era and that the role of regulators is […]

11 May 2020

ICASA’s quick spectrum release

by Steve Esselaar Regulation, Spectrum

ICASA’s quick spectrum release in response to the COVID-19 pandemic should be the new normal. The COVID-19 pandemic short-circuited the traditional policy and regulatory frameworks, and allocated high demand spectrum within 10 days, after an unsuccessful 14 year process (2006-2020). The spike in broadband demand, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, prompted ICASA to release high demand spectrum with the objectives to ease network congestion, lower the price of access and ensure quality of service. A total of 35 applications were received in response to ICASA’s invitation to apply, issued on the 6th of April. On the 17th of […]