The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has temporary suspended the awarding of new Telecommunication and Broadcasting Service Licences for a period of one year, with effect from the 1st of October 2022.
The sector regulator said the decision will allow it to conduct research to determine the current market level of competition, market saturation, and if there are any existing barriers to entry into the sector.
“CRAN conducted preliminary research by studying the preceding Sector Review Reports and international best practice. Through this investigation, it was determined that the envisaged market study on the telecommunication and broadcasting markets must be based on a fixed data set, particularly the number of Telecommunications and Broadcasting Service Licensees currently in the market. Therefore, it is apposite that CRAN maintains a still market, in terms of market players, while conducting the study,” said CRAN CEO Emilia Nghikembua.
“While the temporary postponement of the award of new Telecommunication and Broadcasting Service Licenses will impact the business plans of prospective providers or Telecommunication and Broadcasting services, it is paramount that CRAN continuously intervenes in the market dynamics to ensure fair competition, and remove barriers to market entry for the benefit of consumers.”
She, however, said, “In order to mitigate the potential impact of the temporary postponement, and cognizant of the provisions of the Communications Act (No. 8 of 2009), from 1 April 2022, CRAN will accept new applications for Telecommunications and Broadcasting Service Licences, and consider such applications before 30 September 2022.”
‘CRAN will, however, consider applications for amendment, withdrawal, transfer, and cession of existing Telecommunications or Broadcasting Service Licences when practically possible, and if such shall not result in a change of the data-set,” Nghikembua said.
Meanwhile, Trustco Group Holdings’ unit, Trustco Mixed Marketing, the owners of Mixed FM radio station last month applied for the permanent discontinuing of the company’s broadcast licence.
CRAN is mandated by the Communications Act to grant, renew, amend, transfer, suspend and revoke licences in the area of broadcasting and telecommunications service in Namibia.
