Potraz to review licensing framework

The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe says the current service specific licensing framework is being reviewed because the obsolete regime stifles growth of the industry.

POTRAZ is working to overhaul the system it says is no longer sustainable, as it has been overtaken by dynamics in technology revolution, and replace it with a technology and service neutral framework.

The old adopted licensing framework was service specific and in some instances went further to prescribe the technology to be deployed.

Sections of the Telecoms Act provide for an option to licence either services only or infrastructure only or to combine both services and infrastructure.

The current scenario where service-specific licensing is being used is no longer sustainable in a converged environment, POTRAZ said, as it has been rendered obsolete in addressing market conditions and definitions emerging due technological changes.