[kictanet] Regulator allows telcos to join fund after 3-year tussle

[Walubengo J]

@GG,

not sure if this is true -that Telco Operators  will now sit on the Universal Service Adv Council.  Also not sure if this follows the input Stakeholders gave at Karen on Tue during the stakeholders meeting.

I do understand why Operators would want to sit on this council - to ensure their financial contribution is not embezzled or misused. However, this may create a governance challenge, given my understanding of what the universal service fund is meant to address. Which is to allow government to raise some funds from Operators and then use the same to move communication services into non-economic areas. 


So one would expect some "independence" in terms of the Regulator determining which areas is non-economic, which services are needed there and which Operator will be selected to deliver the same.  Am not sure how Operators sitting on this council will offer objective and independent counsel on such a matter where they will obviously be an interested party.

What is likely to play out  in this Universal Advisory Council is the big-man syndrome - that is, I see for example, Safaricom as an Operator may want to remind other that their 0.5% contribution is the highest, so their comments on which area is non-economic, which services are needed and which operator will provide the same may take precedence.

Maybe am being too academic?  What is the practice in other jurisdictions for members of this council?


walu.


________________________________
 From: Grace Githaiga <ggithaiga at hotmail.com>
To: jwalu at yahoo.com 
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> 
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 10:49 PM
Subject: [kictanet] Regulator allows telcos to join fund after 3-year tussle
 


 
IN SUMMARY
	* Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) said it had expanded the membership of the Universal Service Advisory Council (USAC) to nine from six to include representatives of the telcos, broadcasters and postal operators.
	* The move ends a three-year standoff that had stalled the fund, which was to receive 0.5 per cent of revenues from firms regulated by the CCK like Nation Media, Safaricom and Postal Corporation of Kenya.
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Regulator-allows-telcos-to-join-fund-after-3-year-tussle-/-/539550/1911224/-/item/1/-/74b9ja/-/index.html 
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