CoW retains telecommunication license
28 July 2020 | Technology
Windhoek • [email protected]
Despite the fact that an unauthorised person made the application on behalf of the City of Windhoek (CoW) for a telecommunication license last year and that the application was incomplete, the Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) still approved the application.
This follows a recent public hearing by CRAN to reconsider the awarding of a Class Comprehensive Telecommunications Service Licence to the CoW, as submitted by Paratus.
According to Heinrich Gaomab, chairperson of the CRAN Board of Directors, various grounds for reconsideration were considered. This included the change of license category, where the petitioner submitted that the public was not informed that CRAN intended to award a Class Comprehensive Telecommunications Service License to the Applicant. “The fourth ground of reconsideration regards the powers of the Council to apply for a Telecommunications Service License, and to provide telecommunications services to the public,” he said.
“After careful consideration of comments raised by various stakeholders, CRAN upholds its decision of 29 April and awards the Municipal Council with a Class Comprehensive Telecommunications Service Licence, effective 24 July 2020,” Gaomab said on Tuesday.
He added that CRAN will impose additional licence conditions to address stakeholder comments to ensure fair competition and infrastructure sharing, as this will result in overall lower costs of infrastructure development by other licensees and thus translate into lower prices for the telecommunications end-consumer.
“Ultimately the award of a license to the City of Windhoek will increase access to telecommunications and advanced information services at reasonable and affordable prices.”
Despite the fact that an unauthorised person made the application on behalf of the City of Windhoek (CoW) for a telecommunication license last year and that the application was incomplete, the Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) still approved the application.
This follows a recent public hearing by CRAN to reconsider the awarding of a Class Comprehensive Telecommunications Service Licence to the CoW, as submitted by Paratus.
According to Heinrich Gaomab, chairperson of the CRAN Board of Directors, various grounds for reconsideration were considered. This included the change of license category, where the petitioner submitted that the public was not informed that CRAN intended to award a Class Comprehensive Telecommunications Service License to the Applicant. “The fourth ground of reconsideration regards the powers of the Council to apply for a Telecommunications Service License, and to provide telecommunications services to the public,” he said.
“After careful consideration of comments raised by various stakeholders, CRAN upholds its decision of 29 April and awards the Municipal Council with a Class Comprehensive Telecommunications Service Licence, effective 24 July 2020,” Gaomab said on Tuesday.
He added that CRAN will impose additional licence conditions to address stakeholder comments to ensure fair competition and infrastructure sharing, as this will result in overall lower costs of infrastructure development by other licensees and thus translate into lower prices for the telecommunications end-consumer.
“Ultimately the award of a license to the City of Windhoek will increase access to telecommunications and advanced information services at reasonable and affordable prices.”
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