Provincial USALs to merge soon

Thursday, 06 December 2007 00:00 Written by Dave Glazier
End goal is to have nine provincial USALs Underserviced area licensees (USALs) in any given province will soon merge into one unit, says the Universal Service and Access Agency`s (USAASA`s) CEO James Theledi.

The "Provincial Under-Serviced Area Network Operator" project, or Pusano, was first announced by Communications Minister mid-way through the year.

Nine provincial Pusanos will be given a licence to operate, and all USALs in the respective provinces will be assimilated into the appropriate Pusano. There are currently 14 USALs.

"It`s about economies of scale," says Theledi, adding that it will aid USAASA in determining the required funding for the USALs, and advising on ownership structures and operational strategies.

USAASA is waiting for the regulator to issue its next set of guidelines on Pusano, but Theledi tells iWeek that talks are already under way in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and North West provinces.

Tags: Telecoms  USALs