Icasa to collaborate with the US FCC on telecoms policy

South Africa’s communications regulator, Icasa, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that will see the two regulators collaborate and share ideas.

The MOU was signed virtually by both parties on Thursday and is a “non-binding framework” to “facilitate the exchange of ideas in the field of telecommunications regulation and policy for the mutual benefit of the two regulators”.

“This collaboration places the authority on solid ground to achieve international best practices and cutting-edge regulatory approaches, and further validates South Africa’s standing in the global ICT arena,” said Icasa chairman Keabetswe Modimoeng in a statement.

Icasa and the FCC have agreed to share information and cooperate on technical issues, Icasa said.

“I’m proud to have formalised our partnership with our friends in South Africa on issues of telecoms policy, competitive markets, technological innovation and closing the digital divide in both countries,” said FCC acting chair Jessica Rosenworcel in the statement.

Rosenworcel, who has served as an FCC commissioner since 2012, was picked by US President Joe Biden as interim chair of the regulatory agency following the departure of Ajit Pai from the role earlier this year.

Net neutrality

Unlike Pai, Rosenworcel supports network neutrality — a hot-button topic in US politics.

“We cannot have a two-tiered Internet with fast lanes that speed the traffic of the privileged and leave the rest of us lagging behind,” she has said on the subject.

“We cannot have gatekeepers who tell us what we can and cannot do and where we can and cannot go online, and we do not need blocking, throttling or paid prioritisation schemes that undermine the Internet as we know it.”  — © 2021 NewsCentral Media