The telecommunications sector is regulated by the Mauritius
Telecommunications Authority (MTA) and will be advised by a newly created
Telecommunications Advisory Council (TAC).
|
| Regulation type |
Independent |
|
| Name of regulating body |
Mauritius Telecommunications Authority |
|
| Chairman |
Mr Rajes Kumar Unnuth |
|
| Physical Address |
6th Floor Blendax House, Dumas Street, Port
Louis |
|
| Telephone |
+ 230 208 5623 |
|
| Fax |
+ 230 211 2871 |
|
In keeping with Mauritius’ commitments to the WTO, exclusivity
provisions in licences may not extend beyond the year 2004. The new Act will
also provide for a transitional licence to be granted to Mauritius Telecom to
allow its operations to be uninterrupted between the time the Act is passed
until the time the Authority can issue it with a proper licence.
As already stated, on 15th February 1997, at the WTO Working Group on basic
telecommunications services, Mauritius accepted a commitment to open up the
telecommunications sector to competition and to end all monopoly and exclusive
rights in domestic and international services by the year 2004. Mauritius has
also offered to allow access to satellite-based mobile services as from the
date these services become commercially available.
Whilst under the terms of the WTO Agreement, Mauritius may defer competition
in any segment of the market until 2004. The following arguments have been
adduced in favour of phasing in competition prior to 2004:
(a) Providing adequate time for local operators to prepare for
competition with foreign operators, particularly multinationals;
(b) Additional competition would encourage the productive efficiency of
existing local operators;
(c) Competition will drive down costs and prices, allowing for faster
diffusion of info communica-tion services; and
(d) As competition builds up and markets diversi-fy, total employment in the
sector progressively increases.
To ensure that everyone in the country has equal access, all operators in
the country will have a uni-versal service obligation, which will be
incorporated in the licence to be issued by the MTA. Similarly to the South
African model, the universal service obligation will be structured as a
contribution to a Universal Service Fund, which will be managed by the MTA.
