Mobile TV refers Icasa to Public Protector

Johannesburg – The Mobile TV Consortium said on Wednesday that it had referred the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) to the Public Protector's Johannesburg office following an allegation that Icasa had allowed pay television services
provider MultiChoice, to submit a late application for a mobile television broadcasting licence.

Mobile TV Consortium chairperson, Mothobi Mutloatse, said: "There is a serious and fundamental issue regarding due process and fairness. If MultiChoice was late with its submission there can be no special favours, especially since MultiChoice opposed an urgent interdict against Icasa's proposed timelines for the Invitation to Apply (ITA) for the licence."

Mobile TV last week announced that it had lodged a submission to Icasa to provide clarity around the process for Icasa's ITA for radio frequency licences for the purpose of providing mobile television broadcasting services including names and details of the applicants who submitted applications.

Mobile TV said it had requested for copies of all written acknowledgement of applications received indicating the name of each applicant and the times at which all the applications were received.

"Icasa has failed to respond to a formal request from Mobile TV consortium about the application process and specifically disclosure around what submissions had been received and accepted by Icasa.

"Instead the regulator has asked Mobile TV to submit an application for access to information," it said. 

 - I-Net Bridge