The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority (URCA) yesterday pledged it will consider further liberalisation of the communications sector once the “market is ready for competition”.

Kandice Davis, an URCA economist, told a meeting to discuss the utilities regulator’s draft 2022 annual plan that it would either adjust or remove regulations if there was evidence to show this would benefit communications sector competition.

Meanwhile, Carlton Smith, URCA’s director of electronic communications, said the regulator will prioritise the impact of over-the-top (OTT) providers such as Netflix in its pay-TV market review. “On the television review, we’re beginning with the OTT issue, which is a major issue for all of our pay TV platforms,” he said.

“We are beginning with the OTT review, and then, eventually, we will get around to the more comprehensive pay-TV review. There will be opportunity for stakeholder participation in the process, and we will engage a consultant to assist us with the initial document and their draft recommendations.

“We will then engage with the sector to get the sector’s views. I’m sure, during the development of the initial consultation document, that the consultant will probably engage with the key stakeholders in the sector and, in particular, those major stakeholders like the mobile operators to ensure that all of the views are considered as part of the recommendation that will be made to the Government regarding the way forward with the mobile market - whether there will be further liberalisation, or whether there will not be some further liberalisation of the sector.”

Shevon Cambridge, URCA’s director of utilities and energy, said: “We’re an independent regulatory authority, and we receive all of our funding, basically, through fees from our licensees, but what we do encourage is for people to invest their time checking our website and participating in our consultations.

“That is the extent of the public engagement as we seek to find out what your needs and desires are for the sector, and integrate them into our projects and our decisions.”