Chronicle Editor
Pride Mahlangu, Business Reporter
THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has developed a framework for the provision of Value-Added Services (VAS) to promote the development of players in the sector.
VAS refers to improved or enhanced versions of standard and basic core network services provided over telecommunication networks that include voice calls and all forms of data transmission including fax, short message services SMS and Multi-media services (MMS) normally accessed at extra costs than the basic services.
In a public notice, Potraz said the development of VAS guidelines was in line with its statutory mandate to promote advancement of the postal and telecommunications sector in Zimbabwe.
“Potraz has developed guidelines on the provision of VAS in line with its statutory mandate to promote the development of the postal and telecommunications sector in Zimbabwe,” said Potraz.
The VAS guidelines, it said, include licensing and authorisation, provision of access, obligations of aggregators, obligations of network service providers, shortcode allocation, competition or market rules, VAS activation and de-activation, consumer issues, revenue sharing and code of conduct for value-added service.
“The VAS guidelines are a culmination of a consultation process involving various stakeholders including customers, the academia, industry players and the government ministries that was carried out in 2019,” said Potraz.
It said the VAS guidelines aim to promote entrepreneurship, innovation and effective competition and collaboration among players in the market.
The postal and telecommunications regulator said those who were not licensed but wish to participate in the VAS market should register with the authority and there shall be no limit to the number of industry players as the number of active participants would be left to market forces.
“On provision of access, the open-access model shall be adopted in Zimbabwe wherever possible; non-feasibility should be justified to the regulator, on a case by case basis.
“Each segment of the VAS value chain needs to interface with adjacent segments for bi-directional exchange of information.
“The provision of access is necessary to provide an end-to-end service to the subscriber,” said the regulator. — @pridesinstictz
Online Reporter