19 June 2020
The city of Windhoek
Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) said it is shocked by the Com-munications Regulatory Authority of Namibia’s decision to award the City of Windhoek a Class Comprehensive Telecommunications Service Licence.
The operator claimed the licence enables the City to build and operate a telecom service network, to provide a service similar to other telecommu- nication service providers. This means for the provision of telecommunica- tion services in Windhoek, a licensee needs to obtain approval from the City to set up telecommunication equip- ment on their land either by digging for fibre or putting up towers.
Tim Ekandjo, chief human capital and corporate affairs officer of MTC, said the decision by the Communication’s Authority is anti-competitive and against the Communications and Competitions Acts.
“You cannot apply for one license and get something that you have not applied for,” Ekandjo said. “Secondly, if due process was followed we would have had the opportunity to object and or give comments but this process was not followed by Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia which we find very strange. Not having been given the opportunity to comment before the license was awarded, which flouts the elements of fair administrative action by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia.”
Ekandjo said MTC will consider its position in law regarding the licence approval.
