Mozambique: More operators to pay for access to telecom infrastructure

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Mozambique: More operators to pay for access to telecom infrastructure

8:48 CAT | 18 Sep 2024

File photo: Lusa

Mozambique’s National Communications Institute (INCM) on Tuesday called for a greater contribution to the Universal Access Service Fund (FSAU), to extend the provision of telecommunications infrastructure and services to rural areas and disadvantaged social strata.

‘As a rule, telecoms service operators must contribute 1% of their gross revenue to the FSAU to be eligible for resources from this account intended to finance telecoms projects and infrastructure in rural, peri-urban, remote and underserved areas,’ Euclides dos Santos, from the INCM’s Regulatory Division, told Lusa.

Santos was speaking at the end of a public consultation meeting on the proposed revision of the FSAU Regulation.

The growing need for telecommunications infrastructure and services and the deficit in rural areas require more resources, which can be met or minimised by bringing more operators into the account that finances the sector, he continued.

‘Only organisations that contribute to this mechanism are eligible for funding from the fund, and this has already led several organisations to request their contribution to the fund,’ he added.

Euclides dos Santos said tower builders and network installers and managers, including mobile and fixed telephony operators, are among the potential contributors to the fund. They have already applied to join the instrument but are excluded under the current regulation.

Santos said the revised document is intended to allow more operators to join the FSAU and raise more money.

The proposal also includes changes to the fund’s governance model, introducing an advisory committee into the organisational structure.

This committee will propose the general strategy for applying the resources channelled into the fund by operators to the communications infrastructure and services projects to be financed.

The proposed FSAU Regulation will have to be approved by the Council of Ministers to come into force and applies to telecommunications operators and service providers, television signal operators and distributors, Internet service providers, data service providers and Class C telecommunications licence holders, linked to tower construction, network installation and maintenance, which focus on mobile and fixed telephony operators.

Source: Lusa