President Mbeki on telecoms liberalization

By Alex Singleton | 14 February 2005

President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa wants greater liberalization of his country's telecoms markets:

Bold steps have been taken further to liberalise the telecommunications industry. We believe that the unacceptable situation in which some of our fixed line rates are 10 times those of developed (OECD) countries will soon become a thing of the past. We also hope that the delays in setting up the Second National Operator, arising from legal processes which are beyond government's control, will be resolved in due course, and as soon as possible.

He's right. Liberalization is good. It reduces prices for consumers and gives the poorest greater access to products and services.