{"id":{"repo_id":"cape-town","oai_identifier":"oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/42855"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cape-town/oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/42855","repository":{"repo_id":"cape-town","name":"University of Cape Town","base_url":"https://open.uct.ac.za/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Telecommunications law and regulation in Lesotho: a critical analysis","abstract":"In 2000, the Lesotho telecommunications sector underwent a fundamental change in structure, from that of monopoly to one of competition. A new regulatory regime was introduced and a regulatory agency, the Lesotho Telecommunications Authority was established to promote telecommunications development and to safeguard competition.The 2000 legal framework supports competition but fails to adequately minimise the regulatory risk. The new regime also failed to facilitate improved or satisfactory sector performance. The Lesotho regulatory framework addresses most internationally recognised telecommunications regulatory issues, but most areas needs improvement if sector performance and investor perception is to be enhanced. Firstly, the Government must give the regulatory Authority functional independence. Secondly, the Authority must revisit various policy areas. For instance universal access policy and programmes that bring affordable services to the rural and urban populations alike must be developed and implemented; complimentary policies that encourage the use of the services and investment in the sector, like investment, consumer protection and competition policies must be adopted; alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, especially for disputes between the regulator and service providers must be introduced and preferred in the sector. The challenge is to bring telecommunication services to all communities including low-income families and communities in rural and mountainous areas. Thus whatever policies are adopted, universal access and improved sector performance should be a guiding goal which must be pursued rigorously.","abstract_html":"In 2000, the Lesotho telecommunications sector underwent a fundamental change in structure, from that of monopoly to one of competition. A new regulatory regime was introduced and a regulatory agency, the Lesotho Telecommunications Authority was established to promote telecommunications development and to safeguard competition.The 2000 legal framework supports competition but fails to adequately minimise the regulatory risk. The new regime also failed to facilitate improved or satisfactory sector performance. The Lesotho regulatory framework addresses most internationally recognised telecommunications regulatory issues, but most areas needs improvement if sector performance and investor perception is to be enhanced. Firstly, the Government must give the regulatory Authority functional independence. Secondly, the Authority must revisit various policy areas. For instance universal access policy and programmes that bring affordable services to the rural and urban populations alike must be developed and implemented; complimentary policies that encourage the use of the services and investment in the sector, like investment, consumer protection and competition policies must be adopted; alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, especially for disputes between the regulator and service providers must be introduced and preferred in the sector. The challenge is to bring telecommunication services to all communities including low-income families and communities in rural and mountainous areas. Thus whatever policies are adopted, universal access and improved sector performance should be a guiding goal which must be pursued rigorously.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Lebone, Likonelo"],"institution":"Department of Commercial Law","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Hofman, Julien"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2007,"date_issued":"2007","date_published":"2007","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:22:54Z","subjects":["Telecommunications law"],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42855","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Hofman, Julien"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Lebone, Likonelo"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2026-02-18T12:13:22Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2026-02-18T12:13:22Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2007"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Department of Commercial Law"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Cape Town"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis / Dissertation"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Masters","LLM"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Telecommunications law"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42855"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["In 2000, the Lesotho telecommunications sector underwent a fundamental change in structure, from that of monopoly to one of competition. A new regulatory regime was introduced and a regulatory agency, the Lesotho Telecommunications Authority was established to promote telecommunications development and to safeguard competition.The 2000 legal framework supports competition but fails to adequately minimise the regulatory risk. The new regime also failed to facilitate improved or satisfactory sector performance. The Lesotho regulatory framework addresses most internationally recognised telecommunications regulatory issues, but most areas needs improvement if sector performance and investor perception is to be enhanced. Firstly, the Government must give the regulatory Authority functional independence. Secondly, the Authority must revisit various policy areas. For instance universal access policy and programmes that bring affordable services to the rural and urban populations alike must be developed and implemented; complimentary policies that encourage the use of the services and investment in the sector, like investment, consumer protection and competition policies must be adopted; alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, especially for disputes between the regulator and service providers must be introduced and preferred in the sector. The challenge is to bring telecommunication services to all communities including low-income families and communities in rural and mountainous areas. Thus whatever policies are adopted, universal access and improved sector performance should be a guiding goal which must be pursued rigorously."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Telecommunications law and regulation in Lesotho: a critical analysis"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Hofman, Julien"],"dc:creator":["Lebone, Likonelo"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2026-02-18T12:13:22Z"],"dc:date.available":["2026-02-18T12:13:22Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2007"],"dc:description.abstract":["In 2000, the Lesotho telecommunications sector underwent a fundamental change in structure, from that of monopoly to one of competition. A new regulatory regime was introduced and a regulatory agency, the Lesotho Telecommunications Authority was established to promote telecommunications development and to safeguard competition.The 2000 legal framework supports competition but fails to adequately minimise the regulatory risk. The new regime also failed to facilitate improved or satisfactory sector performance. The Lesotho regulatory framework addresses most internationally recognised telecommunications regulatory issues, but most areas needs improvement if sector performance and investor perception is to be enhanced. Firstly, the Government must give the regulatory Authority functional independence. Secondly, the Authority must revisit various policy areas. For instance universal access policy and programmes that bring affordable services to the rural and urban populations alike must be developed and implemented; complimentary policies that encourage the use of the services and investment in the sector, like investment, consumer protection and competition policies must be adopted; alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, especially for disputes between the regulator and service providers must be introduced and preferred in the sector. The challenge is to bring telecommunication services to all communities including low-income families and communities in rural and mountainous areas. Thus whatever policies are adopted, universal access and improved sector performance should be a guiding goal which must be pursued rigorously."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42855"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher.department":["Department of Commercial Law"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of Cape Town"],"dc:subject":["Telecommunications law"],"dc:title":["Telecommunications law and regulation in Lesotho: a critical analysis"],"dc:type":["Thesis / Dissertation"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Masters","LLM"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:22:54Z"}