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Digital Markets & ICT
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Digital Markets & ICT
Acacia Economics has unique and extensive experience in digital and ICT services in various countries in developing country markets, especially in Africa.
Digitalisation is changing how firms in markets operate, creating new opportunities and new challenges for competition and regulatory authorities. Acacia Economics is well-positioned to consider digital and ICT markets with unique and extensive experience in digital and ICT services in various developing country markets.
Our economists have a strong understanding of ICT and digital markets having been involved in various competition cases in the ICT sector for private sector (e.g. telecoms operators, resellers, and satellite communications companies) and regulator clients.
These include mergers and competition complaints, for example:
The proposed merger of Vodacom and Neotel in South Africa
The proposed merger of Blue Label Telecoms of Cell C (2025)
An essential facilities dispute in relation to access to ducts in South Africa
A dispute in relation to requests for roaming for a large operator in the SADC region
A dispute relating to numbering
Competition issues in terms of access to USSD markets in an East African country on behalf of a new entrant
Acacia has also conducted numerous market inquiries on behalf of regulatory authorities. These include engaging with the technical aspects of regulation and market mechanisms. Some of Acacia’s past market studies have been on:
- The Ugandan telecommunications market for the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC)
- Ugandan USSD and SMS services for the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC)
- The Kenyan data services market for the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA)
- The Kenyan USSD services market for the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK)
- The Kenyan broadcasting and signal distribution sectors for the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA)
- The South African mobile broadband services industry for the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA)
- The South African signal distribution market for ICASA
- The Somalian mobile broadband services industry for the National Communications Authority of Somalia, on behalf of the World Bank
Acacia has also been engaged by regulators to assist in price setting, which often requires the development of complex cost models. Some examples include:
Bottom-up costing studies for ICASA to inform interconnection price regulation
Bottom-up cost modelling for the CAK to inform interconnection price regulation, roaming, and site sharing
A spectrum valuation and an invitation to apply for spectrum in the 700MHz, 800MHz, 2300MHz, 2600MHz and 3500MHz bands for ICASA.
Acacia has also conducted an analysis of legislation for ICASA and has been appointed as experts for litigation on their behalf in several matters.
Furthermore, we have also conducted various research projects on digital markets, including on data governance, trade and taxation in digital markets, competition, links with global value chains, and regulatory requirements, and have a particular interest in digital financial markets.
For example, we have done research on:
Interchange for mobile money and integration of digital markets for the World Bank.
A project on competition in digital finance for the Alliance on Financial Inclusion (AFI)
An ongoing multi-year project on competition enablers and financial inclusion for the Gates Foundation.
Analysed and developed recommendations on the national financial inclusion strategies for Eswatini and Botswana for the UNCDF and the FinMark Trust
Analysed and developed recommendations on the national financial inclusion strategies for Malawi and Zimbabwe
The regulation of digital platforms in banking, especially open banking, in South Africa for the IDTT
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