Acacia Economics has been appointed to assist ICASA in its market inquiry into mobile broadband in South Africa.
Posts tagged #Sha'ista
Assistance with a market inquiry in leasing in Kenya, on-going
Acacia Economics is part of a team assisting the Competition Authority of Kenya in carrying out a market inquiry in the leasing market in Kenya. The aim of the work is to understand the competitive dynamics in the sector and identify any impediments to competition which may be hindering the growth of the sector.
Expert advice on submission to Competition Commission data market inquiry, 2018
Acacia Economics provided advice to Internet Solutions in respect of its submission to the Competition Commission’s data market inquiry.
Expert evidence for arbitration proceedings involving Air Namibia, 2018
Ryan Hawthorne, Genna Robb and Sha'ista Goga prepared expert evidence in relation to private arbitration proceedings involving Air Namibia. Ryan Hawthorne provided expert testimony during the course of the proceedings.
Advice on the impact of legislative changes in the healthcare sector, 2018
Acacia Economics provided economic advice to a stakeholder in the healthcare sector around the impact of changes to the Medicines and Related Substances Act on competition in the optometry and audiology industries.
Competition assessment of telecoms markets including USSD in Uganda, 2017-2018
Simon Roberts, Ryan Hawthorne and Sha’ista Goga are carrying out an assessment of competition in two wholesale telecoms markets for the Uganda Communications Commission. This will include analysing the regulatory impact of existing regulations and proposing regulatory interventions to address any competition issues identified.
Advice to a client in the retail sector in relation to the Retail Market Inquiry, ongoing
Ryan Hawthorne and Sha'ista Goga are providing advice to a large South African retailer in a market inquiry into the sector.
Competition assessment of public procurement in Zambia for the World Bank and Competition and Consumer Protection Commission of Zambia, 2017
The World Bank appointed Acacia Economics to assist the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission in Zambia in relation to assessing the competitiveness of public procurement processes and screening for anti-competitive conduct in public procurement. This included an analysis of the alignment of public procurement law and processes with competition legislation and principles, as well as examination of the types of data and analysis which can be used to screen for collusion in public procurement. We also conducted a case study where data was collected and a screening exercise conducted for one sector.
Economic advice and analysis of proposed policy interventions for the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, 2017
Bowmans Attorneys briefed Acacia Economics to provide a series of expert economic reports on competition and economic regulation aspects of proposed government policy interventions for the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). In addition to an overview of the likely impact of the proposed interventions on the sector, Simon Roberts, Ryan Hawthorne, Sha'ista Goga, Genna Robb, Pamela Mondliwa and Anthea Paelo provided detailed economic reports on a range of topics in relation to ICT policy.
Expert advice on the merger between Liquid Telecom and Neotel, 2017
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) briefed Acacia Economics to prepare a competition report in relation to the merger between Liquid Telecom and Neotel.
Expert advice on a competition law complaint against an airline, 2016 - 2017
Acacia Economics was briefed by an airline to provide expert economic research for a competition law complaint against the airline.
Economic research and analysis for the Competition Commission of South Africa's Healthcare Market Inquiry, 2014 - 2017
Genna Robb, Sha'ista Goga and Ryan Hawthorne were part of a panel of consultants working on the South African Competition Commission’s private healthcare market inquiry. This included analysing the impact of the regulatory framework and previous competition interventions on the dynamics of competition in the sector.
Analysis of competition in traditional and digital banking services for the Kenya Banking Inquiry Phase II, 2015 - 2017
Sha’ista Goga and Ryan Hawthorne carried out phase II of a market inquiry into the banking sector for the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK). This was focused on identifying and understanding factors that impact on competition dynamics in both traditional and digital banking services from a demand side or customer perspective. A key focus was understanding the ability of customers to impose competitive discipline on banks. This involved assessing facets such as price transparency and switching. The study assessed the extent to which banks provided adequate disclosure, the extent to which customers were able to meaningfully engage with information provided, and the ease, ability and incentive for consumers to switch. Furthermore, the study looked at whether a lack of consumer engagement and barriers to switching undermined incentives for banks to compete in parameters such as price, quality of service and innovation. The study used a combination of qualitative, quantitative and experimental methods. Behavioural economics experiments were engaged in to understand barriers to switching and to determine whether prompts could be use to enhance competitive behaviour.
Expert economic advice to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa in relation to a review of its spectrum auction decision, 2016
PPM Attorneys (attorneys for ICASA) briefed Acacia Economics to provide expert economic reports to the High Court in relation to the review of ICASA’s spectrum auction decision brought by the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal services. Acacia Economics provided economic analysis in relation to the concerns raised by the DTPS, including a review of international best-practice in spectrum auction design and an assessment of the possible competition implications of ICASA's proposed approach.
Expert economic advice in relation to a telecoms merger, 2016
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr briefed Acacia Economics to prepare independent competition and consumer protection reports in relation to a merger between two private entities in the telecommunications sector.
Economic analysis conducted for a market inquiry into USSD in Kenya for the Competition Authority of Kenya, 2015 - 2016
Acacia Economics, together with Macmillan Keck Attorneys & Solicitors, that conducted a market inquiry into unstructured supplementary services data (USSD) in Kenya for the Competition Authority of Kenya.
Economic experts for the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa in relation to the Vodacom/Neotel merger, 2015
Acacia Economics provided expert advice to ICASA in relation to the proposed merger between Vodacom and Neotel. The Competition Commisison had raised concerns that the merger would lead to a concentration of spectrum in the hands of Vodacom, which could further entrench its dominant position. Competing operators MTN, Cell C and Telkom intervened in the matter, as well as ICASA and the Ministers for Telecommunications and Postal Services and Economic Development. All were concerned that Vodacom's market power and first-mover advantage would be strengthened by the acquisition of Neotel's spectrum, a vital input for the development of a high speed LTE network. Other operators were constrained in the ability to access more spectrum, as additional spectrum was still to be assigned to mobile operators by ICASA and it was unclear when this would take place. Acacia Economics prepared an expert report which analysed the likely competition implications of the transaction. The merger was abandoned by the parties before a Tribunal hearing on the matter was held.
Expert economic advice on the Coca Cola / SAB (bottlers) merger for the Economic Development Department, 2015 - 2016
Werksmans Attorneys (attorneys for the Economic Development Department) appointed Acacia Economics to provide expert advice to the Economic Development Department in relation to the competition and public interest effects the merger between Coca-Cola and SAB (bottlers) in South Africa.
Expert economic advice in relation to a High Court review of a decision on piped gas tariffs by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, 2014 - 2015
Acacia Economics provided expert economic advice to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa in relation to a review of its decision on maximum piped gas prices as well as trading and transmission tariffs.
Review of Vodacom/Neotel and MTN/Telkom RAN sharing for the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, 2014
ICASA briefed Acacia Economics to provide an analysis of the competition effects of the MTN/Telkom Radio Access Network (RAN) sharing transaction and the Vodacom/Neotel merger.