Big changes on the cards for WhatsApp, Netflix, YouTube and other services in South Africa – now under investigation

• ICASA launches market inquiry into over-the-top services in South Africa
• The inquiry is specifically investigating the impact of OTT services on licensees in the telecommunications, broadcasting and postal sectors, and could shape licensing requirements, content obligations, spectrum and numbering allocation, and regulatory contributions
• The inquiry could give OTT services the opportunity to engage in the regulatory environment relative to licensed services, and has significant implications for international companies with limited corporate presence in South Africa