Telecommunications law under the light of convergence: A comparison between German and South African Telecommunications Law - Tapa blanda

Telecommunication is one of the most important parts of a country's economy. It connects the world and is a gigantic growing industry. When dealing with telecommunications law, especially in terms of regulation of competition, generally two main ideas confront. On the one hand free market proponents are to be found. They claim that the absence of regulation would initiate the outcome of manifold telecommunications products at efficiently low prices. On the other hand there is asked for even more intervention and regulation with the argument to protect consumers against consolidation and monopoly. As telecommunications law is uniquely volatile in terms of political, economical and technological matters, the aforementioned question is constantly being raised. Over and above the question of the regulation in competition terms, two other major crunch issues are influencing the regulation and legislation of the telecommunications law: liberalisation of the markets and the convergence of the media. This bock will analyse and compare the current situation of the telecommunications law and market on the two examples of the German and the South African legislation.

Tobias H. Keller studied law at the University of Hamburg and completed a LL.M. – Master program at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. After having worked for a worldwide Law Firm and as Head of the Legal Department for a Bank in Munich he is now practicing as a lawyer in Munich and Cape Town and is working as Managing Director for a NGO.