The House of Representatives yesterday continued debating the amendments to the Communications Laws Act. Opposition IT spokesman Leo Brincat opened yesterday’s parliamentary sitting by referring to the MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) which are very popular in other countries. An MVNO is a company that provides mobile telephone services but does not have its own allocation of the radio frequency spectrum nor the proper infrastructure required to provide mobile telephone services as a mobile network company. An MVNO often works independently of a mobile network company.
Mr Brincat said that the criticism that the Malta Communications Authority (MCA) is spending more than is required is not solely his criticism but that of others as well. Mr Brincat quoted some of the criticism in this regard.
Mr Brincat said that he is in favour of competition but sometimes, as in the case of the television sector, because of tendering and auctioning, television operators may increase prices without wanting to.
In the e-commerce field, Mr Brincat noted that a sector which is doing well is that of online betting and gaming. Speaking about e-commerce in general, Mr Brincat appealed so that certain local websites become more user-friendly and informative.
Mr Brincat called for more independent websites to be built. Such websites would contain comparisons and contrasts of products sold on web-vending sites. In such a scenario, the web user could evaluate products of different vendors as regards both the type of product and also the cost of such product. Through such independent websites, the web user may view as much unbiased information as possible so that s/he may make the best choice.
Mr Brincat expressed his satisfaction that Malta last year ranked second among EU countries in the field of e-government. On a final note, Mr Brincat agreed with the Communications Minister that this sort of legislation cannot remain static because it is a sector that is ever-changing and thus the legislation regulating such a sector should be amended regularly.
Nationalist MP Joseph Falzon said that Malta is moving forward and the means of telecommunications are developing. Mr Falzon said the Nationalist vision that by 2015 Malta becomes a country providing excellency in the IT sector is not a dream but a reality. Nationalist MP Dr Michael Axiaq said that the Nationalist government was capable of looking forward and said that there was going to be a revolution in the telecommunications sector. Dr Axiaq said that the fixed-line telephony is no longer a GO monopoly. Legitimate competition is important so that prices are controlled.
Dr Axiaq focused on the importance of such an enormous project as SmartCity. Such a project will not only put Malta on the world map of telecommunications but it will be a project that will generate lots of jobs.
In his winding-up speech, Communications Minister Censu Galea said the amendments being proposed to the Communications Laws Act are relevant to every person who lives on this island. The fact that the Malta Labour Party is in favour of such amendments is encouraging. Mr Galea concluded by emphasising once again that legislation in the telecommunications field should not be static but it should always reflect the technological advancements of that particular time.
The Act was given a second reading and passed to Committee stage.