There has been confusion for a long time as to whether or not a Line Maintenance Organisation (LMO) licence was required in order for an entity to connect a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) to Telkom’s telecommunications network. Telkom’s insistence on the production of an LMO licence prior to the installation of a software-based PBX taking place together with the challenges posed in getting such licences from ICASA has caused a great deal of frustration and been viewed by some as anti-competitive on Telkom’s part.
Telkom has now released a new form SF71 which no longer stipulates an LMO licence as a prerequisite although it does set out in the important information section the need for such licence. This should make life significantly easier.