Asymmetry in Quality of Service (QoS) Regulation among Over-the- Top (OTT) Providers and Mobile Network Operators: from a South African Consumers Perspective
| dc.contributor.author | Ledwaba, Charity | |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | Mayayise, Thembekile | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-03-12T09:29:29Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024 | |
| dc.description | A research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in the field of Digital Business to the Faculty of Commerce, Law, and Management, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024 | |
| dc.description.abstract | This study aimed to understand the unique characteristics of Over-the-Top (OTT) services and to determine relevant dimensions that could be used to determine service quality on OTT platforms. The study focused on Group-1 OTT, meaning OTT providers that offered services like traditional mobile network operators. An example of such an OTT would be WhatsApp. Input was collected from consumers, regulatory bodies, and businesses to determine the most important dimensions required to determine service quality in users of the platforms. The study went further to determine the most important dimensions to help guide any future regulations. The challenges and opportunities that come with incorporating OTT into the regulatory framework were investigated, utilising input from the regulatory and experts. It was recommended that changes would need to be incorporated into our existing End-user and Subscriber Service Charter (EUSSC) to measure and incorporate the OTT service quality effectively into regulation. These were investigated along equity and competition, sustainability of the sector, consumer welfare, innovation, and regulatory aspects to obtain a view of the impact of introducing quality of service (QoS) regulations. The paper concludes by highlighting the importance of how regulations in OTTs will bring accountability for all players within the sector and ensure that quality is at the cornerstone. | |
| dc.description.submitter | MM2025 | |
| dc.faculty | Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Ledwaba, Charity. (2024). Asymmetry in Quality of Service (QoS) Regulation among Over-the- Top (OTT) Providers and Mobile Network Operators: from a South African Consumers Perspective [Master’s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg].WireDSpace. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10539/44244 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | |
| dc.rights | © 2025 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. | |
| dc.rights.holder | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | |
| dc.school | WITS Business School | |
| dc.subject | Quality of Service | |
| dc.subject | Quality of Experience | |
| dc.subject | Over-The-Top | |
| dc.subject | Regulation | |
| dc.subject | Mobile Network Operators | |
| dc.subject | UCTD | |
| dc.subject.other | SDG-8: Decent work and economic growth | |
| dc.title | Asymmetry in Quality of Service (QoS) Regulation among Over-the- Top (OTT) Providers and Mobile Network Operators: from a South African Consumers Perspective | |
| dc.type | Dissertation |