Elation, vindication and euphoria are some of the emotions coursing through the local telecommunications industry this month. But some must surely have been disappointed that it's taken so long for VANS providers to be permitted to build their own networks.

On Friday, 29 August, the Transvaal Division of the High Court ruled in favour of an urgent application brought by Altech Autopage Cellular on the question of whether value-added network service (VANS) providers are permitted to build their own telecommunications networks or obliged to lease facilities from the likes of Telkom or Neotel.