Icasa is making spectrum, including 5G, available for operators during the Covid-19 crisis. The move is a temporary measure to tide the country over the current period and allocations will be valid until November 2020.
The regulator aims to ease the burden of regulatory compliance during the national state of disaster while enabling the sector to meet increased demand for ICT services.
The following International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) spectrum bands are available for temporary assignment: 700MHz, 800MHz, 2300MHz, 2600MHz and 3500MHz bands.
Licensees will be required to submit their applications to the Authority by Thursday (9 April 2020), and the bands will be assigned in accordance with criteria and conditions stipulated by ICASA.
“It is of critical importance to note that the emergency release of this spectrum does not, in any way whatsoever, negate the processes that are currently underway for permanent assignment of spectrum through an auction, the process which the Authority had committed to finalise by the end of 2020; as well as the assignment of spectrum to be set aside for the Wireless Open Access Network (WOAN) due for completion next year,” warns Icasa acting chairperson, Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng.
Icasa recognises the release of high demand spectrum (HDS) is one of the key interventions that could stimulate economic recovery, and has committed to ensure that the permanent licensing process for HDS is expedited.
The release of spectrum for the current emergency will therefore for fair and non-discriminatory, the regulator states, to ensure it doesn’t delay or undermine ongoing processes to license the spectrum on a permanent basis.
“We intend to take the necessary care in this regard; and to ensure that there are no irreversible anti-competitive effects for the market,” says Dr Modimoeng. “In addition, we really urge licensees to work with us for the benefit of all South Africans in a collaborative effort so that the emergency release of the spectrum can make a meaningful contribution to curb the spread and flatten the curve of the Covid-19 pandemic.”