South Africa has, for the first time, formally earmarked the entire upper 6GHz band for mobile networks, handing operators a potential 700MHz of prime mid-band spectrum and settling – at least directionally – a global tug of war between the cellular industry and Wi-Fi advocates over the most valuable unassigned frequencies in telecommunications. The decision…
Communications regulator Icasa has gazetted the final regulations on the use of “innovation spectrum”, formally settling one of the most contested questions in South African spectrum policy. In terms of the newly published final regulations, the lower 6GHz band (5.925-6.425GHz) will be licence-exempt and available to wireless internet service providers (Wisps), Wi-Fi deployments, private networks…
South Africa’s telecommunications operators wants future spectrum auction proceeds reinvested in digital infrastructure, citing the heavy bill that operators continue to carry from 2022. The Association of Comms & Technology (ACT) – an industry body whose members include South Africa’s biggest network operators – wants money raised in the country’s next spectrum auction reinvested in…
The author, Paul Colmer The digital divide in South Africa just got its most credible solution yet. After years of planning, trials and technical validation, dynamic spectrum sharing has moved from regulatory aspiration to proven reality – and it happened faster than anyone in the industry expected. In late January 2026, stakeholders gathered in KwaZulu-Natal…
Icasa CEO Tshiamo Maluleka-Disemelo Communications regulator Icasa expects to appoint a service provider, or providers, next month to run South Africa’s next major radio frequency spectrum auction. However, the regulator has still not committed to a date for the auction. It was delayed in 2024 after bidders asked for more time to prepare. Icasa has…
ICASA requires information on the development of an automated spectrum management system. It’s a busy week on National Treasury’s eTenders Portal; however, the ICT industry is not favoured. This means the industry will largely need to look to lower-value municipal advertisements for opportunities. Amid this quiet backdrop, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA)…
The current approach to spectrum licensing by telecommunications regulators, where each licensee gets exclusive access to specific bands of spectrum in exchange for large pots of money, may soon be a thing of the past. Speaking at the Wireless Access Providers’ Association’s Wapaloza conference in Johannesburg on Monday, Dean Bubley, the founder of telecoms advisory…
