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ICASA licenses 5G spectrum to newcomers

South Africa’s spectrum regulator, ICASA, has awarded spectrum licences to a cluster of smaller operators but not to the nation’s established players. The new bandwidth is likely to be used for 5G services. Newcomers Comsol Networks, Nthinte Communications, Real Time Communications, Marion Technology and One Telecom have reportedly been granted 60 MHz of bandwidth each […]

May 24, 2021By Chris Forrester

South Africa delays spectrum auction again

South Africa has postponed its spectrum auction yet again. This time the reason was a legal objection from the telco provider, Telkom, and broadcaster, e.tv, who secured a ruling from the nation’s high court to pause the auction. Judge Selby Baqwa has now placed an interdict on regulator ICASA. The auction was supposed to happen […]

March 10, 2021By Chris Forrester

ICASA silent on 5G auction participants

South Africa’s telecommunications regulator ICASA is facing criticism for not releasing the names of bidders who have qualified to participate in the nation’s 5G spectrum auction. ICASA had planned to release the names on February 22nd but then delayed the publication for a month, until March 23rd. The reason given was that there had been […]

February 24, 2021By Chris Forrester

Starlink in licensing discussions with ICASA

Elon Musk’s Starlink broadband-by-satellite system has added South Africa as a target market. South Africa’s media and telecoms regulator ICASA (Independent Communication Authority of South Africa) confirming that SpaceX is in discussion with the reguklator about obtaining a licence to operate in the country. To operate in South Africa and to provide its satellite-based internet […]

February 16, 2021By Chris Forrester

ICASA to challenge MTN demands in court

South African telco MTN has mounted a legal challenge to the nation’s ICASA regulator over its plans to auction and award licences for 5G development in the country. MTN’s documents were filed at the Pretoria High Court on January 27th. ICASA said on January 29th that it will oppose MTN’s legal action and that it […]

February 1, 2021By Chris Forrester

MTN takes ICASA to court over 5G sale

MTN, a South African telco, has taken regulator ICASA (Independent Communications Authority of South Africa) to court over its plans for an upcoming 5G spectrum auction. Mobile Telephone Networks (MTN), formerly M-Cell and which also controls Verizon’s Business SA company, started its action by stating that ICASA’s decision to auction off the nation’s 3.5 GHz […]

January 28, 2021By Chris Forrester

e.tv: “Spectrum plan will ruin our FTA business”

e.tv, the South African broadcaster and a division of eMedia Investments, says that the country’s ICASA regulator’s plans to sell off terrestrial spectrum will damage its free-to-air business. e.tv has joined a lawsuit with Telkom, a major South African telco and broadband supplier, to request that the high court places a hold on ICASA’s scheme. […]

January 15, 2021By Chris Forrester

ICASA delays spectrum access until 2021

South Africa’s much-delayed spectrum auction will see some progress by the end of September when regulator ICASA will issue two invitations to apply for interested parties. ICASA says the spectrum will then be issued at the end of the regulator’s financial year (March 2021) which is a further 3 months later than the promised December […]

September 7, 2020By Chris Forrester