There are complaints about South Africa’s ICASA regarding the length of time the media regulator is taking to issue network and service licences for broadband operators. South Africa’s Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) says that ICASA is undermining the sectors growth and development. ISPA, which has about 220 members (mainly ISPs), said that it wants […]

Keabetswe Modimoeng, the former chairman of South Africa’s communications regulator, has joined MultiChoice Africa, the segment of the pay-TV broadcaster’s interests outside of South Africa itself. His new position is described as Group Executive for Corporate Affairs and Stakeholder Relations. He will also be a member of the MultiChoice Africa executive team. Modimoeng, a former […]

Pan-African pay-TV operator MultiChoice has been fined 10 million Kwacha (€93,800) by Malawi for breaches of its licence conditions. However, DStv says the fine is unwarranted. Malawi’s Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) also ordered MultiChoice to refund DStv subscribers cash because DStv allegedly adjusted its local tariffs in July last year without pre-approval from MACRA. According […]

Sky Sports has announced a new 5-year rights deal within their cricket portfolio, with the new South Africa T20 cricket league. Beginning on January 10th, the league is set to entertain local and international cricket fans and seek to attract new audiences of all ages. Across four weeks, 33 matches featuring six global franchises will […]

South Africa’s media and communications regulator, ICASA, has identified seven spectrum bands for auction and subsequent licensing for 4G/5G and future mobile telecoms services. The seven bands are the first new cellular frequencies made available in South Africa for some 15 years. The seven bands are: · IMT700: 703-733MHz and 758-788MHz · IMT750: 733-758MHz · […]

South Africa’s media and broadcast regulator ICASA wants to make additional radio frequency spectrum available for WiFi broadband. ICASA is proposing an amendment to current regulations and has issued a draft amendment for stakeholder comments. The key proposal states: “The authority is proposing the incorporation of the key lower 6GHz band (5.925MHz to 6.425MHz) as […]

South Africa is again attempting to switch off its analogue TV broadcasts. The nation’s Minister of Communications Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has set March 31st 2023 as the new date to end analogue transmissions. The date is eight years beyond the ITU’s required end of analogue broadcasts. However, this is not the first time that a switch-off […]

South Africa’s public broadcaster, already suffering from a lack of licence fee income and a downturn in advertising, is facing a controversial arbitration over its ‘must carry’ obligations towards pay-TV operator MultiChoice. South Africa broadcasting regulator ICASA has admitted that its negotiations with DStv and SABC have reached an impasse. SABC COO Ian Plaatjes has […]

South Africa’s SABC public broadcaster has told a parliamentary committee that its financial position is grave. Overall its financial revenues are some 27 per cent below an already squeezed budget. SABC had hoped for a 64 million Rand (€3.46m) surplus this year but CFO Yolande van Biljon told MPs at a sitting of the nation’s […]

South Africa’s SABC is to launch a new streaming service branded SABC+. The public broadcaster is taking over responsibility for existing OTT services from telco TelkomOne which wants to exit the offering. SABC and Telkom launched the OTT service in November 2020 in order to offer SABC’s back catalogue and free-to-air channels on a streaming […]