Supporting the growing use of cutting-edge satellite technology to offer innovative services for people and businesses, is at the heart of UK comms regulator Ofcom’s new proposed space spectrum strategy. The space sector is expanding rapidly, with the number of space launches increasing by almost 60 per cent between 2017 and 2021. Companies such as […]

South Africa’s ongoing cellular spectrum auction has already raised more cash than was expected. The session on March 11th ended with bids of more than 8 billion Rand (about €484m). “ICASA is pleased to announce that the auction is proceeding very well and can confirm that we have gradually passed estimated R8-billion in proceeds. The […]

South Africa’s government has allocated an additional Rand 300 million (about €17.5 million) in its annual budget for regulator ICASA for 2022-2023. The cash means an increase in ICASA’s budget of more than 50 per cent and comes ahead of its March planned spectrum auction. “[The] additional funding of R300-million in 2022/2023 is earmarked for […]

South Africa’s communications regulator ICASA has approved six bidders for next month’s capacity auction. They are Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, Cell C, Liquid Intelligent Technologies and Rain. The invitations to apply and to submit for the auction was issued back in December 2021 with a requirement to firm up their applications by January 31st. However, telco […]

UK comms regulator Ofcom has set out its initial thinking on how mobile markets might develop and how networks may need to evolve to meet future demand. Ofcom has also set out how it might adapt its approach accordingly. Future approach to mobile markets Demand for mobile services has grown rapidly over the last decade. […]

Six telcos have formally applied for to take part in the upcoming spectrum being auctioned by South Africa’s government. The timetable closed on January 31st and six players had entered the auction line-up. They are: · Cell C · Liquid Intelligent Technologies · MTN · Rain · Telkom · Vodacom Telkom is still involved in […]

The industry-led sounding board to UK Government and comms regulator Ofcom, UK Spectrum Policy Forum (UK SPF), has released research in collaboration with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on how current shared spectrum access is creating the conditions for new players to provide innovative 5G services. The report, SPF Cluster 3 […]

South African telco Telkom has, as expected, withdrawn its High Court action against ICASA over the regulator’s upcoming auction of spectrum. Telkom told the Pretoria High Court that it will remove its urgent application for an ‘interdict’ to forbid any progress on the auction. Instead, however, it wants ICASA to promptly hear its objections and […]

Financial ratings agency, Fitch Ratings, has assigned its verdict on Intelsat’s capital restructuring. Intelsat is likely to emerge from its Chapter 11 bankruptcy reconstruction shortly and is already in the process of arranging fresh financing and borrowing. Fitch says it has assigned a ‘B+’ rating on Intelsat’s Jackson Holdings SA sister company with a ratings […]

South Africa’s communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has presented filings to the country’s High Court in Pretoria saying that the government will firmly oppose telco Telkom in its move to delay the planned spectrum auction. The move is dramatic given that the government holds more than 40 per cent of Telkom’s equity which seemingly has little […]