The report found that 15 years of spectrum withholding harmed consumers, particularly the poor, and that failed digital migration meant that even after the delayed spectrum auction, carriers would be unable to fully use the 700 and 800 MHz “digital dividend” spectrum until 2023.
High Court orders suspension of spectrum auction
Communications and Digital Technologies Minister, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, has noted the judgment handed down by the High Court on the auctioning of spectrum.
The High Court in Pretoria on Monday ordered the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) to halt the planned auction of radio frequency spectrum licences, pending a hearing of contentions raised by broadcaster e.tv and Telkom.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ndabeni-Abrahams said the ministry remains open to mediation for the parties involved in order to find a common solution through alternative dispute resolution outside of the court process.
South Africa s TMT sector faces legal challenges and opportunities in 2021 polity.org.za - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from polity.org.za Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The author, Dobek Pater, argues that there could be 43% 5G population coverage in South Africa by 2025
A new report by Africa Analysis, the ICT market research and analysis firm, has shed light on how we can expect the 5G market to evolve in South Africa over the next several years.
The report is being published ahead of the high-demand spectrum auction planned by communications regulator Icasa for the end of March 2021. Icasa also plans to license the Wireless Open-Access Network (Woan) operator around the same time. That’s if lawsuits instituted against Icasa by Telkom and MTN do not cause yet another delay in assigning this prized spectrum. Both operators, which have submitted applications to participate in the spectrum auction, are not happy with aspects of the auction process.