The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has awarded temporary spectrum to Rain Networks, Vodacom, Cell C, Telkom, Liquid Intelligence Technologies and MTN.

Under the new information and communications technology (ICT) Covid-19 National State of Disaster Regulations, the provisional licences are valid for seven months, from December 1 to June 30, 2022, or three months after the termination of the National State of Disaster, whichever comes first.

This followed Icasa’s call for applications for the provisional assignment of radio frequency spectrum for the 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 2 300 MHz, 2 600 MHz and 3 500 MHz bands on November 10, with a closing date of November 17.

MTN, Vodacom, Telkom, Cell C, Rain and Liquid Intelligence Technologies applied for various bands.

“This provisional spectrum assignment remains an interim measure, intended to improve communication services for consumers in the intervening period, with the goal being to permanently license the spectrum through an auction starting in March 2022. This provisional licensing phase attempts temporarily to address competition concerns and levy appropriate fees, but a more all-inclusive regime will be yielded through a competitive bidding approach,” Icasa chairperson Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng said in a statement

In the International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) 700 MHz band, MTN and Vodacom each secured provisional spectrum of 10 MHz, while Telkom and Rain received 20 MHz.

Icasa awarded MTN and Vodacom 10 MHz each in the IMT 800 band and Telkom and Cell C 20 MHz each.

“Since analogue and digital television broadcasting services still occupy parts of the 700 MHz and 800 MHz radio frequency bands, the authority urges licensees to share and coordinate use in these frequency bands through a geographic separation of IMT Systems and broadcasting services in affected areas, and in accordance with the Terrestrial Broadcasting Frequency Plan, 2013,” Modimoeng said.

Meanwhile, Telkom was awarded 40 MHz of provisional spectrum in the 2 300 MHz band and in the IMT 2 600 MHz band, MTN and Vodacom each received 40 MHz; Telkom 10 MHz; Rain 60 MHz; and Cell C 20 MHz.

Lastly, Icasa provided 40 MHz in the 3 500 MHz band for MTN and Vodacom; 12 MHz for Telkom; Liquid Intelligent Technologies 4 MHz; and Cell C 20 MHz.

All licensees will be required to pay a spectrum acquisition fee, as well as a spectrum usage fee, in addition to the up-front application fee.

Icasa noted that participating operators were required to pay spectrum acquisition, spectrum use and upfront application fees in line with the spectrum applied for, with the provisional spectrum assignment arrangement and its related fees raising about R200-million in the short term for the national fiscus.