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

Under the new information and communication technology (ICT) Covid-19 National State of Disaster Regulations, the provaisional 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.

Icasa called for applications for the provisional assignment of the 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.

The new round of temporary spectrum, which aims to fill the gap until Icasa starts the auctioning of the permanent spectrum in March 2022, followed the authority’s announcement in August that the operators were required to return the emergency spectrum by November 30.

The temporary spectrum has been used since March 2020 to meet a surge in demand as people worked and studied from home, amid Covid-19-linked lockdowns.

The move to recall the spectrum had triggered a series of lawsuits from various operators in October to stop the withdrawal of the spectrum, the provisional use of which had been renewed several times since being issued on an initial three-month emergency basis.

Discussing the new call for applications, Icasa chairperson Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng notes that the provisional spectrum assignment remains an interim measure to improve communication services.

The aim is to permanently license the spectrum through an auction starting in March 2022.

“This provisional licensing phase attempts to temporarily address competition concerns and levy appropriate fees, but a more all-inclusive regime will be yielded through a competitive bidding approach.”

MTN, Vodacom, Telkom, Cell C, Rain and Liquid Intelligence Technologies applied for various bands under the new application process.

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 each.

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 explains.

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, 4 MHz for Liquid Intelligent Technologies and 20 MHz for Cell C.

Icasa notes that participating operators are required to pay spectrum acquisition, spectrum use and upfront application fees in line with the spectrum applied for.

The authority remains committed to permanently license the high-demand spectrum in line with the truncated timetable published on October 1.

Meanwhile, on November 19, Icasa temporarily suspended the licensing timetable for the release of the Wireless Open Access Network (Woan) spectrum.

Reviewing the licensing timelines, issued on October 1, the authority says that the suspension is to allow the high-demand spectrum permanent licensing consultation process to be completed and enable Icasa to “interrogate the impact of the outcomes on the licensing of the Woan”.

Icasa was due to publish the envisaged Woan consultation document on November 19, a decision it retracted, amid the sensitivity of the spectrum licensing process, the ongoing consultation processes in that regard and the numerous continuous related considerations, including legal imperatives.

As the consultation processes for the licensing of IMT spectrum progresses, with the second round of consultation under way after the publication of an updated Information Memorandum on November 16, Icasa will, in the intervening period, engage other international jurisdictions to draw lessons from their experiences with regard to the licensing of a typical Woan.

“There is a compelling reason to revise this tactical approach with regard to the Woan process,” explains Modimoeng.

“This Woan licensing process is aimed at introducing an additional credible player with a view to promote competition in the ICT sector for the benefit of all South Africans. Therefore, it is very important to enhance our knowledge and develop a holistic approach to the Woan process. Such additional engagements will provide clearer guidance in terms of how effective and economical this licensing process will be.”

Icasa now aims to publish a notice by no later than March 2022 advising of the Woan licensing process to be followed, based on the outcome of further engagements, subsequent analysis of the model and the findings of the IMT spectrum consultation processes.

“There will still be radio frequency spectrum set aside for the Woan even as the auction is taking place, and the authority is of the view that the licensing of the Woan will indeed bring much-needed structural reform to the mobile voice and data services markets,” concludes Modimoeng.