Telkom calls for 'fair and transparent' new spectrum auction rules
Telkom on Wednesday called on regulator Icasa to create new spectrum licensing auction rules that were "fair and transparent", after the watchdog consented to a court order declaring the previous process flawed.
The country's third biggest telecom company had asked a court to prevent the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) from auctioning new 3G, 4G and 5G spectrum licences, claiming the terms of the auction were unfair.
Icasa said on Tuesday it would consent to the order at a hearing scheduled for Sept. 15, after failing to reach a settlement with Telkom and others including broadcaster eMedia Holdings and no. 2 operator MTN, which had pursued separate cases.
The failure of Icasa and the companies to reach common ground was another blow to South Africa's much-awaited spectrum auction, which has been high on government's agenda to usher in a digital revolution and create thousands of jobs.
The auction has already been delayed by over a decade, forcing companies to rely on older spectrum to offer high speed 4G connectivity to subscribers.
"We now call upon Icasa, the Minister and the industry at large to cooperate in making sure that a proper fresh start is embarked upon, that is fair and transparent, which will lead all of the current market structure flaws to be adequately addressed," Telkom CE Sipho Maseko said in a statement.
The regulator's decision to back down on spectrum auction litigation was an acknowledgement that the process was "irredeemably flawed", Telkom said.
MTN said it was reviewing Icasa's statement.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the ministry continues to engage with the mobile operators and other relevant parties to find an amicable solution.
Comments
The
content
you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.
If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.
If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.
For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation