Telecommunications regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa), and members of the SA Police Service on Friday raided the head office and two satellite offices of controversial Internet service provider Screamer Telecoms, seizing wireless communications equipment and company documents.

A well-placed source, speaking to TechCentral on condition of anonymity, says Icasa has obtained a series of search warrants and on Friday raided Screamer’s head office in Centurion. It also seized equipment from the company in the north of Pretoria and at a site near Germiston on the East Rand.

Screamer has allegedly been using radio frequency spectrum allocated to state-owned broadcasting signal distributor Sentech, even after the cancellation of a dodgy deal between the two companies. Screamer CEO Gavin Hart could not immediately be reached for comment. TechCentral has e-mailed him requesting his reaction to the raids.

TechCentral’s source, who was involved in this week’s drama, says Icasa has evidence that the service provider has continued to use the spectrum without permission. Screamer operates a network using WiMax technology.

Icasa’s move against the company has left hundreds of Screamer’s customers without access to the Internet this weekend.

Sentech has 50MHz of spectrum in the valuable 2,6GHz band, which it has not been using since pulling the plug on its wireless broadband venture, MyWireless, which failed several years ago. Former senior managers at the state-owned company signed a dodgy deal allowing Screamer (then Global Web Intact, or GWI) to use the spectrum.

That contract was later torn up, with former Sentech chairman Quraysh Patel — who was brought in to help solve the problems at the troubled company — declaring to parliament last year that the agreement was illegal. Icasa now has evidence Screamer is still using the spectrum, according to TechCentral’s source.

It’s understood the authority has obtained further search warrants and will seize more communications equipment from Screamer on Monday, including at additional sites in Johannesburg and in Harrismith in the eastern Free State.

Evidence collected during the raids will be used by Icasa’s complaints and compliance committee in an upcoming investigation into the deal between Sentech and Screamer and the latter’s allegedly unlawful use of the spectrum.

Questions are likely to be raised again about why Icasa took so long to act against GWI/Screamer and Sentech. The Mail & Guardian reported in October last year that the authority knew about the deal between Sentech and GWI as far back as 2007. Controversial former SABC chairman Eddie Funde is said to have benefited financially by helping broker the spectrum trading deal between GWI and Sentech.

Further investigations and raids by Icasa could follow soon. TechCentral’s source says the authority suspects there are other companies using Sentech’s spectrum in the 2,6GHz band without permission.

The 2,6GHz band will be auctioned off by Icasa later this year. The frequency is ideal for building next-generation mobile broadband networks. The auction could rake in a fortune for the national fiscus. — Duncan McLeod, TechCentral