Communications regulator Icasa will hold public hearings later this week that will determine how scarce radio frequency spectrum is utilised in future.
The idea, according to Icasa, is to update the National Radio Frequency Plan to ensure the efficient use of spectrum.
It wants to ensure that the plan reflects the final acts of the World Radiocommunication Conference of 2015 and that it is in line with the latest version of the International Telecommunication Union’s radio regulations.
The updated plan must be consistent with the Southern African Development Community’s Frequency Allocation Plan and ensure that spectrum allocations reflect the usage of the radio frequency spectrum until the next World Radiocommunication Conference in 2019, Icasa said.
“The update will be followed by the development of the frequency migration plan process, aimed at addressing the frequency migrations identified during the evolution of the earlier national radio frequency plans, starting with Sabre 1 of 1997…”
The hearings kick off at the regulator’s offices at Pin Mill Farm in Sandton on Thursday. Mobile operators MTN, Cell C and Vodacom are scheduled to speak first, followed by Telkom, M-Net, the SABC and Sentech, among others. — (c) 2017 NewsCentral Media