Communications minister Dina Pule on Wednesday issued draft policy directions to the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) in an effort to find ways of exploiting the “digital dividend” bands that will be opened up when SA moves from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting.

She wants a full review of a huge chunk of spectrum and has asked Icasa, among other things, to consider the possibility of telecommunications companies making use of television white spaces spectrum, whereby operators and broadcasters coexist in the same frequencies. (See related story: Song sings on spectrum and the value of white spaces.)

The policy directions document says the intention is to “promote the efficient use of the digital dividend spectrum in the frequency bands 174-230MHz and 470-790MHz. Spectrum above 790MHz is dealt with in a separate policy direction issued on Wednesday. (See related story: Icasa sets SA on path to 4G.)

Pule wants Icasa to look into the “rational and efficient exploitation” of the spectrum below 790MHz for future digital dividends and report back to her on future spectrum requirements for all three spheres of digital terrestrial television broadcasting (namely public, community and commercial) in the next 10 years.

She also wants the authority to consider future spectrum requirements for digital radio broadcasts after analogue switch-off and to investigate the possible use of television white spaces technology.

Icasa’s study should also consider future spectrum requirements for mobile broadband in the digital dividend bands over the next decade and take into consideration the possible impact of any recommendations made on the digital dividend on neighbouring countries. — Staff reporter, TechCentral