Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      Vodacom’s Maziv deal gets makeover ahead of crucial hearing

      18 July 2025

      Cut electricity prices for data centres: Andile Ngcaba

      18 July 2025

      Takealot taps Mr D to deliver toys, pet food and future growth

      18 July 2025

      ‘Oh, Ani!’: Elon’s edgy bot stirs ethical storm

      18 July 2025

      Trump U-turn on Nvidia spurs talk of grand bargain with China

      18 July 2025
    • World

      Grok 4 arrives with bold claims and fresh controversy

      10 July 2025

      Samsung’s bet on folding phones faces major test

      10 July 2025

      Bitcoin pushes higher into record territory

      10 July 2025

      OpenAI to launch web browser in direct challenge to Google Chrome

      10 July 2025

      Cupertino vs Brussels: Apple challenges Big Tech crackdown

      7 July 2025
    • In-depth

      The 1940s visionary who imagined the Information Age

      14 July 2025

      MultiChoice is working on a wholesale overhaul of DStv

      10 July 2025

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025
    • TCS

      TCS+ | Samsung unveils significant new safety feature for Galaxy A-series phones

      16 July 2025

      TCS+ | MVNX on the opportunities in South Africa’s booming MVNO market

      11 July 2025

      TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

      7 July 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

      4 July 2025

      TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U

      3 July 2025
    • Opinion

      A smarter approach to digital transformation in ICT distribution

      15 July 2025

      In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

      30 June 2025

      E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

      30 June 2025

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » News » Spectrum: 10 years of dithering and delay

    Spectrum: 10 years of dithering and delay

    By Tebogo Tshwane5 December 2019
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp

    The competition watchdog drew a line in the sand on Monday when it released its final data market inquiry report, with far-reaching recommendations such as that the big two mobile network providers, Vodacom and MTN, reduce their prices.

    Vodacom was the first to respond, saying the Competition Commission had “downplayed” the importance of the delayed release of spectrum on data prices. It also highlighted the different findings reached by the commission and communications regulator Icasa in its preliminary discussion document.

    While the commission has found that South African data prices are quite expensive when compared to other African countries and global counterparts, Icasa’s preliminary findings say they are neither high nor low but just in the middle.

    How did we get here? The question of spectrum has been in limbo for some 10 years and has outlasted eight communications ministers

    On Wednesday, MTN was even blunter.

    “We respectfully disagree with the analysis and recommendations contained in the summary report and, as we study the full report, will continue to engage constructively and vigorously defend against over-broad and intrusive recommendations,” said MTN in a Sens announcement.

    One of the “over-broad and intrusive” recommendations includes dropping data prices by between 30% and 50% in the next two months.

    Like Vodacom, MTN says that it has significantly reduced the effective price of data and that the critical barrier to reducing costs even further is limited spectrum availability.

    ‘Acutely felt’

    “This is acutely felt in South Africa, which has among the lowest spectrum allocation in all our MTN markets. The release of new spectrum in this market will greatly assist our ability to service more customers with more data traffic.”

    So, how did we get here? The question of spectrum has been in limbo for some 10 years and has outlasted eight communications ministers.

    Here is a timeline of significant events:

    • May 2010: Icasa releases the high-demand radio frequency spectrum licensing framework regulations with invitations to apply for space in the 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz bands.
    • July 2010: The invitations are withdrawn as Icasa decides that it needs an auctioneer from outside South Africa.
    • December 2011: Icasa issues a draft spectrum assignment plan for 800MHz and 2.6GHz, delaying the opening of 3.5GHz to a later date. This comes with a draft invitation To apply.
    • March 2012: Icasa postpones the licensing of the spectrum again after receiving submissions from mobile operators that it would be premature to go ahead with draft plans and invitations without policy direction from then communications minister Dina Pule.
    • December 2013: New communications minister Yunus Carrim publishes the country’s broadband policy titled South Africa Connect: Creating Opportunities, Ensuring Inclusion.
    • March 2015: Icasa issues new radio frequency spectrum regulations.
    • September 2015: Icasa publishes the Information Memorandum for prospective radio frequency spectrum licences to provide details to those who intend to apply for licences within the designated 700MHz, 800MHz and 2.6GHz bands in order to provide broadband wireless access services.
    • July 2016: Icasa publishes an invitation to apply for radio frequency spectrum licences in the 700MHz, 800MHz and 2.6GHz bands.
    • Shortly after that, then communications minister Faith Muthambi filed court papers to block the invitation, saying Icasa should have waited for the department to finalise the ICT policy white paper, which introduced the idea of a wholesale open-access network (Woan).
    • September 2016: Muthambi is granted a court interdict to halt the spectrum auction.
    • October 2018: Icasa withdraws the invitation to auction published in July 2016.
    • July 2019: Current minister of communications & digital technologies Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams publishes the policy on high-demand spectrum and the policy direction on the licensing of the Woan.
    • November 2019: Icasa on 1 November releases its information memorandum on the licensing process for high-demand spectrum in the 700MHz, 800MHz, 2.3GHz, 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz bands. The discussion document is open for public submissions until 31 January 2020.

    Ultimately, as mentioned by the commission, the use of the auctioned spectrum will depend on the acceleration of digital migration, which has also been hamstrung for years.

    • This article was originally published on Moneyweb and is used here with permission


    Competition Commission Icasa MTN MTN South Africa top Vodacom
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleSAA: How the national airline crashed
    Next Article Samsung Galaxy S11 to come strapped with a photographic arsenal

    Related Posts

    Vodacom’s Maziv deal gets makeover ahead of crucial hearing

    18 July 2025

    Mobile money lifts Africa savings to decade high

    17 July 2025

    MTN Group appoints new chief enterprise officer

    16 July 2025
    Company News

    Vertiv to acquire custom rack solutions manufacturer

    18 July 2025

    SA businesses embrace gen AI – but strategy and skills are lagging

    17 July 2025

    Ransomware in South Africa: the human factor behind the growing crisis

    16 July 2025
    Opinion

    A smarter approach to digital transformation in ICT distribution

    15 July 2025

    In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

    30 June 2025

    E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

    30 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.