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

      Public money, private plans: MPs demand Post Office transparency

      13 June 2025

      Coal to cash: South Africa gets major boost for energy shift

      13 June 2025

      China is behind in AI chips – but for how much longer?

      13 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025

      10 red flags for Apple investors

      13 June 2025
    • World

      Yahoo tries to make its mail service relevant again

      13 June 2025

      Qualcomm shows off new chip for AI smart glasses

      11 June 2025

      Trump tariffs to dim 2025 smartphone shipments

      4 June 2025

      Shrimp Jesus and the AI ad invasion

      4 June 2025

      Apple slams EU rules as ‘flawed and costly’ in major legal pushback

      2 June 2025
    • In-depth

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025

      Digital fortress: We go inside JB5, Teraco’s giant new AI-ready data centre

      30 May 2025

      Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s big bet to out-Apple Apple

      22 May 2025

      South Africa unveils big state digital reform programme

      12 May 2025

      Is this the end of Google Search as we know it?

      12 May 2025
    • TCS

      TechCentral Nexus S0E1: Starlink, BEE and a new leader at Vodacom

      8 June 2025

      TCS+ | The future of mobile money, with MTN’s Kagiso Mothibi

      6 June 2025

      TCS+ | AI is more than hype: Workday execs unpack real human impact

      4 June 2025

      TCS | Sentiv, and the story behind the buyout of Altron Nexus

      3 June 2025

      TCS | Signal restored: Unpacking the Blue Label and Cell C turnaround

      28 May 2025
    • Opinion

      Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

      2 June 2025

      South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

      2 June 2025

      Digital giants boost South African news media – and get blamed for it

      29 May 2025

      Solar panic? The truth about SSEG, fines and municipal rules

      14 April 2025

      Data protection must be crypto industry’s top priority

      9 April 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • 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
      • 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 auction officially on ice as Icasa readies for court battle

    Spectrum auction officially on ice as Icasa readies for court battle

    By Duncan McLeod9 March 2021
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    Icasa chairman Keabetswe Modimoeng

    Communications regulator Icasa on Tuesday confirmed that Monday’s court judgment in favour of Telkom means the spectrum auction cannot proceed later this month as scheduled. The agency is now preparing for a legal battle.

    Telkom secured an interdict against Icasa in the high court in Pretoria preventing the regulator from proceeding with adjudicating bids and proceeding with the auction.

    The judgment is a blow to South Africa’s telecommunications industry as mobile operators will now have to wait months – and possibly years – until the spectrum auction can go ahead. A best-case outcome now would be an out-of-court settlement, possibly through mediation – an idea broached last week by the Internet Service Providers’ Assocation.

    The high court has issued an order, without reasons, interdicting and restraining Icasa from proceeding with the auction process

    “The high court has issued an order, without reasons, interdicting and restraining Icasa from proceeding with the auction process pending the final determination of Telkom’s application to review Icasa’s decision to publish the two invitations to apply (for the auction and for a wholesale open-access network, or Woan),” Icasa said in a statement on Tuesday. “The effect of this order is that Icasa cannot at this stage proceed with the auction process and the timetable for that process will have to be revised.”

    Icasa chairman Keabetswe Modimoeng expressed dismay at the court ruling but said the agency “remains resolute that the licensing process shall in due course be finalised”.

    ‘Never been so close’

    “We have never been so close to licensing high demand spectrum. We were literally three weeks away from auctioning this much-needed resource that would have seen South Africans benefit through this process in terms of reduced data costs and improvement in quality of service and experience. In commitment to our public interest mandate, the council of Icasa has resolved to exhaust all legal avenues in respect of this process.”

    On mediation and the possibility of an out-of-court deal, Modimoeng has dug in his heels. “We were here in 2016 when an interdict on a similar matter was issued, and that led the authority to enter into an out-of-court settlement, withdrawal of the invitation to apply and other forms of mediation. Such interventions took us nowhere.

    “We are not going back there. It is our considered view that the best option is to exhaust all possible legal avenues at our disposal, including appeals, so to ensure that this sensitive licensing process is not only defined by industry players but also by the public interest.”

    He said, too, that Icasa has “taken note” that the “primary litigant in this matter (Telkom) was also one of the three applicants in the 2016 litigation. Telkom’s opposition to this licensing process has therefore been consistent.”

    In response to the interdict being granted to it, Telkom group executive for regulatory affairs and government relations Siyabona Mahlangu said: “This decision affirms our view that there are concerns regarding the lawfulness of the Icasa process. While we wait for the court to hear the review, we implore Icasa to engage and explore a path to license spectrum lawfully, rationally and expeditiously. We hope Icasa will take this opportunity to reflect on the issues raised by Telkom and others.”

    Vodacom, which has repeatedly expressed a desire for the auction to proceed at the end of March without any further delays, said: “Vodacom is disappointed that the process will be further delayed and remains supportive of the spectrum auction proceeding as soon as possible. Vodacom has not been given permanent access to new high-demand spectrum in 15 years. As we have said previously, the award of new spectrum remains a critical part of reducing input costs and – by extension – the cost of data. The long-term assignment of high-demand spectrum is vital to expanding broadband services and promoting digital inclusion, thus further delays will have a negative impact on consumers.”  — © 2021 NewsCentral Media



    Icasa Ispa Keabetswe Modimoeng Siyabonga Mahlangu Telkom top Vodacom
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleWith debt under control, Adapt IT plans a return to acquisitions
    Next Article Grant Bodley steps down as Dimension Data CEO

    Related Posts

    MVNO boom is reshaping South Africa’s mobile market

    12 June 2025

    Watch | Lunga Siyo on Telkom’s big growth plans

    11 June 2025

    Capex clash: Vodacom, MTN and Telkom battle over network supremacy

    11 June 2025
    Company News

    Huawei Watch Fit 4 Series: smarter sensors, sharper design, stronger performance

    13 June 2025

    Change Logic and BankservAfrica set new benchmark with PayShap roll-out

    13 June 2025

    SAPHILA 2025 – transcending with purpose, connection and AI-powered vision

    13 June 2025
    Opinion

    Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

    2 June 2025

    South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

    2 June 2025

    Digital giants boost South African news media – and get blamed for it

    29 May 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.