One of the more surprising aspects of communications regulator Icasa’s emergency allocation of temporary spectrum to operators this week is that they’ve been given access to the digital dividend bands.
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Communications regulator Icasa has assigned emergency temporary spectrum to telecommunications operators to deal with network demand during the Covid-19 crisis.
MTN South Africa said on Friday that it will be ready to use much of the additional spectrum allocated to it by communications regulator Icasa within the next four to six weeks.
Cell C is conspicuous by its absence from Icasa’s announcement on Friday of the companies that have been given access to temporary spectrum during the Covid-19 crisis. That is by design, it said.
Government has set up a hi-tech monitoring and evaluation platform in an effort to ramp up state capacity to monitor and respond to “fake news” proliferating during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Vodacom said on Wednesday that it has “significantly accelerated” investment in its network in recent weeks to cater for growing demand for mobile and fixed Internet access during the lockdown.
Communications regulator Icasa has received “about 35” applications for access to temporary high-demand spectrum, it said on Friday.
Icasa will temporarily assign spectrum in the 700MHz, 800MHz, 2.3GHz, 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz bands, with licensees required to submit their applications by no later than Thursday.
Communications regulator Icasa has moved to quash conspiracy theories spreading through social media that next-generation 5G networks pose a health risk to consumers.
Cell C has made what it calls a “voluntary offer” to the Competition Commission over data prices, which will see prepaid customers getting free “lifeline” data, albeit very limited.