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Spectrum for development SOUTH

ZIMBABWE General facts Source Surface area (km2) 1,221,037 United Nations Pietersburg Population 50,586,757 (2011) Statistics South BOTSWANA Africa

Pretoria Population density (people/km2) UN DESA Mbabane 41 NAMIBIA IMF SWAZILAND GDP (USD millions) 555,340 [purchasing power Soweto parity (PPP), at current international prices, 2011] Upington Kimberley Maseru GDP per person 10,977 [purchasing power IMF Bloemfontein (USD) parity (PPP), at current SOUTH Durban international prices, 2011] AFRICA De Aar Saint ICT indicators (per 100 people) Source Helena Bay East London Fixed telephone lines 8.43 (2010) ITU Port Elizabeth

ATLANTIC Cape Town Algoa Bay Mobile cellular subscriptions 100.48 (2010) ITU OCEAN INDIAN OCEAN users 12.3 (2010) ITU Cape Columbine Cape Seal Cape of Good Hope Fixed broadband internet 1.48 (2010) ITU subscribers

Summary of regulatory authorities Summary of laws and policies

 Department of Communications (DoC): Responsible  Electronic Communications Act 2005 for spectrum allocation. Manages government www.icasa.org.za/LegislationRegulatory/Acts/ requirements for spectrum and international spectrum ElectronicCommunicationsAct/tabid/86/ctl/ItemDetails/mid/649/ItemID/3/ commitments. The minister is responsible for making Default.aspx spectrum policy and issuing policy directives regarding  Independent Communications Authority of Act 2000 spectrum management. A proposed piece of legislation www.icasa.org.za/LegislationRegulatory/Acts/ICASAAct/tabid/84/ctl/ spectrum.apc.org would centralise spectrum management under the ItemDetails/mid/499/ItemID/7/Default.aspx department.  Independent Broadcasting Authority Act 1993, as amended 2002  The Independent Communications Authority of www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/text.jsp?file_id=218749 South Africa (ICASA): Responsible for administration,  Radio Frequency Spectrum Policy for South Africa, 16 April 2010 management and licensing of all radio spectrum that www.scribd.com/doc/32278419/South-Africa-National-Radio-Frequency- has not been allocated for government or security Spectrum-Policy-2010 uses. ICASA is responsible for assigning radio spectrum  South African Table of Frequency Allocations through the licensing of its usage. www.scribd.com/doc/32266214/South-African-Table-of-Frequency- Allocations  Department of Health: Responsible for the establishment of safety standards related to  Spectrum Assignments in South Africa electromagnetic radiation. www.scribd.com/doc/87453153  Spectrum Usage and Spare Broadcasting Frequencies, March 2010  Department of Science and Technology: Involved development for spectrum pen

www.icasa.org.za/LegislationandRegulations/ O through the Astronomy Geographic Advantage Act SpectrumUsageandAvailability/tabid/394/ctl/ItemDetails/mid/1288/ in the possible establishment of the Square Kilometre ItemID/266/Default.aspx Array, which would require space in the remote Karoo, (Graphically represented by Steve Song at www.manypossibilities./ where spectrum is not utilised. spectrum)  Licence Exemption Regulations 2008 www.scribd.com/doc/32277987/ICASA-Licence-Exemption- Regulations-2008  Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy 2008 www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=88342  Amendment of Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy, Feb 2012 www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=159406  South Africa - Final Terrestrial Broadcasting Plan 2008 www.scribd.com/doc/32383563/South-Africa-Final-Terrestrial- Broadcasting-Plan-2008  Consolidated Spectrum Audit 450 MHz-470 MHz, May 2010 www.scribd.com/doc/43791047/South-Africa-Consolidated-Spectrum- Audit-450MHz-470MHz  Consolidated Spectrum Audit Report 790 MHz-862 MHz, Mar 2010 www.scribd.com/doc/43792291/South-Africa-790MHz-862MHz- Consolidated-Spectrum-Audit-Report-1  Broadband Policy for South Africa 2010 www.scribd.com/doc/43794703/Broadband-Policy-for-South-Africa

Association for Progressive Communications (APC). May 2012. Creative Commons Licence 3.0. Some rights reserved. Methods for allocation of frequencies

ICASA has followed an administrative approach to the allocation of was granted a licence to operate fixed services frequencies. Spectrum allocation (and awarding of mobile licences in the 800 MHz band. in general) has often been tied to universal service obligations. To date ICASA has issued national spectrum licences for commer- The initial 900 MHz spectrum licences were awarded directly to cial WiMAX services to iBurst, Sentech, , and the second two mobile operators by the government. Thereafter spectrum network operator Neotel. iBurst and Sentech have spectrum in was assigned by the newly formed ICASA. A third operator (Cell the 2.6 GHz band and Sentech, Telkom and Neotel have spec- C) was granted an operator licence in 2001 and received a li- trum in the 3.5 GHz band. cence in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands. In 2003, access to the 1800 MHz spectrum was given on a temporary basis to MTN In South Africa, no actual spectrum auctions have taken place. and Vodacom in exchange for SIM cards for the poor. Final­ ICASA has planned to auction off spectrum in the 2.6 GHz and ly, in 2005, MTN and Vodacom were officially granted licences 3.5 GHz bands. In the past two years, two invitations to bid to operate in the 1800 MHz band. MTN and Vodacom were for this spectrum were issued by ICASA; both were cancelled. granted spectrum licences in the 2100 MHz band in 2004. In There has been debate between operators and the regulator October 2006, ICASA allowed telecoms operators to apply for as to whether this spectrum should be auctioned or whether a 800 MHz spectrum (TV channels 65 and 66) and in March 2007, «beauty contest» should be held.

Spectrum with the potential for increasing internet access Frequencies Current situation Potential use

800 MHz To be freed up after digital migration (estimated 2015). (LTE). Spectrum will be auctioned.

2.4 and 5.8 GHz Unlicensed. Until 2008 the regulatory environment Since 2008 WiFi networks can legally (WiFi spectrum) did not allow for the commercial use of WLANs, thus exist for commercial or non-commercial wireless hotspots and wireless ISPs were illegal. purposes without requiring a spectrum licence. There is potential for using this to increase internet access, although WiFi technology is restricted by the fact that it only works at short ranges.

2.6 GHz 34% of frequency assigned (between 2.50-2.69 GHz), Mobile broadband (4G/LTE/WiMAX). Given 125 MHz available for assignment. ICASA has planned the greater density of towers required at

to auction this spectrum; in the past two years, two 2.6 GHz as opposed to mobile spectrum spectrum.apc.org invitations to bid have been extended and cancelled. that is lower down in the spectrum band, rolling out to 50% of the population within two years is likely to be both expensive and challenging.

3.5 GHz 49% assigned (in the 3.4-3.6 GHz spectrum). ICASA Mobile broadband (4G/LTE/WiMAX). has planned to auction this spectrum; in the past two years, two invitations to bid have been extended and cancelled. pen spectrum for development development for spectrum pen O

Association for Progressive Communications (APC). May 2012. Creative Commons Licence 3.0. Some rights reserved.