Technology: WOAN licensing to target new entrants, investors?

High-demand radio frequency spectrum licensing is likely to ‘involve an auction’ – although the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) will require ‘business, financial and technical plans’ from prospective wireless open access network licensees. Communications & Digital Technologies Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams made this observation during a recent ‘fibre-to-the-x’ (FTTX) conference in Johannesburg, when she likened the wireless open access network licensing process to ‘a beauty contest’. Her remarks tended to point to a preference for ‘new’ market entrants and ‘potential new investors’ when identifying suitable wireless open access network operators, reports Pam Saxby for Legalbrief Policy Watch. 

This is the first time the Minister has officially commented on government’s new ‘policy direction’ for high-demand spectrum licensing, which was gazetted on 26 July – finally allowing Icasa to proceed with a process begun more than three years ago and abruptly halted by former Telecommunications & Postal Services Minister Siyabonga Cwele. According to Ndabeni-Abrahams, the policy change was prompted by the need for a more ‘robust’ infrastructure as SA continues to grapple with ‘the issue of network capacity congestion’. This is noting that spectrum release was one of several priorities identified last year in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s economic recovery and stimulus package. Icasa has undertaken to publish an ‘information memorandum’ before the end of the year on the approach envisaged for licensing and releasing unassigned spectrum.