Update: ICASA withdrew the invitation on 29 July 2010.
ICASA issued an invitation to apply for spectrum in the
2.6 GHz and
3.5 GHz bands in separate notices dated 28 May 2010. The applications are due to be filed with ICASA by
25 June 2010. ICASA also published a
Reasons Document and
Regulations on the procedures and criteria for granting licences where there are competing applications.
The ITA for the 3.5 GHz band is to class electronic communications network service licensees for the purpose of providing municipal broadband wireless access. There is available spectrum for ICASA to grant two licences of 30 MHz spectrum each.
The ITA for the 2.6 GHz band is to individual electronic communications network service licensees for the purpose of providing national broadband wireless access. There is available spectrum for ICASA to grant four licences of 30 MHz spectrum each.
The rest of the spectrum was previously given to the privileged few with no requirement to compete: Telkom and Neotel (2 x 28 MHz of 3.5 GHz spectrum), Sentech (2 x 14 MHz of 3.5 GHz spectrum and 50 MHz of 2.6 GHz spectrum), and WBS (14 MHz of 2.6 GHz spectrum).
The application fee is R70 000.
If applicants meet the pre-qualification criteria (ie, they have the requisite licence and are at least 30 percent owned by historically disadvantaged individuals) then they are eligible to participate in an auction. The reserve price for the auction is R250 000 for the 3.5 GHz spectrum and R750 000 for the 2.6 GHz spectrum.
After licences are granted, the licensees will be required to cover 50 percent of the relevant population within two years (a requirement that was not placed on existing licensees).
