Still some issues to iron out ahead of spectrum auction
Spectrum auctions are a tool to make sure telecoms firms have the necessary resources to provide fast, accessible mobile broadband services.
Screen time, phone. Image: Julie Ricard on Unsplash
Africa Melane is joined by Jan Vermeulen, Editor at Mybroadband.
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A spectrum auction for high-demand radio frequency has been tabled by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) for the 2025/26 financial year.
Spectrum auctions allow government to allocate the right to transmit over certain frequencies to various telcom operators.
Major players who will be seeking to bid include Vodacom, Telkom, MTN, Cell C and Rain, but the process is contentious.
An auction planned for earlier this year was postponed at Telkom's request as Vermuelen explains.
"Telkom is quite unhappy with the current spectrum situation, it says Vodcom and MTN currently have an unfair advantage through deals that they've got with Cell C and Rain and Liquid Telecom and so on...those things would need to be resolved at a ministerial and deparment level before an auction could be held."
Jan Vermeulen, Editor - Mybroadband
"It's going to depend on how soon ICASA can get the rules for the auction squared away...and get an auction format up and running that everyone is happy with."
Jan Vermeulen, Editor - Mybroadband
"There's a lot of conflict in the industry right now and Solly Malatsi has alluded to this with comments about 'resolving things through dialogue' rather than through the courts."
Jan Vermeulen, Editor - Mybroadband
Icasa's efforts align with the South African Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, recognising the critical role of digital technologies in lowering business costs and boosting productivity.
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