The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) has taken a step towards addressing SA's data demand surge and spectrum issues by engaging with the industry on alternative frequency bands and licensing models that could open up competition and frequency options for the telecoms industry.
This, at the first Future Wireless Technologies Forum (FWTF) meeting in Midrand today - an initiative recently instigated by the Wireless Access Providers' Association, the industry body acting as a collective voice for SA's wireless industry.
The meeting focused on technology solutions and related business opportunities in the millimetre wave (mmW) band, with focus on V-Band (60GHz) and E-Band (70GHz and 80GHz).
Stakeholders, including about 25 ICASA representatives, communications department representatives, SA's mobile operators and other interested business entities at the meeting discussed topics around spectrum and power output regulations. They also analysed solutions that can be brought to market through collaboration and by allowing the industry to provide real-world feedback and examples to the regulator.
ICASA councillor William Stucke says today's workshop was primarily to inform the regulator of industry-relevant and available technologies that "can have real impact here and now". It also aimed to propose regulations and frameworks that will enable new opportunities for the industry and benefit all customers - including individuals, businesses or enterprise consumers.
A number of vendors and operators - including Neotel, Internet Solutions, Transtech Africa Global, Ceragon, Comsol, Redline, Multisource and MimoTech - presented their views and technical use cases for the use of mmW bands and how they can be licensed and regulated.
The entities spoke of unlicensed and dynamic spectrum allocation (light licence fees) as viable models, with cases in point from Europe and North America to back this up.
ICASA ability
ICASA regulates from 9KHz to 1 000GHz (1THz) and only has a spectrum licensing framework up to 30GHz, says Stucke.
"This workshop is about dealing with frequencies higher than 30GHz."
He says spectrum shortages only occur where spectrum is inefficiently used and the regulator's spectrum fee structure that is currently in place will be reconsidered so that frequencies over 30GHz will not be excessively pricey.
"This attempts to model market forces, by making use of seven factors for costing spectrum usage."
Stucke says he would like to see ICASA moving away from the current "1960s model" used to license and allocate spectrum.
He says while the process cannot take place overnight, today's workshop is a major step towards resolving the spectrum issues that have long held the industry back.
"We need to look at the whole range of available bands and the purpose of today is to educate ICASA, which will breed discussion and ultimately lead to draft regulation, final regulations and finally implementation."
He says a position paper is expected to be released by ICASA by the end of the calendar year, while the regulator aims to have draft regulations by the end of the financial year, in March 2015.
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