Subscribe

Spectrum deadline pushed back again

Staff Writer
By Staff Writer, ITWeb
Johannesburg, 03 Feb 2012

The Department of Communications has again extended the deadline for submissions on the draft National Radio Frequency Spectrum Policy Directions.

The frequency bands that are open for public comment are the 2.6GHz band and 800MHz band, also known as the high demand and digital dividend, respectively.

Communications minister Dina Pule has issued an announcement in the Government Gazette to extend the date for public comment on the two policy directions that relate to the two frequency bands to 29 February.

Vital spectrum

Pule first published the draft policy directions for public comment for a period of 30 calendar days, on 14 December.

“Following representations from numerous stakeholders, it has been decided to extend the closing date for submissions on the draft National Radio Frequency Policy Directions to 31 January 2012, in order to provide interested parties with sufficient time to comment,” said the department at the beginning of January.

Allocating more spectrum in the 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz ranges has been on the cards since 2006, but invitations to apply for frequency in the bands were withdrawn in June 2010.

Since then, there has been very little movement towards auctioning the spectrum, which is vital for operators to move to the next generation of technology.

On 14 December, the Independent Communications Authority of SA published a framework to license spectrum in the coveted 2.6GHz and 800MHz bands. The authority has proposed doing away with auctions and is instead inviting proposals from operators.

Comments on the draft policy directions can be posted to Private Bag X860, Pretoria, 0001; delivered to First Floor, Block F, iParioli Office Park, 399 Duncan Street, Hatfield, Pretoria; or faxed to (012) 421-7019.

Comments can also be e-mailed. All comments must be marked for attention to Cynthia Lesufi, deputy director of frequency spectrum at the DOC.

Share