The country's communications regulator has extended the deadline for written submissions on the draft radio frequency spectrum fee regulations, from 30 April to 29 May.
“ICASA [the Independent Communications Authority of SA] has received requests for the extension of the closing date for responses to draft radio frequency spectrum fees regulation, published on 16 March 2009, in Government Gazette number 32029,” reads a statement from the authority.
In terms of the Independent Communications Act of SA (2000), the authority must regulate and control the usage of the radio frequency spectrum. ICASA has the power to issue radio frequency spectrum licences to various entities. These licences are issued for a period of one year and are renewable annually. According to ICASA's Web site, there are more than 24 000 radio frequency licence-holders in SA.
ICASA spokesman Sekgoela Sekgoela says the extension was requested by key industry players and stakeholders, and is intended to provide stakeholders with ample time to write up submissions, which can be added to the final regulations.
“As the main convenor of the spectrum fee regulations, we collate and sort submissions. We want to ensure that stakeholders receive their dues by having their suggestions included in the final regulations,” explains Sekgoela. “Yet, if the submissions are no good, then we are required by law to discard them.”
Sekgoela says it will be difficult to predict how many submissions the authority will receive with the extended deadline. He says the regulations will affect all types of radio frequency devices in the bands between 20MHz to 70GHz, but devices which work on short-range frequencies will be exempt.
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