Several years after government first mooted spectrum allocation in high-demand frequencies, the industry is still waiting for action. ITWeb has compiled a timeline of the process so far.
November 2006: The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) kicks off the process of allocating spectrum, issuing a discussion document seeking written comments on the procedures and criteria for granting a radio frequency licence.
March 2007: ICASA holds public hearings on the submissions, after publishing the discussion document.
July 2009: ICASA publishes a notice requiring written comments on the Draft Radio Frequency Spectrum Licence Regulations.
October 2009: Public hearings are held on the draft regulations.
March 2010: ICASA audits spectrum ahead of the Fifa Soccer World Cup.
May 2010: Final high-demand spectrum regulations are published and two invitations to apply for space in 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz are issued, with a deadline of June that is then postponed to end July.
July 2010: Invitations are withdrawn as ICASA decides it needs an auctioneer with more experience and looks outside of SA for an auctioneer. The regulations continue as is.
February 2011: A tender to audit spectrum is issued, to be awarded in April 2011.
December 2011: ICASA issues proposals on its thinking around allocating spectrum in the 800MHz and 2.6GHz bands, putting space in 3.5GHz on hold.
January 2012: The Department of Communications (DOC) awards a R7.9 million contract to audit frequency in the 500MHz to 1 000GHz range to Hopelafleur Communications Networks.
March 2012: ICASA puts off its proposed spectrum plan and ditches the draft invitations to apply for high-demand frequency until "further notice" to ensure communications minister Dina Pule's policy direction on high-demand spectrum is "taken into consideration".
May 2012: Pule says the DOC is committed to wrapping up policy directions on high demand spectrum to facilitate licensing of broadband applications this financial year.
August 2012: ICASA initiates a project to develop a national Frequency Migration Plan to align all frequency migrations identified during the evolution of the frequency plans and the latest version of the National Radio Frequency Plan.
31 October to 2 November 2012: ICASA holds hearings on its Draft Radio Frequency Migration Plan and Regulations.
November 2012: Space in 2.6HGz to be allocated soon, but 800MHz is postponed until after digital migration.
June 2013: New broadband policy to go to Cabinet, paving the way for ICASA to license 2.6GHz and 800MHz.
Some of the background was sourced from www.ellipsis.co.za.
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