New Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) regulations, in force since Friday, seem to have removed a key exemption that allowed wireless wideband systems and wireless local area networks in the 2.4GHz ISN band to operate without frequency licences.
Wireless wideband systems and WLANs were exempt from the licensing in terms of regulations contained in Government Notice (GN) 533 of 2004. These were on Friday replaced by GN926 of 2008, which, on first inspection, contained no such exception and caused a stir in the IT industry.
But ICASA spokesman Sekgoela Sekgoela says the exemption still stands.
"Please note that the 2.4GHz ISN band, used for wideband systems and WLAN, is still exempted," he says.
"The omission was not a deliberate change in policy, but emanated from technicalities in the printing process. Also note that the omission will be addressed with the printers."
Prior to the clarification, many wireless players feared the seeming retraction of the exemption would have had grave impact on the provision of hotspot services and WLANs in corporate and home environments.
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