Communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda intends to issue a policy on the use of radio frequency spectrum to boost the country's chance of winning the lucrative Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project.
SA is in a race with Australia to host the 1.5 billion-euro SKA radio telescope. If SA wins the bid, the central location for the mega telescope will be Carnarvon, in the Northern Cape.
The telescope, which is about 100 times more sensitive than the biggest existing radio telescope, has been hailed by government for its investment opportunities for the country.
The policy by the Department of Communications (DOC) will require the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) to place a moratorium on further radio frequency assignment in the protected area. ICASA would also have to monitor the existing radio frequency usage in the protected area to ensure it does not increase.
The authority would also be charged to ensure no further radio frequency-based infrastructure is established in the protected area, with the exception of the radio trunked network operating in the 66/68MHz band already licensed by ICASA.
The DOC notes in its proposed policy directive that it supports radio astronomers having continued access to their radio frequency bands for research and it is necessary to monitor the spectrum to achieve the objectives of the SKA.
The final decision regarding the successful host country is expected in 2012. Work on the SKA is due to start in 2013, subject to successful funding proposals. It will be constructed in a phased manner, over seven years. Operations will start in 2015, provided a significant portion of the array has been commissioned.
So far, SA has spent R258 million since 2003 on securing the project. The Department of Science and Technology said R23 million was spent on universities, while R155 million had been spent building roads to the site. Another R11.5 million was spent on building accommodation.
The SKA will consist of approximately 3 000 dish-shaped antennae and other hybrid receiving technologies, with a core of about 2 000 antennas and outlying stations of 30 to 40 antennas each, spiralling out of the core. These stations will be spread over a vast area of up to 3 000km.
Botswana, Ghana, Zambia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique and Namibia are to host remote SKA stations.
Share
