Telkom today shielded its application to amend its spectrum licences in the bands 2 300 − 2 360 and 2 307 − 2 387Hz (2 300MHz) paired with 2 401 − 2 481MHz (2 400MHz) during public hearings held by the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA).
Telkom is seeking to refarm a portion of the 2 300MHz band and surrender the use of spectrum assigned to it in the 2 400MHz band, and today ICASA heard oral submissions from the telco in support of its application.
If successful, this would mean Telkom will surrender 2 x 80MHz of FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) spectrum while its TDD (Time Division Duplex) assignment in 2 300MHz would increase from 60MHz to 87MHz (2 300 – 2 387MHz).
Telkom is the de facto exclusive user of the 2 300 – 2 387MHz band, as the band is no longer used for outside broadcasting links.
The telco initially submitted an application to the regulator in July last year, seeking the amendment to its licence. ICASA in turn subjected the request to a consultative process.
ICASA says this was done “in terms of the legislative imperatives, including the law of procedural fairness and transparency”.
The regulator then received six submissions from interested stakeholders by 16 November 2021, including those from CIVH, Cell C, MTN, Liquid, Vodacom and the South African Communications Forum.
Today, ICASA listened to Telkom’s submission and the panel quizzed the company’s representatives in a three-hour session.
Telkom argued in its submission that the refarming is to the benefit of consumers and there are no reported cases of harmful interference to users or licensees either below 2 300MHz or above 2 387MHz.
The operator proclaimed that it is also not aware of any other licensees operating within the 2 300MHz to 2 387MHz band.
At the hearing, the Telkom team was led by Siyabonga Mahlangu, group executive: regulatory affairs, and Johan Smit, executive, international regulations and spectrum management.
Explaining the rationale of the application, Mahlangu says: “In our view and the advice obtained, the better way to deal with this matter is to go and regularise the refarming by making sure the licence is aligned with refarming.
“Having read different policies and regulations, its seems to us that the point at which we engage the regulator is not clear, but what is necessary is that there be a legal alignment on what we are using the spectrum for today, and what the licence reads.
“We needed the alignment, that’s why we made the application but that doesn’t mean we don’t have the spectrum licensed to us. We want the licence to reflect what we are using the spectrum for today.”
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