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ARTICLE · 16 APRIL 2019

Assigning High Demand Spectrum In The ICT Sector – A Possible Hybrid Method

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The telecommunications sector is the backbone of the of the digital economy.

South AfricaMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment
Jac Marais
Jac Marais
Nalo Gungubele
Nalo Gungubele
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The telecommunications sector is the backbone of the of the digital economy. Access to spectrum is essential for speedy, reliable and affordable access to world class networks and communications which form the basis for online activities and more broadly, participation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The recent withdrawal of the Electronic Communications Amendment Bill ("EC Amendment Bill) has added to policy uncertainty in relation to the assignment of spectrum.

Last year the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (now the Department of Communications) issued a Draft Policy Direction to Independent Communications Authority of South Africa ("ICASA") on the licensing of unassigned high demand spectrum ("HDS") for public comment which gave some insight into how spectrum might be assigned. In terms of the Draft Policy Direction, the assignment of spectrum to licensees would have been subject to conditions related to the controversial Wireless Open

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