In March, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa popularly known as ICASA published its final plan for assigning IMT Radio frequency spectrum in South Africa. ICASA published its Final Radio Frequency Spectrum Assignment Plans (RFSAPs) for International Mobile Telephony (IMT).
These plans were designed to sketch out the regulatory and technical conditions of the use of the frequency bands in South Africa, and are available from the Icasa website.
Icasa said the RFSAPs present the circumstances and requirements attached to the use of a frequency band in-line with the allocation in the National Radio Frequency Plan.
These conditions taking into account the technical characteristics of radio systems, frequency channelling, coordination, details on required migration of existing users of the band, and the expected method of assignment.
On 4 November 2014, Icasa published its Final IMT Roadmap which formed the basis for the development of the Radio Frequency Spectrum Plans for IMT Spectrum 2015.
The ICASA regulations establish a framework through which Icasa may allocate and assign radio frequency spectrum under the South African Table of Frequency Allocations. The framework is subject to the standard terms and conditions which will be applicable to all frequency bands and applications as well as Radio Frequency Spectrum Licences.
The framework is a fair, transparent, and efficient process and procedure for radio frequency spectrum licence applications.
The announcement by ICASA follows an extensive public consultation and engagement with stakeholders. The Authority furthermore also completed the revision and published the Final Radio Frequency Spectrum Regulations.