• regulations and notices 
    • GG42590-2019 NN1003: Notice of Intention to Amend Annexure B of the Radio Frequency Spectrum Regulations, 2015 
      • on 23 July 2019, Independent Communications Authority of South Africa ("ICASA") issued a notice of intention to amend Annexure B of the Radio Frequency Spectrum Regulations, 2015 ("RFS Regulations"), published in Notice No. 279 under Government Gazette No. 38641 of 30 March 2015. Annexure B of the RFS Regulations lists the radio apparatus exempted from radio frequency spectrum licences.
      • interested persons are invited to submit written representations about the proposed Regulations to ICASA by 3 September 2019 (ie, 30 working days from the date of publication of the Notice).
      • written submissions can be submitted by post or hand delivery, or emailed to:

ICASA

Bethuel Nkgadime

350 Witch-Hazel Avenue

Eco Point Office Park

Eco Park, Centurion

email: BNkgadime@icasa.org.za

tel: +27 12 568 3993

  • in the news 
    • Policy Direction on Unassigned High Demand Spectrum
      • on 19 July 2019, ICASA announced that the Policy Direction is still not ready for publication. Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Communications and Technology, ICASA has announced that "the Ministry of Communications and Digital Technologies advises that the Policy Direction on Unassigned High Demand Spectrum has been finalised and is going through the requisite processes prior to publication" and that further communication will be made in due course. 
      • this announcement was made after Ms Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies had announced at the Budget Vote Address in July 2019 that the final Policy Direction would be released within the next seven working days. 
      • the minister, had in the same speech, relayed that South Africa will be prepared to participate in the World Radio Conference to be held in October 2019 and that plans are being made to ensure that South Africa will participate in the "discussions in SADC, Africa and International Fora to ensure that this time we are not left behind and do not delay our people and country the meaningful role they can play, as 5G is not only telecommunications based, but cuts across all sectors."
      • many sectors will seemingly be waiting with baited breath for the "requisite processes" to be finalised and for the final Policy Direction to be released to ensure that these commitments become a reality.

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