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ICASA aims to conduct auction by year-end; mobile operators suffering ‘acute shortage of spectrum’, Vodacom says.
South Africa’s mobile operators need more spectrum to facilitate the wider rollout of high-speed broadband services, the country’s telecom regulator said this week.
Pakamile Pongwana, chief executive officer of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), warned that the country risks falling behind in broadband and as a result constraining GDP growth, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.
He said he would like to see an auction take place before the end of the year. However, the government must approve spectrum auction policy before ICASA can move forward with any sale. The government has been discussing the spectrum issue for the past decade.
A spectrum auction would be the best method of allocating new frequencies, Pongwana said, noting that other methods, including beauty contests, have resulted in legal challenges.
An auction would ensure fair competition, he said, adding that "everybody" the regulator has spoken to is keen for a spectrum sale to go ahead.
Indeed, Vodacom told Bloomberg that it welcomes any intervention by the regulator with regard to pushing the spectrum auction. Operators are experiencing "an acute shortage of spectrum," a company spokesperson said.
