Three of the ten bands outlined in the draft Radio Frequency Spectrum Assignment Plans (RFSAPs) for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) systems have been published for another round of public consultations.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) had previously published ten RFSAPs for public consultation in Government Gazette March 31, 2022.

The authority, determining that three of the ten bands require a further round of consultation following submissions made by stakeholders, on Tuesday published the three second draft RFSAPs.

Stakeholders have until March 6 to comment on the three bands, namely the 450 MHz to 470 MHz; the 825 MHz to 830 MHz and 870 MHz to 875 MHz; and the 1 427 MHz to 1 518 MHz.

“It is in the interest of the sector to delay the finalisation of the three RFSAPs in question, and to engage in a second round of consultation to establish all the factors to be considered in order to ensure that the spectrum can be awarded to the most valuable user in the near future,” says Icasa Council Committee chairperson Councillor Charley Lewis.

“Two of the bands in question have incumbents that have to be migrated, while most stakeholders argued for the third RFSAP to be extended to cover the full band – hence the necessity for further consultation,” he continues, noting that RFSAPs like these formalise the rules and spectrum arrangements for the spectrum in question.

These assignment plans are aimed at identifying new high-demand spectrum that the authority intends to make available for IMT services in the near future.

Together, the ten RFSAPs will achieve a 215% increase in high-demand spectrum available for licensing through a competitive process.

“These three bands are an addition to the seven RFSAPs published last year. We are confident that the additional bands will provide licensees with greater capacity to meet the demand faced by the sector, improve access to data services, and reduce the cost to communicate,” says Lewis.