South Africa’s telecom regulator has invited telecom operators to submit applications for high-speed broadband spectrums. In addition, the regulator even announced prices for 5G spectrum, media reports said.
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) chairperson Keabetswe Modimoeng told the media, “The authority will make available 406 MHz of spectrum for the provision of mobile broadband services in South Africa.”
It is reported that the regulator will make 406 MHz of spectrum available for the provision of mobile broadband services in the country. The spectrum will be in the broadband range of 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 2.6 GHz and 3.5 GHz.
More importantly, 3.5 GHz is seen as a significant spectrum for 5G broadband services and the reserve prices will start at approximately $588,000 increasing to about $4.5 million, media reports said. South African 5G auctions have been in the pipeline for a long time and it is now set to take place.
It is reported that a late March auction has been approved by the regulation. That said, mobile operators will be able to maintain temporary spectrum awarded to them during the pandemic. It was granted to them by the Covid-19 national state of disaster regulations for a couple of months.