Space for WiMax

Government wants some of the scarce radio frequency spectrum

Government wants some of the scarce radio frequency spectrum that will be freed up through SA’s impending move from analogue to digital terrestrial television to be made available to telecommunications operators wanting to provide wireless broadband services.

Communications department director general Lyndall Shope-Mafole says she expects the spectrum will be used by operators to build networks using WiMax. She can’t say which specific frequency ranges will be made available; that is for the regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of SA, to determine.

Internet service providers and cellphone operators are clamouring for access to spectrum suitable for providing WiMax-based services. They hope to compete directly with Telkom in providing broadband access to consumers.

Because it makes more efficient use of spectrum than analogue signals, digital broadcasting will free up spectrum that can be used to launch new TV channels and technologies. SA is set to switch off its analogue broadcasts in November 2011, after a three-year period of “dual illumination” of both analogue and digital signals.

Shope-Mafole says spectrum that is freed up will also be used to license new mobile TV operators — those broadcasting to cellphones — as well as new public and private terrestrial TV channels.

WiMax spectrum discussion