Use-it-or-lose-it spectrum policy
| Rudolph Muller | September 25, 2009 | No comments |
Rudolph Muller
Rudolph Muller is the editor at MyBroadband and covers telecoms and broadband news. Rudolph comes from an academic background, but left the University of...
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Department of Communications’ draft Radio Spectrum Policy instructs ICASA to strictly apply a use-it-or-lose-it principle
The Department of Communications (DoC) recently published its Draft Radio Frequency Spectrum Policy aimed at ensuring the efficient use of spectrum and to make certain that this resource is used in the best interest of South Africa.
“This national radio frequency spectrum policy has been developed to ensure efficient spectrum usage and to provide over-arching guidance for the utilization of radio frequency spectrum in the broad national interest,” the draft policy states.
The radio spectrum policy focuses on a variety of aspects of spectrum management, including the legal and regulatory frameworks, international standards & harmonization, radio frequency spectrum planning & management, spectrum fees and spectrum usage.
Use it or lose it
One aspect of the Draft Radio Frequency Spectrum Policy which many consumers and industry players may be happy about is the DoC’s use-it-or-lose-it strategy.
The spectrum pricing policy aims to ensure that existing radio frequency users examine their spectrum needs and give up surplus spectrum. This may not be enough to force operators to give back valuable spectrum, and the policy continues to strongly condemn the hoarding of spectrum.
“The hoarding of spectrum by operators is not conducive to efficient spectrum usage and this practice is strongly disapproved of,” the policy states. “ICASA shall strictly apply the principle of ‘use or lose it’ to all spectrum licensees.”
Sentech is one of the companies which has been widely criticized for wasting valuable 2.6 GHz and 3.5 GHz spectrum, something which is likely to be addressed should this policy be officially Gazetted in its current format.
Interested persons are invited to furnish written submissions (email spectrum@doc.gov.za) on the proposed Draft Radio Frequency Spectrum Policy before 18 October 2009.
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