Regulator calls for submissions on widening megahertz band
Icasa plans to extend the wireless broadband access
March 30, 2006
By Thabiso Mochiko
Johannesburg - The Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) plans to extend broadband access by providing sufficient spectrum for new service providers.
The regulator has called for comments on whether it should expand the 5725 to 5875 megahertz band, which is mainly used for industrial, scientific and medical services, to also be provided for broadband wireless access.
Interested companies or individuals can make submissions or written comments by no later than April 14 2006.
The 5725 to 5875 band spectrum, which is free, can also be used to operate remote controlled gates and garages. Icasa believes that a portion of it can be used for broadband access.
It was still unclear how many companies would be allocated this band spectrum.
In a bid to reduce costs, Icasa also plans to introduce regulations to end Telkom's monopoly of the international line and give other operators access to the international gateway. To increase access and reduce costs, the government announced early this year that it planned to roll out Sentech's wireless broadband network.
According to a report on internet access in South Africa by World Wide Worx, there were 147 000 broadband users at the end of 2005 and 277 000 were forecast for the end of this year.
BMI-TechKnowledge expects broadband penetration to reach 870 000 in the next five years on the back of price reductions.
In its discussion document for provision of broadband fixed wireless access using the 5725 to 5875 spectrum, Icasa said the main issues to allow telecommunications companies to use the band included the possibility for congestion in licence-exempt spectrum, the quality of service that could be offered and the overall economic benefit.
But it cautioned that the quality of service cannot be guaranteed in the spectrum.
According to Icasa, countries such as Australia and the UK had concluded consultations to extend the use of the spectrum for telecoms services.
Currently, companies such as Wireless Business Solution's iBurst (wireless internet connection service) uses the 1800 megahertz spectrum to provide wireless services and Telkom uses the 3.5 megahertz spectrum for wireless high-speed internet access.
In its latest report on global information communications technology, the World Economic Forum rated South Africa number 37, down from last year's 34 on its network readiness.
This was as a result of the country's shortage of telephone lines, poor competition in the internet service provider industry.
