Icasa revoking dormant network licenses

[Kevin Lancaster]

Icasa revoking dormant network licenses

The regulator has announced its intention to cancel ECS and ECNS licenses that are inactive and untraceable.

 

[ambo]

If they're not going to use their licenses then they should at least sell their businesses to someone who can make use of the licenses.

 

[Swa]

The wording is poor. Does this mean they can't trace the owners of the licenses? If so then by all means cancel the licenses. Otherwise I see no reason why a license should be canceled as it doesn't pose any burden.

 

[falcon786]

The wording is poor. Does this mean they can't trace the owners of the licenses? If so then by all means cancel the licenses. Otherwise I see no reason why a license should be canceled as it doesn't pose any burden.

Unless there is spectrum attached to it surely?

 

[Swa]

Unless there is spectrum attached to it surely?

Who besides the big 5 have been assigned spectrum?

 

[falcon786]

I haven't checked to be honest.

 

[Chris.Geerdts]

Who besides the big 5 have been assigned spectrum?

There are multiple spectrum resources being used by dozens of different operators - from 2-way radio to point-to-point microwave links.

Anyway, this ICASA process of cancelling licenses has been playing out for years. It's good to see them taking the process to some conclusion now.

 

[Swa]

There are multiple spectrum resources being used by dozens of different operators - from 2-way radio to point-to-point microwave links.

Anyway, this ICASA process of cancelling licenses has been playing out for years. It's good to see them taking the process to some conclusion now.

I've always said they should apply a use it or lose it approach to spectrum. I doubt this is it though and these companies most likely just have ordinary network licenses. If they take away spectrum from those that don't use it like Telkom and Neotel I'll fully support it but I don't think that would ever happen as Icasa doesn't have the teeth for that.

 

[Chris.Geerdts]

I've always said they should apply a use it or lose it approach to spectrum. I doubt this is it though and these companies most likely just have ordinary network licenses. If they take away spectrum from those that don't use it like Telkom and Neotel I'll fully support it but I don't think that would ever happen as Icasa doesn't have the teeth for that.

They have taken away from Telkom (or rather, Telkom has given up spectrum which started costing them to sit on). There are processes in place (for example around LTE spectrum) which are definitely moving along, but rather slow and where the interests of the average South African are poorly represented relative to the big telcos and other group interests

 

[kilos]

If they're not going to use their licenses then they should at least sell their businesses to someone who can make use of the licenses.

Don't forget about ICASA transfer costs of R100k excluding sellers price of the I(ndividual) licenses