Operators say no to MTN spectrum: report
Vodacom, Cell C, Neotel and Smile Communications have all objected to MTN‘s application to Icasa for an 5MHz of spectrum, TechCentral reports.
On Tuesday (19 August), the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) announced in a statement that it will hold public hearings on MTN’s application for additional frequency spectrum in the 2,015MHz band.
According to a report by TechCentral, at the hearings, MTN’s local rivals, Vodacom, Cell C and Neotel – as well as a prospective African operator, Smile Communications – all objected to the application, collectively indicating that it would put them at a competitive disadvantage.
Operators, Vodacom and Cell C, specifically, reportedly described the contested band as “high-demand spectrum”, with the latter saying that the application was “surprising” and “procedurally irregular”.
African operator, Smile Communications reportedly objected to the application because it has been waiting since 2009 for Icasa to process its own spectrum application, TechCentral said.
MTN did not to make a presentation at the hearings.
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