Telkom has welcomed the Independent Communication Authority’s announcement that it will release the Invitation to Apply (ITA) for both Wireless Open Access Network (WOAN) and the International Mobile Telecommunication (IMT) spectrum by the end of September.
Telkom Group Chief Executive Officer, Sipho Maseko has welcomed the move as the kind of decisive action needed to drive South Africa’s economic recovery.
Maseko commended the approach taken by the new ICASA council to issue both ITAs simultaneously as a considered and pragmatic approach to the spectrum release process.
“We are looking forward to seeing innovation in auction design by the new council,” says Maseko, “as auction design influences market structure.”
“South Africa has seen the adverse effects of the lack of effective competition in the sector”, he continues, “we hope the new council will also consider the impact of current spectrum trading deals in the design of the auction and use the opportunity presented by the ITA to deliver effective competition.” Maseko concludes.
ICASA announced on Thursday that (ICASA) it will publish the long-awaited Invitation to Apply for high demand spectrum no later than 30 September 2020.
It said that the auction will be completed no later than 31 March 2021.
Also read: ICASA Again Moves Its 4G and 5G Spectrum Goalpost