[11 January 2019] ICASA has issued an extension for the submission of comments on the draft road-map for IMT to 28 January 2019 (originally 18 January 2019). The dates for the public hearings will as a result now be held from 31 January to 1 February 2019. Notice to extend the closing date for written [...]
[09 January 2019] ICASA has released an updated response to questions of clarity raised by licensees regarding the market inquiry into mobile broadband services, as can be found at the link below: Updated responses to questions of clarity raised by licensees (8 January 2019) ___ [27 December 2018] Answers to questions of clarity on the [...]
[2 January 2019] The below written submissions were sent to ICASA in response to its inquiry about whether it should get involved with cybersecurity issues: CellC FNB-Connect ISPA MMA MTN NAB Research SACF Sentech Telkom Vodacom ___ [21 December 2018] ICASA will be holding oral hearings on the “The roles and responsibilities of ICASA in [...]
[26 December 2018] The reasons for amendments to the call termination regulatory framework effected through the Call Termination Regulations 2018 are set out in a document published by ICASA on 21 December 2018. Reasons Document Call Termination Amendment Regulations 2018 ___ [28 September 2018] ICASA has published the finalised Call Termination Regulations, which will come [...]
[19 December 2018] The Maintenance Act has been amended and section 7 came into effect on the 5th of January 2018. Under section 7 where a maintenance court – upon application made by a maintenance officer – is satisfied that all reasonable efforts to locate the whereabouts of a person have failed it may issue [...]
[18 December 2018] ICASA has published a Draft Ordering System Specification for Number Portability for public comment. The Draft Ordering System Specification for Number Portability The Draft OSS covers porting of geographic, non-geographic and mobile numbers and has been published in terms of the Number Portability Regulations 2018. Written submissions are due by 16h00 on Wednesday [...]
[14 December 2018] Final regulations under the Protection of Personal Information Act have been published in the Government Gazette of 14 December 2018. Regulations relating to the Protection of Personal Information, 2018 Regulations relating to the Protection of Personal Information, 2018 (Afrikaans) __ [4 May 2018] The Information Regulator formed under POPI presented in Parliament [...]
[14 December 2018] ICASA has published a Draft Conformity Assessment Framework for Equipment Authorization which seeks to review and modernise the manner in which electronic communications equipment is assessed and authorised. This follows on from the Position Paper on Equipment Type Approval Exemption published on 31 March 2017 (see below). The Draft Conformity Assessment Framework for [...]
[12 December 2018] In our post of 8 April 2018 below we provide some analysis of the judgement of the Western Cape High Court in the matter of Dark Fibre Africa (DFA) vs The City of Cape Town. This matter was appealed by DFA to the Supreme Court of Appeal, which confirmed the High Court [...]
[12 December 2018] ICASA has published amendments to these 2010 Regulations which have the effect of exempting state-owned enterprises from having to comply with the requirement that they have 30% HDI ownership when applying to renew their individual licences. Licensing Processes and Procedures for Individual Licences Amendment Regulations, 2018 There was no public participation process undertaken [...]
[12 December 2018] The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services has invited stakeholders and interested persons to submit written submissions on the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill 2018. Submissions must be received by no later than 31 January 2019, with public hearings to be scheduled thereafter. Submissions and enquiries [...]
[6 December 2018] Interested parties are invited to nominate candidates to be considered for appointment to the Presidential Commission on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), as announced in the 2018 State of the Nation Address (then 'the Digital Industrial Revolution Commission'). Call for Nominations Presidential Commission on the Fourth Industrial Revolution Concept Document - Presidential [...]
[3 December 2018] ICASA presented on its cost to communicate program on 26 November 2018. ICASA Presentation Cost to Communicate 26 November 2018 ___ [8 April 2018] The Select Committee on Communications and Public Enterprises (National Council of Provinces) hosted a stakeholder briefing on reducing the cost to communicate on 27 March 2018. Presentations were received [...]
[3 December 2018] Submissions and presentations made on the Electronic Communications Amendment Bill [B31-2018] can be found at the links below: ABT Africa Group Acacia Economics Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals Broadband Infraco Business Unity South Africa ISPA Koboro Liquid Media Monitoring Africa Mr George Buthelezi MTN (letter) | MTN (submission) | MTN [...]
[24 November 2018] The Cybercrimes Bill was adopted by the Portfolio Committee for Justice and Correctional Services on 7 November 2018 and will now go to the National Assembly for debate on 27 November 2018. __ [30 October 2018] The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development presented a radically amended version of the Bill to the [...]
[23 November 2018] ICASA has published proposed amendments to its official list of regulated standards for technical equipment and electronic communications facilities for comment. Notice of intention to amend the regulations of the official list of regulated Standards for Technical Equipment and Electronic Communications Facilities Submissions are due by 16h00 on 10 January 2018 and [...]
[16 November 2018] ICASA has issued a reminder to holders of CECS and CECNS licences to notify the Authority of their intention to continue to provide licensed services. The Notice can be found below, and further details regarding this process can be seen at the following link. Renewal of CECS & CECNS Licences ___ [...]
[16 November 2018] Responses by the Department to questions posed in respect of the SA Connect presentation can be found at the link below. DTPS responses ___ [6 November 2018] The Department presented a further update on the implementation of phase 1 of SA Connect. It is noteworthy that this presentation is far more detailed [...]
[16 November 2018] ICASA has issued a reminder to stakeholders that the State of the ICT Sector Questionnaire is due on 30 November 2018. ICASA ICT Sector Report Reminder ___ [28 September 2018] ICASA has initiated the process for collecting the data for the 2018 State of the ICT Sector Report, which will cover the [...]
[16 November 2018] The Portfolio Committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services, following a number of deliberations on the Bill has recommended that the redrafted Bill be adopted by the House. The Bill has been amended to strengthen the governance and management arrangements of the Institute, and the title amended to more accurately reflect the nature [...]
[16 November 2018] ICASA, Cell C and MTN have reached a settlement, the terms of which indicate an implementation date for the EUSSC Amendment Regulations of 28 February 2019. The ICASA media statement can be found below. ICASA Media release ___ [15 September 2018] It is now 100 days since the amendments were meant to [...]
[1 November 2018] ICASA 2017/2018 Annual Report ___ [20 September 2018] ICASA is relocating its head office from Sandton to Centurion between 26 and 29 October 2018. The new contact details will be: Physical Address: 350 Witch-Hazel Avenue, Eco Point Office Park, Eco Park, Centurion, Gauteng Telephone: 012 568 3000 Letter to stakeholders __ [18 August [...]
[30 October 2018] The Select Committee on Communications and Public Enterprises met to finalise this Bill on 24 October 2018, which they duly did. The Bill will now be referred to the President for signature. __ [20 October 2018] The Select Committee for Communications and Publications has published a list of amendments which it proposes to [...]
[29 October 2018] Submissions made in respect of the Draft Radio Frequency Migration Plan Regulations 2018 can be found below: Cell C COCT (A) COCT (B) Denel eMedia Huawei Intelsat Liquid Telecom SA MTN Multichoice, MNET & Orbicom Netstar Nokia SABC Telkom Transnet Vodacom ___ [24 August 2018] ICASA has issued an invitation to interested [...]
[19 October 2018] Please see below for presentations made at the public hearings: Alliance for Affordable Internet Amandla Mobi DG Murray Trust Media Monitoring Africa Internet Service Providers Association Right2Know Research ICT Africa Broadband Infraco Cell C ECN Kuziva Muzondo MTN Telkom / BRG Vodacom (Letter) Vodacom (Submission) ___ [5 October 2018] The Commission has issued [...]
[10 October 2018] ellipsis overview - draft policy directions on the WOAN and spectrum october 2018 ___ [8 October 2018] ICASA has formally withdrawn its “Invitation to apply for a radio frequency spectrum licence to provide mobile broadband wireless access services for urban and rural areas using the complimentary bands 700MHz, 800MHz and 2.6GHz” published on [...]
[16 October 2018] ICASA has published their analysis of tariff notifications submitted to it by network operators for the period 1 January 2018 to 30 June 2018. Tariff Report 2018 (Jan - June) ___ [23 March 2018] ICASA has published their analysis of tariff notifications submitted to it by network operators for the period 1 [...]
[9 October 2018] ICASA has issued a tender invitation to higher learning and research institutions to submit proposals on the development, implementation, hosting and management of the Reference Geo-Location Spectrum Database (R-GLSD) at the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa to enable the implementation of the Television White Spaces Regulations. Closing date is 23 October [...]
[1 October 2018] The Minister of Communications has issued a policy directive on the introduction of Digital Sound Broadcasting (DSB) in South Africa. Interested parties are invited to provide written comments on the directive for the attention of: Mr. Wonder Wonder Dlangamandla (Chief Director: Technology and Engineering Services) per email dsb@doc.gov.za. The policy directive can [...]
[25 September 2018] ICASA has published several Council decisions for 2018: 6 March 2018 20 March 2018 27 March 2018 28 March 2018 26 June 2018 ___ [12 March 2018] After somewhat of a hiatus, ICASA has begun publishing records of Council decisions once again: May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 [...]