The recent SATNAC conference saw the minister of telecommunication and postal services deliver the keynote address. Media colleagues and I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Siyabonga Cwele, Minister of Telecommunication and Postal Services about the status of telecommunication in South Africa and government’s vision of broadband for all. “We are a new department […]
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has published a document inviting industry to discuss and comment on proposals for the licensing of communication systems operating in the V-band (57-66 GHz) and in E-band (71-76 GHz) paired with 81 – 86 GHz. Over the past few years ICASA has received requests from industry for […]
South Africa’s Cabinet has approved the submission of the Films and Publications Amendment Bill despite public outcry that it is guided by policy seeking to curb internet freedoms. The cabinet said the bill seeks to amend the films and publications act of 1996 by adapting it to technological advances. These changes include catering for […]
Some eight months after a formal complaint was lodged on 11 December 2014 by a concerned group of specialist magazine publishers with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) against the South African Post Office (SAPO), the matter is dragging on and on, without an end in sight. The complainants are asking ICASA […]
ICASA’s primary mandate in relation to spectrum is to ensure efficient use of radio frequency spectrum. Critical to this mandate is the need to ensure that spectrum is assigned to licensees. In this opinion piece by ICASA’s CEO Pakamile Pongwana, he writes that it is important to note that the ICT sector in South Africa is […]
The South African Radio League (SARL) propagation research project is based on a number of automated beacons using a program called “Weak Signal Propagation Reporter” (WSPR). During July 2015 the scope of the project was greatly enhanced when a beacon was installed in Bloemfontein. For the past few months the focus was on short […]
During June 2015 the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) approved Neotel’s application for the transfer of control, subject to the finalisation of conditions in respect of the fulfilment of 30% of HDI and rollout conditions. In order to finalise these conditions, the Authority has embarked on a public consultation process and has […]
Some six months after a formal complaint was lodged by a concerned group of specialist magazine publishers with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) against the South African Post Office (SAPO), the matter is finally to be heard. The complainants are collectively represented by Bouwer Kobeli Morabe Attorneys, and include: Brooke Pattrick […]
Since the apparent approval of the Vodacom-Neotel transaction, the Independent Communications Authority of South africa (ICASA) has not published its decision nor explained the reasons for this decision. With the exception of comments attributed to the outgoing chairman, Dr. Stephen Mncube in a news report, ICASA has remained silent on the approval of this […]
For many years radio amateurs have shown interest in the propagation properties of the various frequency bands available to them. One of them is the 160 m band where some interesting propagation properties have been observed. It has recently come back into focus as the sunspot cycle is on its downward slope to a […]
