Telkom withdraws part of spectrum court application against ICASA
Part A of Telkom’s application was meant to compel the regulatory body to inform all parties who may have an interest in applying for spectrum licences through the International Mobile Telecommunications (Auction ITA) and the Woan ITA of Telkom's application. However, Telkom’s is still proceeding with Part B and Part C of its application.
ICASA says it remains committed to seeing this licensing process to its completion for the benefit of all South Africans, in particular, consumers of electronic communication services. ICASA chairperson, Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng, says: “Our efforts are geared towards licensing the high demand spectrum through an auction by no later than the end of March 2021. We have adequately consulted relevant stakeholders and the public throughout this process and cannot do so to a point of regulatory paralysis.”
The 5G myths
The regulatory body also condemned the recent rise in 5G conspiracy theories.
“The Authority continues to note media reports with regards to the deployment of the Fifth-Generation (5G) technologies and infrastructure and its purported relation to the spread of the novel coronavirus. The Authority would like to urge all South Africans not to be swayed by these conspiracy theories that are hell-bent on bringing instability and fear within the nation,” says ICASA in the same statement.
ICASA also mentions that they have debunked these conspiracy theories in a statement released on 6 April 2020.
“We all need to rely on scientifically-based evidence and refrain from these baseless theories. Some of the frequencies earmarked and trialled for 5G deployment by industry players were previously assigned to various operators in South Africa – way before the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in 2020. Such fake theories can only cause despair and unnecessary technophobia among South Africans and must be strongly condemned,” says Dr Modimoeng.
ICASA concluded the statement saying: “South Africa adheres to the relevant standards prescribed by both the ITU and the World Health Organisation (WHO), with the former’s focus being primarily on the regulation of radiofrequency electromagnetic field emissions. The Authority confirms that type-approved electronic communications facilities provided in the country adhere to the prescribed standards and that there is no evidence that they pose any health risks to the country and/or its citizens.”
