Icasa names 6 qualified bidders for spectrum auction

A branch of South African mobile communications provider Vodacom in Cape Town is shown in this picture taken on 10 November 2015. Reuters/Mike Hutchings

"We can officially proclaim the forthcoming March 2022 spectrum auction as an unparalleled milestone in our country's communications history as this will be the first-ever spectrum auction held on our shores," Keabetswe Modimoeng, chairperson of Icasa, said in a statement.

Operators have waited for years for Icasa to release spectrum licences that are needed to lower data costs, roll out 5G and add network capacity as data demand has surged and smartphone adoption continues to grow.

Icasa receives 6 applications for spectrum licensing process

1 Feb 2022

But the spectrum auction has been stalled by legal challenges that threaten to further delay the auction.

Icasa will conduct a bidder seminar on 28 February, followed by mock auctions from 1-3 March with the individual bidders.

Thereafter, the auction stage will commence on 8 March, with the main online auction taking place from 10 March, the regulator said.