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Where ICASA plans for 5G network upgrade over next 36 months

This week the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) held a budget vote, where Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni discussed, among other topics, 5G spectrum in South Africa.

Anyone who has followed this long drawn out process will know that the spectrum auction has been finalised, with ICASA taking in more than R14 billion.

While it remains to be seen if the spectrum process is finally concluded, given how many twists and turns there have been to date, minister Ntshavheni has unpacked some of the steps that ICASA will be taking the coming months.

Of interest to us was the mention of network upgrades to critical infrastructure locations across the country, with a rather ambitious objective being outlined before the end of 2024.

“The release of the high demand spectrum will improve the ability of mobile telecommunications operators to build robust telecommunications with better penetration and reach as we chase our goal of ensuring that all South Africans have access to the internet by 2024. To this end, the mobile telecommunications operators are starting to upgrade the telecommunications network and to build robust 5G telecommunication networks,” explained Ntshavheni.

This upgrade will see telecommunications operators connecting 18 520 schools, 5 731 clinics and hospitals, 8 241 traditional authority offices, 949 libraries and Thusong Service Centres over the next 36 months, the minister added.

That is more than 33 000 locations, which translates to a little over 920 sites per month, which sounds like a mammoth task.

“The department, working with ICASA, will monitor the progress with regards to the connection of these sites,” continued Ntshavheni.

As for when this process is set to kick off, the beginning of July this year looks to be the current date set by the DCDT.

“The 1st of July 2022 date for the availability of the high demand spectrum to the licensee is also important for the National Treasury to have access to the much-needed R14.4 billion that was raised during the spectrum auction,” noted the minister.

With 5G spectrum taking a few years longer than expected to become widely available in South Africa, it will be interesting to see whether this ambitious upgrade can be completed in the advised time.

 

 

[Image – CC BY-ND 2.0 GovernmentZA on Flickr]

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