While it may not seem like it, ICASA (Independent Communications Authority of South Africa) is making progress in policy formulation and implementation to effectively regulate TV White Space and spectrum access.

This is according to Dominic Cull, Regulatory expert at Ellipsis Regulatory Solutions, who has commented on content to be covered at the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) 5th annual global Summit, co-hosted with ICASA in Cape Town over the next three days.

The event will explore progress in spectrum sharing and dynamic spectrum access across Southern Africa and globally.

ICASA has published draft regulations on the use of TV White Space (TVWS) in the region which will be considered during the Summit. The draft regulations, which are open for public consultation until Friday next week, highlight the progress South Africa is making in enabling affordable Internet through dynamic spectrum access according to the regulator.

Pakamile Pongwana, CEO of ICASA says there has been a change from the time when exclusive licenses for specific frequency bands and specific purposes dominated spectrum allocation policy and regulations.

"While these models are good for monetising the spectrum and for coordination between multiple services and operators to avoid interference, they often result in underutilisation of spectrum. In the last decade, however, governments and regulators around the world have embraced the concept of 'spectrum commons' as another way to bring citizens innovation on new wireless technologies."

Paul Garnett, Chairman of the DSA Board and Director of Affordable Access at Microsoft says, "The spectrum sharing technologies and policies that the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance began promoting almost four years ago are now central to discussions about current and future spectrum access and emerging 5G scenarios."

Cull has lauded ICASA's exploration of ways to assign the unused spectrum to secondary users. "ICASA needs to finalise regulations which allow TVWS to be used. So far it has published a Discussion Document in October 2015 and a Findings Document in June 2016 and on 7 April 2017, it published a Position Paper and draft Regulations. It may not seem like it, but ICASA is moving fast to get the regulations in place. This is important for a lot of reasons. Dynamic spectrum assignment represents an evolution in spectrum use with the potential to introduce massive efficiency gains and it is gratifying to see South Africa close to the forefront of this process."

Regional regulatory alliances

ICASA's move to champion dynamic spectrum assignment by co-hosting the DSA Summit comes weeks after the regulator announced its technical agreement with the communications regulator of Mozambique Autoridade Reguladora Das Communicações for cooperation and coordination in respect of spectrum management for telecommunications and broadcasting services.

ICASA said the agreement will culminate in the establishment of a technical committee which would address matters of common interest between the two regulators on radio frequency coordination.

Rubben Mohlaloga, Acting Chairperson at ICASA says the technical agreement to assist each other on regulatory matters is a significant achievement.

"This is a critical step for us as regulators because we have a common goal of ensuring that the needs of our people are taken into account and that their service consumption is exactly what they pay for and interference-free"

Autoridade Reguladora Das Communicações has since unveiled an Integrated Radio Spectrum Management and Monitoring System (SIGMER) consisting of a fixed antenna and a mobile station in Mozambique's Tete Province yesterday.

Tete Governor Paulo Auade witnessed the opening of the new facility intended to manage the radio spectrum, to combat the misuse of the radio spectrum, as well as to equipment and systems of illegal communications and prohibited communications.