The government has proposed, in its Information and Communication Technology White Paper, to turn unused radio spectrum into a "wireless open-access network" and to take back spectrum allocations from mobile operators. This will essentially nationalise the spectrum needed to provide data services. The decision has shocked telecommunications companies and industry experts, who say it will prevent future investment in new technologies and goes against the proven policy of selling spectrum to operators. Spectrum policy is often technical and dry, but it is a critical resource. Making the right decisions will have a profound impact on all South Africans. It will determine whether we will have access to the data transmission speeds that modern mobile applications require — and whether we will be able to afford them. The term "spectrum" refers to different radio frequency ranges or bands used for wireless communication. Besides mobile voice and data transmission, applications include mari...
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