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Electronic Communications Act, 2005 (Act No. 36 of 2005)

Regulations

Extension of the Due Date for the Renewal of Radio Frequency Spectrum Licences Regulations, 2025

Reasons Document : April 2025

2. Background

 

2.1 Since 26 March 2025, the Authority has been experiencing intermittent unavailability of its online licensing platform, namely: the Automated Spectrum Management System (“the Licensing Platform”).

 

2.2 The intermittent unavailability of the Licensing Platform has negatively impacted upon the ability of licensees to:
(a) renew a licence;
(b) submit a new radio frequency spectrum licence application to the Authority; and
(c) amend an existing licence in accordance with the provisions of the ECA. This has also negatively impacted upon the Authority’s operations.

 

2.3 The Authority has accordingly appointed an information technology service provider (“the Service Provider”) to resolve the technical issues experienced by the Authority and licensees.

 

2.4 Since 26 March 2025, the Service Provider in collaboration with the information technology division of the Authority, has implemented several updates to the Licensing Platform to resolve the technical issues, conduct an extensive database clean-up and improve the operating system and business process management servers.

 

2.5 Whilst the Authority has assiduously attempted to expedite the resolution of the technical issues, it has been advised that the required upgrades to the Licensing Platform can only be completed by 31 May 2025.

 

2.6 In the circumstances, based on the enquiries received by the Authority, it became apparent that a substantial number of licensees were not able to renew licences by the due date prescribed in terms of Regulation 10 of the Radio Frequency Spectrum Regulations, 2015 i.e., 31 March 2025.

 

2.7 Upon consideration of the circumstances described in paragraphs 2.1 to 2.6 above, the Authority has identified the need to extend the renewal due date to allow the affected licensees sufficient time to ensure that their licences are renewed.

 

2.8 The purpose of this reasons document is to outline the Authority’s reasons regarding its decisions with respect to the Regulations.