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National Gazette No. 42829, 08 November 2019, Vol 653, Page 78

20191108 - National Gazette No 42829 of 08-November-2019, Volume 653, page 78

Page	78 of 280
Gazette	National Gazettes, No 42829, from 08 November, 2019
Department	ICASA
Notice	Page No. 14 of 209, Notice No. 600, Electronic Communications Act (36/2005), as amended » Notice regarding the Final International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) Roadmap 2019

78    No. 42829             GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 8 NOVEMBER 2019

2 OVERVIEW

Purpose of the IMT Roadmap

The exponential increase in demand for mobile broadband in South Africa compels a need for
                   additional bandwidth capacity. This requirement is further compounded by the fact that many rural
                   areas do not have access to effective mobile bandwidth, emphasising a real requirement for effective
                   universal mobile broadband access in South Africa  in general. It is also important to note the
                   advantage  of lower frequency  bands  ("UHF")  for this  purpose  where  propagation qualities  are
                   significantly better than that of the higher bands. This aspect is particularly important in the process
                   of providing effective coverage in rural areas.

The International Telecommunication Union ("ITU") identified frequency bands that could be used
                   for International  Mobile  Telecommunications ("IMT"),  which  is  mainly  intended  for  mobile
                   broadband. The National Radio Frequency Plan ("NRFP") 2018, published in Government Gazette
                   Number 41650 ( Notice No. 266 of 2018), further identified which of these IMT bands (between 450
                   MHz and 3600 MHz) could be deployed in South Africa. The NRFP 2018 repealed the National
                   Radio Frequency Plan 2013.

The eventual assignment to IMT is made through a Radio Frequency Spectrum Assignment Plan
                   ("RFSAP").  The  IMT  Radio  Frequency  Spectrum  Assignment  Plans  (Final)  was  published  in
                   Government Gazette No 38640 (Notices 270 to 278 of 2015).

The purpose of Radio Frequency Migration Regulation, 2013 and Radio Frequency Migration Plan
                   is to establish the framework by which the Authority  may  migrate users of the radio frequency
                   spectrum under the National Radio Frequency Plan of South Africa. The Radio Frequency Migration
                   Plan 2013 replacing the Frequency Migration Plan 2019.
                   A key driver for the deployment of IMT bands is the need to ensure that mobile broadband meets the
                   objectives of `broadband for all' which is encapsulated in the targets of the SA Connect (Creating
                   Opportunities, Ensuring Inclusion, South  Africa's  Broadband  Policy)  published  in  Government
                   Gazette No. 37119 (Notice No 953 of 2013).

A key part of this 2019 IMT Roadmap concerns the deployment of the 700 MHz and 800 MHz digital
                   dividend bands that is still being occupied by analogue television and digital terrestrial television
                   ("DTT"). On 30 March 2015, ICASA published the Final Radio Frequency Spectrum Assignment
                   Plans in Government Gazette Number 38640 (Notices 271, 272, 273 and 274 of 2015) to implement
                   IMT in 700 MHz and 800 MHz bands. This was to give effect to the one of the objectives described
                   in the National Development Plan (NDP),  which states  that;  "The efficient assignment and

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