Comments on: Gov’t wants to license new telecoms operators http://www.techcentral.co.za/govt-to-license-new-telecoms-operators/25374/ South Africa's technology news leader Wed, 16 May 2012 18:39:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Prom http://www.techcentral.co.za/govt-to-license-new-telecoms-operators/25374/comment-page-1/#comment-67323 Prom Tue, 23 Aug 2011 05:56:00 +0000 http://www.techcentral.co.za/?p=25374#comment-67323 The 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz frequencies are ill suited to providing broadband. You have to quite literally build a tower for every block though this could be an advantage with LTE that actually uses up a lot of spectrum requiring denser base stations without interference from each of them. What Vodacom and MTN actually want is the digital divident spectrum but looking at their track record it would be a mistake to license this to them as they won't use it to effectively compete. This could take years to rectify if it ever is. Rather do something different this time and turn it into white space spectrum so everyone can use it and if that turns out to be a mistake it can easily be rectified. The 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz frequencies are ill suited to providing broadband. You have to quite literally build a tower for every block though this could be an advantage with LTE that actually uses up a lot of spectrum requiring denser base stations without interference from each of them.

What Vodacom and MTN actually want is the digital divident spectrum but looking at their track record it would be a mistake to license this to them as they won’t use it to effectively compete. This could take years to rectify if it ever is. Rather do something different this time and turn it into white space spectrum so everyone can use it and if that turns out to be a mistake it can easily be rectified.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.techcentral.co.za/govt-to-license-new-telecoms-operators/25374/comment-page-1/#comment-67310 Anonymous Sun, 21 Aug 2011 08:15:00 +0000 http://www.techcentral.co.za/?p=25374#comment-67310 Duncan, any idea on Mr Nkuna's position on using the managed unlicensed model now being used for sub 1GHz spectrum in the US, UK and Canada? The IEEE has just revealed the 802.22 standard, so we can expect to see rapid development of TV Band Devices. The usage of this will revolutionize rural communications in SA, and if we follow the overseas licencing model, whoever builds the towers first (and 2nd, 3rd... 50th) will automatically get the rights to the spectrum in a particular area. There is no need for auctions or beauty contests as it's no longer necessary (technologically) , nor desirable (economically), for a single company to own an exclusive licence to spectrum. Duncan, any idea on Mr Nkuna’s position on using the managed unlicensed model now being used for sub 1GHz spectrum in the US, UK and Canada?

The IEEE has just revealed the 802.22 standard, so we can expect to see rapid development of TV Band Devices. The usage of this will revolutionize rural communications in SA, and if we follow the overseas licencing model, whoever builds the towers first (and 2nd, 3rd… 50th) will automatically get the rights to the spectrum in a particular area.

There is no need for auctions or beauty contests as it’s no longer necessary (technologically) , nor desirable (economically), for a single company to own an exclusive licence to spectrum.

]]> By: Gregg http://www.techcentral.co.za/govt-to-license-new-telecoms-operators/25374/comment-page-1/#comment-67309 Gregg Sat, 20 Aug 2011 17:48:00 +0000 http://www.techcentral.co.za/?p=25374#comment-67309 More licences = more money for the dept of comms. They're not interested in bringing prices down or expanding access to services, this is about making money. More licences = more money for the dept of comms. They’re not interested in bringing prices down or expanding access to services, this is about making money.

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