SA’s mobile network operators are in support of a proposed framework to regulate satellite providers in the country’s growing satellite communications market.
The country is seen as being behind the curve in adopting the connectivity underpinned by low Earth-orbiting (LEO) satellites, which have grown in favour as a way to plug connectivity gaps, with Elon Musk’s Starlink being the best-known such service.
While satellite services have been operational for many years in SA, efforts to let Starlink, specifically, operate in SA have spurred debate about the licensing and regulatory framework, especially about BEE.
As such, the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) has proposed a new licensing framework for satellite services, aimed at fostering innovation, investment and universal access to communication services.
In recent months, the watchdog has received oral and written submissions from telecom operators and other stakeholders about the proposal, releasing the findings on Thursday.
The authority received submission from the likes of Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, MultiChoice, Amazon, Avanti and SpaceX.
Broadly, industry players are in support, emphasising the importance of harmonising satellite licensing frameworks with international best practices.
However, some raised concerns about the proposed licensing framework, arguing that it should benefit all sectors in telecommunications, not just the satellite sector. According to Icasa, others questioned the need for a new framework altogether, highlighting that satellite services have been operational in SA for decades without issues and the existing regulatory structure under the Electronic Communications Act is adequate.
Despite these concerns, “most stakeholders supported the authority’s efforts to develop a satellite licensing framework, particularly its alignment with global trends and its potential to attract international operators and infrastructure investment to SA.
“Stakeholders emphasised the importance of regulatory certainty, transparency and harmonisation with global best practices, particularly those endorsed by the ATU [African Telecommunications Union] and the ITU [International Telecommunications Union].”
Operators are working to make sure that the likes of Starlink do not get special treatment and adhere to the same laws and regulations that they have to comply with.
While Telkom and MTN support the proposed five-year term for gateway Earth station licences, Vodacom highlighted the importance of ensuring a level playing field between satellite and terrestrial operators. All three operators proposed various methodologies for radio frequency spectrum fee calculation and noted the need for safeguards to prevent harmful interference.
This comes as the government is looking to launch its own satellite in the next five to seven years as part of multibillion-rand plan to plug connectivity holes in the country, increasing access to the internet for remote communities and reducing reliance on foreign communication services.
The main reason for the growth in LEO satellite use is the cost. Transporting equipment into space is now much cheaper than it was decades ago, in part because space rockets are now reusable — as demonstrated by SpaceX.
In terms of connectivity, the two disadvantages with traditional satellite technology have to do with latency (the time it takes for signals to reach their destination) and limited bandwidth (the amount of data that can travel through a signal).
Low-altitude satellites improve on this, offering faster speeds, mainly because they are closer to the ground.
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