SA is no stranger to risk. From climate-induced flooding and shipwrecks to wildfires and aviation incidents, the country’s vulnerability to disasters is intensifying. Yet, as SA accelerates digital transformation and mobile spectrum assignments it risks sidelining critical safety services, particularly those dependent on the L-band spectrum.
Unless regulators reaffirm a strong national policy to protect satellite-based aeronautical, maritime and emergency response services operating in the L-band, SA could severely compromise its ability to respond to life-threatening events, from search and rescue missions at sea to disaster relief in remote areas and co-ordination in aviation emergencies.
This call to action follows a recent high-level seminar attended by telecom, satellite and safety-of-life experts that took place in March in Sandton.
It is reinforced by a sobering Business Day report published in May (“SA in troubled waters for maritime disasters, experts warn” May 27).
The article highlights how outdated infrastructure, weak emergency co-ordination and fragmented communication systems are undermining SA’s readiness for disaster response, especially in the maritime sector. But the same vulnerabilities affect aviation oversight, emergency services and humanitarian operations.
A critical layer of safety infrastructure
The L-band (1518MHz-1525MHz) has long supported a mix of essential, safety-of-life services, including:
- Satellite-based emergency communications;
- Aeronautical telemetry and navigation systems;
- Public protection and disaster relief;
- Maritime rescue co-ordination; and
- Humanitarian aid and early warning systems.
These services are not secondary, they form the backbone of SA’s safety ecosystem. In areas where terrestrial infrastructure is sparse or nonexistent, L-band-enabled satellite links are the only lifeline. This is particularly true in vast rural territories, remote air corridors and expansive maritime zones. Yet this spectrum is increasingly under pressure.
The emerging threat — IMT spectrum expansion
The Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) has proposed to expand international mobile telecommunications (IMT) use of the L-band, with proposals reaching up to 1518MHz. While broadband expansion is essential for digital inclusion and economic growth, the danger lies in interference with adjacent satellite services, particularly in the 1518MHz-1525MHz band used for mobile satellite services (MSS).
Without a clear limit and proper safeguards such as a mandatory guard band, harmful interference could degrade the ability of satellites to deliver signals during high-risk events. That interference is not hypothetical. It could result in:
- Missed distress signals from ships, aircraft, or emergency beacons;
- Disruption of disaster warning systems;
- Delays in rescue co-ordination during natural catastrophes; and
- Inability to communicate with first responders during floods, wildfires, or mass casualty events.
Lessons from troubled waters, and skies
The Business Day article focuses on maritime vulnerabilities, but the warning applies more broadly. Experts describe a country underprepared and overstretched, where vessel tracking, aviation telemetry and emergency communication systems are increasingly exposed to failure due to interference, underinvestment and institutional fragmentation.
Distress beacons activated during air crashes or shipwrecks typically rely on L-band satellite transmission to reach global rescue centres. In cases where terrestrial networks are unavailable, such as the open ocean, national parks or mountainous terrain, satellite signals offer the only reliable communication option. If these services are degraded by mobile signals, lives will be at risk.
Regulatory action is urgently needed
To mitigate these threats Icasa must adopt a forward-looking, safety-centric approach to the L-band. The following actions are essential:
- Limit IMT assignments to frequencies to 1492MHz, to ensure separation from MSS operating above 1518MHz.
- Introduce a mandatory minimum of 6MHz guard band, to prevent adjacent-band interference and protect satellite reception quality.
- Embed L-band protection in national policy, to prioritise critical services such as maritime co-ordination, aviation telemetry and disaster response in spectrum planning, licensing and enforcement.
These are not just technical safeguards — they are essential national risk management tools.
A spectrum strategy that matches SA’s realities
SA’s topography, infrastructure gaps and socioeconomic needs require a tailored spectrum policy. Unlike countries with dense network coverage, SA still relies on satellite-based safety systems to fill connectivity gaps in remote coastal areas, airspace with limited ground stations, flood-prone or fire-risk rural communities, and unserved provinces during natural disasters.
The L-band enables maritime rescue co-ordination far from shore, aviation communications in national and cross-border airspace, emergency services deployment during extreme weather events, and humanitarian missions into inaccessible terrain.
The idea that this band can be lightly repurposed for mobile broadband ignores the public interest value it holds.
Balancing broadband with national safety
SA must continue to expand affordable mobile broadband, but not at the cost of safety. The choice is not binary. It is entirely possible to support 4G/5G expansion while protecting safety-of-life services through smart planning and policy clarity.
A well-structured L-band framework enables both. What’s missing is a clear national position grounded in evidence and shaped by real-world risks.
Prioritise the frequencies that protect us
Icasa stands at a crossroads as decisions made today about L-band spectrum assignments will determine whether the country can respond effectively to tomorrow’s maritime emergencies, aviation incidents and natural disasters.
The Business Day report reminds us that the risks are real and growing. It is time to limit IMT to 1492MHz, implement a guard band, and reaffirm the primacy of public safety in spectrum policy.
This is not about resisting change. It’s about future-proofing SA’s ability to protect its people — on land, at sea and in the sky.
• Coetzee is founder and managing partner at Global Policy Partners.
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