Though not provided for in the new regulations, ICASA said that it would allow those with spectrum to return or convert their licenses before 1 April 2012.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Authority is doing this out of the kindness of its heart,\u201d ICASA said to much laughter.<\/p>\n
ICASA said that under the legislation that governs them, they may take back spectrum that is not used effectively under the conditions for which it was licensed.<\/p>\n
However, ICASA explained that it wants to afford licensees the opportunity to return spectrum \u201cbefore wielding the big stick.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"William](\"http:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/William-Stucke-by-Rodney-Jones-iWeek-2006.jpg\" "\\"William")
William Stucke, taken by Rodney Jones at iWeek 2006<\/p><\/div>\n
Big telecoms players unhappy with interpretation<\/strong><\/p>\n Some of SA\u2019s larger players in the telecommunications space, among them Telkom, Neotel, Vodacom, and MTN, were unhappy with ICASA\u2019s proposed implementation of the regulations.<\/p>\n Telkom and Vodacom in particular wanted to know where in the regulations it said that ICASA should regard bulk national licenses as point-to-multipoint links.<\/p>\n Telkom pointed out that the regulator has a list of all its links used under the bulk license that shows which are point-to-point, and yet ICASA applied the more expensive point-to-multipoint formula.<\/p>\n Stucke explained that a bulk assignment is very convenient for the licensee, who could just inform ICASA that they were using a link rather than applying to use one.<\/p>\n Bulk national licenses, by definition, are area (point-to-multipoint) licenses, Stucke added, who went on to invite Telkom to tell ICASA to convert its bulk license into point-to-point licenses using the existing list.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t have it both ways,\u201d Stucke told a Telkom delegate.<\/p>\n ICASA bares teeth<\/strong><\/p>\n Stucke\u2019s replies didn\u2019t seem to placate some of the industry players present at the workshop, who continued to press the fact that the regulations don\u2019t make provision for ICASA\u2019s treatment of bulk licenses.<\/p>\n At these queries, Stucke said that the operators are more than welcome to apply for all the point-to-point licenses they need individually rather than converting their existing licenses.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can convert them, or you can try to apply for each one before 1 April,\u201d Stucke said. \u201cWhich do you think you could do first?\u201d<\/p>\n Another court battle looming?<\/strong><\/p>\n Industry speculation suggests that most players will take ICASA up on its offer, but that Telkom may make a counter-proposal to the regulator that ICASA would not be able to accept. It was predicted that ICASA would not be able to respond to Telkom until after the 1 April 2012 deadline.<\/p>\n Further speculation is that Telkom has enough to lose that it would take ICASA to court, should the regulator charge them for their bulk license as it proposed to, if an agreement isn\u2019t reached by 1 April 2012.<\/p>\nRelated article<\/h3>\n