South Africa - Regulation and Spectrum - History

27.11.2013

Key features of regulation for digital radio in South Africa are;

  • 1997 trials Band III and L-Band.
  • In 2013 the Independent Communications Authority expanded the Band III frequency plan.

The Independent Communications Authority has released a draft of its Terrestrial Broadcasting Frequency Plan 2013. In this document’s Annexure D “DAB Frequency Allotments,” the regulatory authority lays out plans to make room in the broadcast spectrum for digital audio broadcasting (DAB). It appears to have allotted 18 slots for DAB in Band III as the country begins the transition.


The regulatory framework for digital radio in South Africa has yet to be established. The Digital Broadcasting Advisory Body (DBAB) established by the Minister of Communications completed its research into digital radio and digital terrestrial television. The recommendations made to the Minister are available via the website of SADIBA, the Southern African Digital Broadcasting Association that actively supported the above processes, lobbied stakeholders and shared information on systems and standards implemented world-wide.

In 2005 the Minister of Communications, (http://www.doc.gov.za/) established a Digital Broadcasting Migration Working Group, comprising representatives from the broadcasting industry, Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), government, civil society, and organised labour and consumer groups. Its aim was to develop recommendations and contribute towards the development of a national strategy for migrating from analogue to digital broadcasting.

The regulator is the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa https://www.icasa.org.za/ ICASA.

25.10.2013

The Independent Communications Authority has released a draft of its Terrestrial Broadcasting Frequency Plan 2013. In this document’s Annexure D “DAB Frequency Allotments,” the regulatory authority lays out plans to make room in the broadcast spectrum for digital audio broadcasting (DAB). It appears to have allotted 18 slots for DAB in Band III as the country begins the transition.

The regulatory framework for digital radio in South Africa has yet to be established. The Digital Broadcasting Advisory Body (DBAB) established by the Minister of Communications completed its research into digital radio and digital terrestrial television. The recommendations made to the Minister are available via the website of SADIBA, the Southern African Digital Broadcasting Association that actively supported the above processes, lobbied stakeholders and shared information on systems and standards implemented world-wide.

In 2005 the Minister of Communications, (http://www.doc.gov.za/) established a Digital Broadcasting Migration Working Group, comprising representatives from the broadcasting industry, Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), government, civil society, and organised labour and consumer groups. Its aim was to develop recommendations and contribute towards the development of a national strategy for migrating from analogue to digital broadcasting.

The regulator is the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa https://www.icasa.org.za/ ICASA.

04.10.2013

The Independent Communications Authority has released a draft of its Terrestrial Broadcasting Frequency Plan 2013. In this document’s Annexure D “DAB Frequency Allotments,” the regulatory authority lays out plans to make room in the broadcast spectrum for digital audio broadcasting (DAB). It appears to have allotted 18 slots for DAB in Band III as the country begins the transition.

The regulatory framework for digital radio in South Africa has yet to be established. The Digital Broadcasting Advisory Body (DBAB) established by the Minister of Communications completed its research into digital radio and digital terrestrial television. The recommendations made to the Minister are available via the website of SADIBA, the Southern African Digital Broadcasting Association that actively supported the above processes, lobbied stakeholders and shared information on systems and standards implemented world-wide.

In 2005 the Minister of Communications, (http://www.doc.gov.za/) established a Digital Broadcasting Migration Working Group, comprising representatives from the broadcasting industry, Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), government, civil society, and organised labour and consumer groups. Its aim was to develop recommendations and contribute towards the development of a national strategy for migrating from analogue to digital broadcasting.

The regulator is the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa https://www.icasa.org.za/ ICASA.