EFF urges Icasa not to auction off high-demand spectrum

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has resolved to mobilise for the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) not to auction off high-demand spectrum so as to allow for smaller players in the industry to have greater access.

The EFF has also resolved to push harder for data costs to fall and explore the establishment of its own alternative social media platform to counter a mainstream media it alleges to be anti-EFF.

This forms part of the resolutions passed by the party’s National People’s Assembly at Nasrec, south of Johannesburg.

Icasa is set to auction off radio frequency spectrum suitable for the roll-out of high speed 5G infrastructure in 2020.

This means operators will be able to roll out 5G services to consumers.

The EFF’s Mandisa Mashego says, “We need the duopoly that is Vodacom and MTN to fall as soon as possible,  because it is affecting pricing in ICT and telecommunications space and so the auctioning of high-demand spectrum needs to urgently not be permitted.”

“Because for obvious reasons, they will be the only two who will be able to afford it and therefore, we will not be able to impact issues of data costs and other telephony related costs on mobile technology.”

[embedded content]

[embedded content]

[embedded content]