South Africa’s communications regulator Icasa continues to defy the nation’s Communications Minister Solly Malatsi’s demand that permission be given for SpaceX’s Starlink to operate in the country. In a statement on May 13th, Icasa said that to grant such permission would need an amendment to the country’s Electronic Communications Act (ECA). Icasa says it had […]

It seems that two factions within South Africa’s administration are at each other’s throats. Communications Minister Solly Malatsi’s outburst on April 24th that his patience with regulator ICASA has run out is a clear demonstration that all is not well with South Africa’s supervisors. The spat is understood to refer to the request from SpaceX […]

ICASA, South Africa’s Communications regulator, is working on a new licensing framework for satellite Internet operators, and specifically mentioned Elon Musk’s SpaceX. “The goal is to create a transparent, efficient, and sustainable regulatory environment that fosters investment, competition, and the expansion of satellite services,” ICASA said in a statement. In its annual performance plan for […]

South Africa’s communications regulator ICASA has published draft regulations designed to tighten pricing operations at Sentech, which is the government-owned transmission business. Sentech handles the nation’s transmission of broadcast TV and radio signals. The publication of the new draft rules, in the government’s official Gazette, follows on from a one-year investigation into Sentech’s pricing structure. […]

South Africa has amended its ‘Black Economic Empowerment’ (BEE) rules, allowing Starlink to operate via rural school internet investments instead of insisting on the traditional – and to date rigid – 30 per cent equity stake for local people and businesses. The decision could pave the way for rapid satellite broadband rollout amid digital divide […]

Local reports in South Africa say that Communications Minister Solly Malatsi is poised to give a policy direction which will permit SpaceX’s Starlink broadband-by-satellite system to operate in the country. Malatsi’s move will have to be approved by the nation’s regulator Icasa and will likely to require Starlink to invest in local businesses in order […]

South Africa’s communications regulator ICASA has issued a draft set of digital terrestrial broadcasting regulations. ICASA has set out the frequencies which will be allocated for public broadcasting, commercial free-to-view, subscription and community broadcasting. The new rules, when implemented, will replace older legislation in place for more than 10 years although largely ignored because analogue […]

Starlink is unlikely to gain permission to operate in South Africa any time soon, according to a local communications sector expert. Dominic Cull, a regulatory expert at communications sector legal advisory firm Ellipsis, said it will be at least two years before new regulations will be in place to allow for equity equivalents – and […]

SpaceX’s Starlink broadband-by-satellite system is not authorised or licensed by South Africa. Recent discussions between SpaceX and South Africa’s licensing authorities could see this prohibition lifted. However, there are reportedly thousands of Starlink users in South Africa. The users have imported equipment from neighbouring states where Starlink is authorised and have accessed Starlink via its […]

SpaceX currently cannot operate in South Africa despite some apparent enthusiastic support from Cyril Ramaphosa, the nation’s president. SpaceX has formally asked for local telecoms regulator ICASA to modify its requirements. ICASA is to hold consultations starting on February 5th and 6th with interested stakeholders and the public. The filing is by SpaceX Internet Services […]