The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has kicked off a consultation process to develop a new framework that will make it easier for LEO satellite operators such as Starlink to acquire a licence to offer services.
According to a consultation paper issued last week, ICASA is hoping to streamline licencing procedures for satellite service providers so that the regulations can keep up with growing demand for satellite communications, particularly in remote and underserved areas where terrestrial networks are impractical or expensive to deploy.
The framework aims to establish clear guidelines and rules for satellite operators, and develop detailed procedures for authorizing various satellite services, including user terminals, IoT terminals, and earth station user terminals.
ICASA is shooting for a technology-neutral approach, with licences based on the service provided rather than the technology used to deliver it, which means service providers would only need to apply for one licence rather than several.
ICASA said it will also consider reviewing spectrum fees as part of the new framework, given the increasing bandwidth requirements of modern satellite systems using higher frequency bands.
The issue is that the current fee structure for gateway stations for geostationary high-throughput satellite (HTS) systems has resulted in high spectrum prices that have deterred some satellite players from entering South Africa.
The ICASA framework said the existing formula for calculating satellite spectrum fees is “unsustainable in a globally competitive environment, especially considering the large bandwidth requirements of modern HTS systems”. The proposed revamp suggests that LEO satellite operators pay lower spectrum fees than geostationary satellite operators because they use less spectrum and have fewer interference issues to mitigate.
The proposed new framework will also outline procedures for international satellite operators to register and operate within South Africa to ensure compliance with national and international regulations.
ICASA said the new framework “aligns with the African Telecommunications Union’s (ATU) recommendation for member states to adopt transparent and harmonized regulatory frameworks to support the growth of satellite services across the continent.”
The regulation revamp is potentially good news for Starlink, which is not authorised by ICASA to offer services in South Africa, although that hasn’t stopped users from exploiting Starlink’s roaming feature to use the service.
South African website MyBroadband reports that Starlink sent another notice to South African users on Friday saying it would cut off roaming services this Wednesday, and they will have to return to whatever country they registered for the service in order to keep using the service. Starlink sent a similar warning to South African users in April, but never followed through, the report said.
However, Starlink is unlikely to get a licence for South Africa under the new licencing regime before the end of this year. The consultation period for ICASA’s new licencing framework will run until November 12.
LEO satellite rival Eutelsat OneWeb has been operating in South Africa since the start of 2024. While it has a licence from ICASA, its LEO satellite services are offered via partnerships with existing companies including Paratus, Avanti, Q-KON, and Seacom.