Memo To Icasa: Don't Trade Safety For Mobile Spectrum

• Aviation safety: Air traffic management and navigation rely on adjacent frequencies for safe and efficient air travel.
• Maritime operations : The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System GMDSS ensures ships at sea maintain reliable distress communications.
• Land mobile services: Providing emergency response, disaster relief and rural connectivity across Africa.
• National security: Defence communications operate in adjacent bands, and interference could compromise mission-critical operations.
• Scientific and environmental monitoring: The L band supports key scientific applications, including weather monitoring, Earth observation and climate research, which could be severely impacted by spectrum congestion.

These services depend on an interference-free environment, and Icasa's proposal to extend IMT services beyond 1 492MHz could risk disrupting these essential operations.

As a signatory to the International Civil Aviation Organisation ICAO and the International Maritime Organisation IMO agreements, South Africa must ensure that its spectrum policies do not endanger aviation and maritime safety. The 1 518MHz band is used for aircraft telemetry, navigation and control, and extending IMT to 1 518MHz could introduce harmful interference, leading to flight delays, communication failures and increased accident risks.

Similarly, the maritime sector depends on L-band frequencies for distress signals and emergency communications. South Africa's Rescue Coordination Centre covers vast maritime zones, and interference in this spectrum could hinder emergency response operations, endangering lives at sea.

Satellite operators rely on L-band frequencies to provide uninterrupted communication services in remote and underserved regions. In disaster scenarios, these services are crucial for coordinating rescue operations and ensuring connectivity when terrestrial networks fail. Interference from IMT services beyond 1 492MHz could degrade these vital services, leaving vulnerable communities at risk.

The economic ramifications of disrupting L-band satellite services extend beyond safety concerns. Sectors such as mining, agriculture, logistics and aviation depend on seamless satellite connectivity for operations. South Africa also risks non-compliance with global spectrum management frameworks, potentially impacting trade relations and international cooperation.