PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO: 1271
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 15 April 2011
QUESTION PAPER NO: 11
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs S P Kopane (DA) to ask the Minister of Communications:
1) Whether there is a document containing information on all masts and
antennas of all service providers, including the geographic location; if
not, (a) why not and (b) when will such a document be developed; if so,
2) whether the public can have access to the information; if not, why not;
if so, how do they access the information?
NW1419E
REPLY:
1) ICASA issues licenses to the Network Operators in order that the
Operators deliver on telecommunication services for both commercial use
and to deliver on service obligations. ICASA need the locations of the
masts in order to approve the frequency applications for the licence.Â
Also, the Service Operators are obliged to report on their network
rollout and coverage maps to ICASA.
2) The access of this information to the public would also be incorporated
in the licensing contracts between the Operators and ICASA.
The Final Terrestrial Broadcasting Frequency Plan, 2008 published in
government Gazette number 32728 on 18 November 2009 contains all the
details as they relate to all masts and antennas of all Broadcasting
services, Radio and Television, including the geographic location; The
document is currently being updated and is to be published by the end of
the financial year.
A similar document is collated to include all network operators with all
the details.
The document is to be published in the government gazette for ease of
access and on the Authorityâs website by the end of the financial year.
In addition, public access to licensee database is currently available
via a pc installed at the Icasa library. The database includes the
locations of base stations, frequency bands and other technical
parameters of ECNS licensees.