Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Communications by

Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Communications by Engineering and Technology Unit By: Wojtek Skowronski Date: 8 October 2004

Outline of Presentation • Mandate • Strategic Objectives • Past achievements • Major Deliverables for 2004/2005 • Challenges • Conclusions

Mandate • • Constitution Telecommunications Act Broadcasting Act IBA Act ICASA Act Interception and Monitoring Act Ministerial Policy Directives International Agreements

Strategic Objectives • Orderly and practical utilization of a scarce national natural resource – Frequency Spectrum including: Ø Ø • Planning Migration Management Licensing Monitoring and Enforcement of radio frequency licence conditions including: Ø Ø Ø Monitoring of usage Resolution of interference Investigations of unauthorized usage

Past achievements • Spectrum Planning and Management Project Spectra – Broadcasting Spectrum management software Review equipment specifications SABRE revision – SATFA Publication of BC annual frequency plan Spectrum licensing, 90 000 licences issued • International coordination and liaisons WRC preparation and participation ITU registration of FM/TV/AM assignments • Regional TRASA cooperation initiatives Regional standardization

Past Achievements • Spectrum Monitoring Provision of the national infrastructure Performance of monitoring tasks proactively and on demand Monitoring reports Support for the SKA bid • Enforcement Inspections and audits Collection of outstanding licence fees • Regional TRASA cooperation initiatives Cross-border issues

Past Achievements • Six regional offices conduct frequency spectrum monitoring • Interference investigations • Licence administration, inspection and audits • The Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town offices perform maritime surveys • Bloemfontein region actively involved in work related to the cross-border agreement with LTA dealing with the cases of GSM signal spillovers

Past Achievements • Bloemfontein office involved with planning and conducting of terrestrial interference surveys for the SKA bid • Survey reports on www. ska. org. za

Past Achievements Installation of fixed Direction Finding (DF) Monitoring Units • Project involves the deployment of four units purchased from Protea Electronics. • First DF unit was installed at Linksfield Ridge. • The remaining units have been installed in Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban.

Past Achievements • Focused and aligned for delivery unit • Operations within limited budget • 80% of management are HDIs • Most projects on time and within budget

Major Deliverables for 2004/2005 • Completion of Project Spectra • Review equipment specifications • Publication of BC annual frequency plan • Spectrum licensing/fees regulation • WRC preparation & participation • Spectrum for 3 G and Digital broadcasting

Challenges • ITU Registration of frequency assignment • TRASA projects • 800 MHz sharing study • Identification of 3 G spectrum • Migration to digital • Alignment for Convergence Act

Challenges • GSM signal jammers – located and seized, • Illegal cordless phones interfering on SANDF and SAPS frequencies – confiscated, • Illegal radio receivers, used by tow truck operators and abalone poachers and smugglers to intercept SAPS voice communications – confiscated,

Challenges • Illegal broadcasting transmitters – identified and closed down or confiscated, • Joint operations of the Central monitoring and the Johannesburg Region – closed down Radio Roepstem, Radio Triompf, Radio Teks FM and LM Radio (Kriel), • Unlicensed provision of IP networks in the 2. 4 GHz band – transgressors identified and cases opened with the SAPS,

Challenges • Spurious emissions from faulty RF equipment causing interference – identified and rectified by the operators. • Use of equipment in excess of numbers licensed – identified by licensees’ audits and corrected through revised licenses and fees.

Planned Projects • TRASA projects • Spectrum fees regulation • Identification of 3 G spectrum • 800 MHz sharing study ? • SKA ?

Conclusion • Engineering and Technology is an essential support function for the Regulator • Basic infrastructure in place, however needs continuous upkeep funding • Human resource development and retention critical Thank you for your time and attention