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Acting Communications Minister Jackson Mthembu has announced significant changes to regulations made under the Disaster Management Act.
These changes include the removal of policies related to smartphone tracking, mobile data price freezes and number portability.
Significant changes include the directive to track and trace people using smartphone location data and the lifting of the ban on mobile data price increases.
Previously, regulations stated that mobile networks “must provide location-based services in collaboration with relevant identified authorities to support departments designated to assist and combat the spread of COVID-19.”
The rules also required the location data of people who came in contact with those who had the coronavirus to be monitored.
This directive has now been removed by an amendment made on May 8, 2020 to the Disaster Management Act.
The other amendments included the removal of paragraph 12 of the instructions, which prohibits the increase in mobile data prices and the portability of mobile numbers.
These changes were made immediately since their publication on May 8, which means that mobile networks will be able to increase data prices and offer number portability services again.
In addition, South African mobile operators are no longer required to provide user location data to the government for their track and trace initiative.
These changes also apply to other “licensed entities,” such as Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Spectrum allocation
This follows after ICASA additional licensed spectrum Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, Rain and Liquid Telecom to help them cope with the increase in traffic due to the national closure.
This spectrum was launched during the state of national disaster with the aim of alleviating network congestion, and has allowed operators to maintain the quality of broadband services.
Vodacom has taken advantage of this additional spectrum and its roaming agreement with Liquid Telecom to launch its 5G mobile network In South Africa.
This network supports fixed wireless and mobile services, and is currently available at 20 live 5G sites, 18 of which are in Gauteng and 2 in Cape Town.
Vodacom has stated that it will continue to offer 5G connectivity through its roaming agreement with Liquid Telecom after it loses access to the temporary spectrum assigned by ICASA during the blockade.
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