Last week we saw that Telkom filed a legal challenge to suspend the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa’s (ICASA) spectrum auction later this year. Mobile service provider MTN has filed its own papers, opposing Telkom’s bid for an interdict.

MTN is hoping to avoid a repeat of last year — the long-delayed spectrum auction was delayed yet again, until 2022. Telkom’s challenge would likely set the auction even further back. And MTN wants to expand its 5G infrastructure, damnit.

MTN’s mission

MTN CEO Charles Molapisi said, “Spectrum is not just an industry issue, this is an issue for all our people and while there are certainly elements of the ITA that are a concern, we have to work together to best benefit the people of South Africa”.

“We need to provide sustained data quality and speed but most importantly, continued reductions in the price of data. Spectrum is the key to this, and we need to collaborate now, with the regulator and all stakeholders, to unlock SA’s economic recovery.”

The major difference between 2021 and this year is that now Telkom is the only one objecting to the process. Further delays will see 4G expansion limited in South Africa. It will also slam a handbrake on the still-fledgling rollout of 5G in the country. At a time when we need all the internet we can get, that’s not an ideal situation.