COMMUNICATIONS: SATELLITE SERVICES REGULATIONS OUT FOR COMMENT

COMMUNICATIONS: SATELLITE SERVICES REGULATIONS OUT FOR COMMENT

• 15 May 2026
• Communications & Digital Technologies
• SA Legal Academy

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has gazetted draft amendments to two sets of regulations under the 2005 Electronic Communications Act, calling for input by 29 June 2026. Focusing on satellite services, the amendments proposed are informed by input received during an inquiry begun in August 2024 – on which SA Legal Academy reported at the time. A reasons document on ICASA’s response to the inquiry’s findings was gazetted in April 2025, as SA Legal Academy also reported.

Against that backdrop, among other things draft amendments to the radio frequency spectrum regulations provide for:

• authorisation requirements for earth stations in motion, and
• foreign satellite space segment registration

The proposed amendments to radio frequency spectrum fee regulations provide for:

• the blanket licensing of terminals, and
• the formula used to calculate fees for:
  • gateway earth stations, and
  • user terminal networks.

Please click the links below for more information:

• draft amendments to radio frequency spectrum regulations
• draft amendments to fee regulations
• ICASA media statement
• August 2024 SA Legal Academy report
• April 2025 SA Legal Academy report

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

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