On 22 May 2026, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) published Government Notice 7501 in the Government Gazette (No. 54718), introducing the Regulations on Dynamic Spectrum Access and Opportunistic Spectrum Management in the Innovation Spectrum. The regulations govern the use of two frequency ranges – 3800 to 4200 MHz (Innovation Spectrum Frequency Range 1, or ISFR 1) and 5925 to 6425 MHz (ISFR 2) – through a database-driven, dynamic spectrum access approach.
These regulations have not yet come into force. The commencement date will be determined by ICASA through a separate Government Gazette notice. However, their publication establishes the full regulatory framework that device manufacturers, network operators, and importers must prepare for ahead of that date.
Type Approval: Mandatory Certification Requirement for Innovation Spectrum Devices
The regulations establish a mandatory type approval requirement for all Innovation Spectrum Devices (ISDs). Any device intended for use in the Innovation Spectrum must be type approved or authorised by ICASA before it can be commercially deployed or operated in South Africa.
Upon receiving type approval, each ISD model is assigned a unique ICASA-ID, which must appear in ICASA’s Equipment Authorisation Register (EAR). This identifier is not merely administrative: it is operationally critical. The Unified Spectrum Switch (USS) – the central database system that assigns spectrum operating parameters to devices in real time – uses the ICASA-ID and the Type Approval dataset to calculate and generate the operating parameters each device is permitted to use at a given location. Devices without a valid ICASA-ID in the EAR cannot obtain operating parameters and therefore cannot legally operate.
In addition to obtaining type approval, all ISDs must display a label compliant with ICASA’s Equipment Authorization Regulations, 2022, as amended. Devices must also be installed by a Professional Installer – a registered or qualified technician – and must not have their technical or operational settings altered after installation.
Innovation Spectrum Device Categories and Technical Requirements for Market Access
The regulations define several ISD categories, each with distinct technical requirements that have direct implications for product design and certification:
Master Devices
Fixed or function-virtualized devices that must have built-in geo-location capability, internet access, and the ability to communicate directly with the USS (or through a Database Proxy). Master devices request operating parameters for themselves and their associated client devices. They are responsible for initiating network connections and enforcing spectrum usage compliance.
Client Devices
Fixed, nomadic, mobile, or function-virtualized devices that operate under the direction of a Master device. Client devices may or may not have geo-location capability and do not have direct USS access by default, though the IS-CPE Category 2 variant can communicate with the USS independently.
All ISDs: Core Technical Requirements
Regardless of category, all ISDs must be:
- Frequency-agile, capable of tuning across the full width of ISFR 1 or ISFR 2
- Compliant with the CPAUSS communication protocol for accessing the USS
- Capable of dynamically adjusting transmit power based on USS-assigned operating parameters
- Able to cease transmission immediately upon instruction from the USS or when operating parameters expire
Transmit Power Limits and Spectrum License Requirements by Frequency Range
The two frequency ranges carry different licensing obligations and power constraints, both of which affect product design and market entry strategy:
ISFR 1 (3800-4200 MHz) – Licensed
Network operators require a spectrum license from ICASA to deploy in this band. Licenses are location-specific, valid for up to three years, and renewable. Maximum permitted EIRP levels are:
- Urban outdoor: 27 dBm/20 MHz EIRP per carrier (max antenna height 20 m AGL)
- Rural outdoor: 47 dBm/40 MHz EIRP per carrier (max antenna height 30 m AGL)
- Indoor: 28 dBm TRP (max antenna height 10 m AGL)
ISFR 2 (5925-6425 MHz) – License-Exempt
Operation in this band is license-exempt and no spectrum fees are payable to ICASA. Devices still require type approval and USS registration. Maximum permitted power levels are:
- Urban outdoor: 30 dBm (max antenna height 20 m AGL)
- Rural outdoor: 36 dBm (max antenna height 30 m AGL)
Importantly, these figures represent the maximum upper limit: the USS may dynamically reduce permitted power levels based on proximity to registered incumbent users such as Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) and Fixed Service (FS) operators in the same bands. Devices must be designed to comply with these dynamic adjustments.
Incumbent Protection and Interference Mitigation: Implications for Global Certification
The regulations place substantial obligations on both ISDs and network operators to protect registered incumbent users – primarily satellite earth stations and fixed microwave links that already operate in the 3800-4200 MHz and 5925-6425 MHz bands. This has direct implications for device certification:
- Out-of-block emission limits must be built into device design and verified during type approval testing. Specific spectral density masks apply within 5 MHz, 10 MHz, and beyond 10 MHz of the assigned block edges.
- Guard bands of 5 MHz are enforced at both the 3800 MHz lower and 4200 MHz upper edges of ISFR 1, and ISDs must not exceed out-of-band density limits at these edges.
- If a device is identified as causing harmful interference, it must cease transmission within 60 seconds of receiving a USS instruction. This automatic compliance capability must be built into the device.
- The default radio propagation model used by the USS is ITU-R P.452-18, which aligns with international standards but has South Africa-specific terrain and clutter datasets applied.
For manufacturers targeting the South African market, type approval testing will need to verify compliance with these out-of-block emission masks and confirm that devices can respond to USS power reduction commands – requirements that may go beyond what is tested under, for example, CE or FCC certification.
For this article’s source information and any product certification guidance, please contact Global Validity.
Quick Country Facts
South Africa
Certification Body: Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA)
Certification Type: Mandatory
License Validity: Indefinite
Application Language: English
Legal License Holder: Local Representative
In-Country Testing Requirement: Testing Not Required
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