South African regulator the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) revealed it has accepted six bidders for its spectrum auction next month.
Cell C, Liquid Telecoms, MTN, Rain Networks, Telkom and Vodacom have been confirmed as bidders for the long-awaited spectrum auction.
Bidders passed the pre-qualification stage of the licensing process and can now participate in the auction which is expected to take place on March 8 this year.
ICASA chairperson Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng said having six strong bidders for its auction showcases the “robustness” of South Africa’s telecoms sector.
"We can officially proclaim the forthcoming March 2022 spectrum auction as an unparalleled milestone in our country's communications history as this will be the first-ever spectrum auction held on our shores. We commit ourselves to discharge this vital public-interest mandate to the very best of our abilities as we continue to confront the ongoing litigation head-on. With only two weeks remaining, we need to see selfless and responsible corporate citizenship at play," said Dr Modimoeng.
The auction saw some bumps in the road with Telkom threatening legal action just last month.
