The Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) has updated its roadmap for the issue of 5G spectrum, covering airwaves in the 700MHz, 2600MHz and 26GHz bands.
Given the high demand for the spectrum in question, ZICTA has brought forward the release of 700MHz frequencies from Q1 2023 to Q3 2022. CommsUpdate noted that a 40MHz block of 2600MHz spectrum that went unsold at auction last month will also be put back up for sale during the same timeframe.
To accommodate these changes, ZICTA has pushed back the sale of 26GHz spectrum – scheduled for Q3 2022 – into the fourth quarter. The regulator confirmed that this band would be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Addressing the updated schedule, a statement from ZICTA read: “These critical changes to the roadmap are part of the urgent measures to improve competition in the ICT sector, promote investment and accelerate the extensive provision of services in underserved and unserved areas as well as improve the quality of electronic communication services for consumers in the country.”
