South Africa has formally allocated the entire upper 6GHz spectrum band for future mobile broadband services, marking a significant policy shift that strengthens the country’s 5G and future 6G ambitions while aligning it with a growing international trend favouring licensed mobile use of the band.
‎‎The decision is contained in the National Radio Frequency Plan (NRFP) 2026, published by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) on 24 July after receiving approval from Communications Minister Solly Malatsi on 2 July.
‎‎Replacing the 2021 edition, the updated plan serves as South Africa’s national framework for the management and allocation of radio frequency spectrum from 8.3kHz to 3THz. It is revised every four years to reflect decisions adopted at the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC).
‎‎A key feature of the new plan is the designation of the 6.425GHz to 7.125GHz frequency range for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT), the ITU classification for mobile broadband technologies such as 5G and future 6G services. The spectrum has been added to South Africa’s official list of IMT frequency bands alongside established mobile bands including 1.8GHz, 2.1GHz and 3.5GHz.
‎‎The upper 6GHz band has also been identified for time-division duplex (TDD) mobile operations in accordance with Resolution 220 adopted at the WRC-23 conference.
‎‎Icasa said it will undertake a feasibility study and prepare a radio frequency spectrum assignment plan, together with a channel plan for the entire 6.425GHz to 7.125GHz band. These steps are expected to pave the way for future licensing and possible spectrum auctions.
‎‎The allocation represents a major victory for South Africa’s mobile network operators and the global mobile industry, led by the GSMA, which have argued that additional mid-band spectrum is essential to support increasing mobile data demand and the evolution of next-generation wireless technologies.
‎‎However, the decision is a setback for Wi-Fi advocates and wireless internet service providers, who had called for the upper 6GHz band to be opened for licence-exempt Wi-Fi services.
‎‎The updated plan maintains the 5.925GHz to 6.425GHz lower 6GHz band for licence-exempt Wi-Fi, following Icasa’s 2023 decision that enabled the deployment of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 technologies in South Africa. The regulator also confirmed that work is underway on regulations governing dynamic spectrum access within the band.
‎‎Despite the availability of the lower 6GHz spectrum, adoption remains limited. Industry data for the first quarter of 2026 indicates that only 0.2 per cent of Wi-Fi connections in South Africa currently operate on the 6GHz band.
‎‎South Africa’s decision reflects a balanced approach in an ongoing international debate over the future use of the 6GHz spectrum. While the United States has allocated the entire 6GHz band for Wi-Fi and China has reserved it exclusively for mobile services, South Africa’s framework mirrors the European approach by assigning the lower portion to Wi-Fi and the upper portion to licensed mobile networks.
‎‎The upper 6GHz spectrum is currently occupied by several incumbent users, including licensed point-to-point microwave links used for network backhaul and satellite uplink services. Icasa’s planned feasibility study is expected to determine how these existing services can be accommodated or relocated before mobile operators gain access to the spectrum.
‎‎Meanwhile, South Africa has retained the 470MHz to 694MHz frequency band for digital terrestrial television broadcasting. The spectrum, which includes the 600MHz frequencies under consideration for mobile services in some countries, remains excluded from the country’s IMT allocation list.
‎‎The decision ensures broadcasters retain access to sub-700MHz spectrum for at least the duration of the four-year National Radio Frequency Plan, while providing regulatory certainty for the country’s broadcasting sector.
