South African telecoms regulator announces emergency spectrum release

South African telecoms regulator ICASA on Monday announced an emergency release of broadband spectrum to meet a spike in internet usage due to the new coronavirus, which has so far infected 1,655 people and killed 11 in the country.

"The emergency release of this spectrum does not ... negate the processes that are currently underway for permanent assignment of spectrum through an auction, the process which the Authority had committed to finalize by the end of 2020," said the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) in a statement.