The South African telecommunication ministry has filed a suit to block the sale of mobile spectrum by industry regulator Icasa, reports Bloomberg. The application was filed on 08 August by the Telecommunications and Postal Services Department, and names Icasa and mobile operators MTN, Vodacom, Telkom, and Cell C as respondents, who have until 26 August to respond. One reason for the legal action is that the government has not yet established policy direction on spectrum, and that Icasa allegedly failed to adhere to legislation and regulations.
Bloomberg said that the department’s legal action aims to prevent irreparable harm to interested parties, which a court could ultimately find unlawful. The intervention could postpone further Icasa’s attempts to sell the spectrum, after a previous delay of five years. Icasa previously said it was acting within the law by publishing the invitation to apply for spectrum.
