South Africa has officially allocated the entire upper 6 GHz frequency band for use in mobile networks for the first time. This provides operators with a potential 700 MHz of valuable mid-band spectrum and somewhat resolves the global dispute between cellular industry representatives and Wi-Fi proponents regarding the most sought-after unused frequencies in telecommunications.
This decision is enshrined in the National Radio Frequency Plan (NRFP) for 2026. The document was approved by Communications Minister Solly Malatsi on July 2 and published by the communications regulator Icasa on Thursday. The plan replaces the 2021 edition and represents the main map of radio frequency spectrum usage in South Africa in the range from 8.3 kHz to 3 THz, updated every four years according to the results of the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) of the International Telecommunication Union.
A significant change is contained in the plan's distribution table and its national footnotes: the upper 6 GHz band, covering the range from 6.425 GHz to 7.125 GHz, is now designated for IMT—a term ISO uses to denote broadband mobile communication technologies such as 5G and future 6G. This band appears for the first time in the official list of IMT bands for South Africa, alongside working bands such as 1.8 GHz, 2.1 GHz, and 3.5 GHz, and is marked for TDD (time-division duplex) mode use for mobile devices according to WRC-23 Resolution 220.
Icasa stated that it intends to conduct a feasibility study and develop a radio frequency spectrum allocation plan—the regulatory stage before licensing and possibly auctioning this band, as well as creating a channel plan for the entire range from 6.425 GHz to 7.125 GHz.
This allocation is a clear victory for South African mobile operators, who, together with the industry body GSMA globally, actively advocated for reserving the upper 6 GHz band for licensed mobile use. They argued that this band is critical for the growth of 5G capacity and future 6G networks. It was also a defeat for the Wi-Fi industry and wireless internet service providers, who had pushed for opening this band for unlicensed use as an extension of already available spectrum for Wi-Fi.
Compensation for Wi-Fi is the lower 6 GHz band. The plan confirms that the range from 5.925 GHz to 6.425 GHz remains available for unlicensed Wi-Fi following Icasa's 2023 decision to open this band. This decision allowed the implementation of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 in South Africa. It is also noted that regulation of dynamic spectrum access in this band is under development, and a distribution plan for the lower band is planned.
According to a recent TechCentral report, actual Wi-Fi usage in the 6 GHz band in South Africa remains minimal, accounting for only 0.2% of Wi-Fi connections in the first quarter of 2026.
Through this division, South Africa has taken a position in the unresolved global dispute: the US has allocated the entire 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi, China has reserved it entirely for cellular communication, and the European Radio Spectrum Policy Group recommended last year giving the majority of the upper band to mobile operators, leaving a smaller portion for Wi-Fi pending WRC-27. South Africa's approach—lower band for Wi-Fi, upper for mobile—is closest to the European compromise.
Nevertheless, the upper 6 GHz band is not free. It is actively used for licensed microwave point-to-point links, including operator backbone lines, and partially for satellite uplink channels. Existing users must either adapt to the future mobile designation or migrate, which will be the subject of study within the promised feasibility study.
Despite the victory of mobile operators in the fight for the upper 6 GHz band, they have made no progress on the opposite end of the spectrum. The plan preserves the 470–694 MHz band, which includes 600 MHz frequencies targeted by some countries for mobile communication, and continues to allocate it for digital terrestrial television broadcasting. Furthermore, this band allows for secondary use, including TV white spaces and wireless microphones. Since this band is absent from the plan's IMT list, South African broadcasters retain their home spectrum below 700 MHz for at least the entire four-year duration of this plan.
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In Delhi, a new political group calling itself the E20 Janta Party has demanded that consumers be given the option to purchase 100% gasoline, inspired by the successful campaign of the Cockroach Janta Party. This previous campaign led to the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Minister of Education due to a leak of NEET examination materials.
The E20 Janta Party also called for the resignation of the Minister of Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, regarding this issue. The party stated that its goal is not to receive subsidies, free fuel, or abolish the use of ethanol-blended gasoline, but solely to ensure a choice for buyers.
The campaign has received support among transport workers. The Delhi Taxi and Tourist Operators Association and tour operators have announced a march to Parliament against E20 gasoline on August 4th. The association claims that the ethanol blending policy has reduced fuel efficiency, increased maintenance costs, and negatively affected engine performance, especially in older vehicles.
The E20 Janta Party group, which gained over 25,000 followers on X in a matter of hours on Sunday, insists that every citizen must have the freedom to choose and buy 100% gasoline alongside blended fuel options. Furthermore, they demand transparent fuel labeling so that consumers know exactly what they are purchasing, as well as the publication of data on the costs, benefits, and impact of different fuel blends, and the conducting of independent studies on fuel consumption, engine performance, emissions, and maintenance costs.
Although premium gasoline with zero ethanol content has long been available in the country, it is sold only at specific gas stations and costs 169 rupees per liter. This is significantly more expensive than standard E20 fuel, which costs 102.12 rupees per liter in Delhi. The government recently announced that E20 has become the standard fuel, and there are currently no plans to reduce the percentage of ethanol in the fuel.
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