Independent Communications Authority of South Africa to announce
second-phase Under-Serviced Area Licences, 14 Aug

11 August 2006

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) hereby
invites the media, stakeholders and the public to a press conference to
announce the successful applicants of the second phase of the Under-Serviced
Area Licences (USAL) on 11 January 2005. The Minister of Communications Dr Ivy
Matsepe-Casaburri announced and issued the second Invitation to Apply (ITA) for
the USALs in 14 municipal districts. After receipt of the interested bids,
ICASA conducted public hearings from November 2005 – January 2006 in the
following district municipalities:

Limpopo
* Bohlabela
* Vhembe

KwaZulu-Natal
* Umkhanyakude
* King Shaka

Eastern Cape
* Chris Hani
* Ukwahlamba

Free State
* Northern Free State
* Thabo Mofutsanyana

Gauteng
* Metsweding
* Westrand

Mpumalanga
* Nkangala
* Eastvaal

North West
* Bophirima
* Bojanala Platinum

ICASA will announce the list of successful applicants for the above
-mentioned district municipalities at the Press Conference to be held on:
Date: Monday, 14 August 2006
Time: 14h00
Venue: Block C Presentation Room, Pinmill Farm, 164 Katherine Street,
Sandton.

Background to the USAL Telecoms Licence Category

USALs belong to a new category of licences that were introduced through the
Amendment of Telecommunications Act 103 of 1996. USALs are Telecommunications
licensees that provide telecommunication service in areas with a tele-density
of less than 5%. USAL licences are earmarked for small and emerging
entrepreneurs to enter the burgeoning and lucrative telecommunications
market.

Licensees in this category could provide telecommunications services,
including Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), fixed mobile services, public
pay telephones and long distance calls to be transported through the trunk
networks of any operators licensed to carry international traffic.

The Minister of Communications declared 27 areas under-serviced in December
2001.

In the first phase of licensing the following seven companies were awarded
licences to provide service in those under-serviced areas, namely:

1. Bokone Telecomms (Pty) Ltd – Capricorn District – Limpopo province
2. Kingdom Communications (Pty) Ltd – Zululand District – KwaZulu-Natal
province
3. Thinta Thinta Telecommunications (Pty) Ltd – Ugu District – KwaZulu-Natal
province
4. Ilizwi Telecommunications (Pty) Ltd- OR Tambo District – Eastern Cape
province
5. Karabotel (Pty) Ltd – Central District – North West province
6. Bokamoso Consortium (Pty) Ltd – Lejweleputswa District – Free State
province
7. Amatole Telecommunications (Pty) Ltd – Amatole District – Eastern Cape

Media enquiries to be directed to:
Jubie Matlou
Tel: (011) 321 8230

Josias Mathiba
Tel: (011) 321 8335
Issued by: Independent Communications Authority of South Africa
11 August 2006
Source: Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (http://www.icasa.org.za)