WASHINGTON D.C.-The International Mobile Telecommunications Association announced the new South African Regulatory Authority anticipates public trunking operators will phase out analog trunking operations by 2008, the year current trunking licenses expire. For this purpose, the organization has assigned frequencies in the 413-417 MHz band to digital systems.
SATRA reports that currently three companies provide nationwide public trunking services on the 250 MHz band. This band will revert to mobile telephone use after 2008, at which time, SATRA reports, the operators will have migrated to digital systems.
SATRA has reported neither whether particular digital equipment will be required to be used on the new bands, nor which companies other than the current operators will be able to bid for them.
