Big licence fee hike could hit SA Radio Hams

On 16 March, the South African regulator ICASA published far-reaching proposals to the structure of licence fees.

The authority proposes that fees for an amateur radio licence be increased to R120 per annum. To reduce the administrative burden, fees from next year will be payable for a period of 5 or 10 years in advance.

In the case of an amateur radio licence, the fee will be charged for a minimum period of 5 years. Radio amateurs may also opt for a 10-year period.

As the authority will reduce their administrative costs, some of these savings will be shared with the licensee. If the change in fees is finally accepted a five-year amateur radio license will cost R500 and a ten-year licence R811.

The fees for beacons, change of callsign, guest and special event licences, listener licence, repeater stations including radio link, digipeater and bulletin board, and experimental station for weather reception and retransmission will all be increased to the new minimum fee of R120 per annum.

ICASA states in the document that although the spectrum fees are not intended to raise extra revenue for the national treasury, there is a general principle that the application and annual fees in total should at least cover the cost of spectrum management and monitoring.

ICASA has invited interested persons to submit written representation of their views on the draft revised fees by the end of April.

SARL to respond to licence fee increases

The South African Radio League