The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has appointed AdNotes Digital as a white-label commercial partner for its spectrum switch technology.
In a joint statement, the organisations say radio frequency spectrum is a critical and scarce natural resource required for the roll out of the national wireless ICT infrastructure.
They note the efficient use of national spectrum resources plays an important role in bridging the digital divide for unserved and underserved communities.
This week, the CSIR and AdNotes Digital officially announced their spectrum switch partnership at the Open Access XII Pan-African edition, in Cape Town, with global industry decision-makers in attendance.
The new spectrum switch licensee, AdNotes Digital, will offer daily services based on the CSIR-developed Secondary Geolocation Spectrum Database to all network operators.
According to the organisations, spectrum switch tech enables the delivery of fast and affordable connectivity solutions by harnessing the television white spaces (TVWS) spectrum.
Furthermore, they say, it empowers mobile network operators and wireless internet service providers to deploy 4G/5G and beyond fixed wireless access networks by integrating with existing core networks.
The partnership will bring spectrum switch services closer to end-users, they note.
This initiative aligns with the CSIR’s mission to foster collaborative innovation and localise technology solutions that provide knowledge-driven support for the inclusive and sustainable progress of industry and society.
Nathi Mbele, executive director of AdNotes Digital, says: “As telecoms markets move towards deployment of 5G networks and beyond in the face of increasing demand for accessible and affordable data-hungry applications and services, the launch today is responding to the cry from telecoms operators of all sizes and sectors to unlock affordable fixed wireless access broadband services available through the TVWS spectrum.”
The spectrum switch technology simplifies rural coverage expansion and supports the efficient deployment of enterprise and private networks, enabling connectivity where it is most needed, says professor Luzango Mfupe, CSIR principal researcher and technical lead.
“The official unveiling will empower wireless network operators to reduce their total cost of ownership, ultimately benefiting society by lowering communication costs, which is key in achieving universal access for all citizens in line with the National Development Plan Vision 2030 and attaining the majority of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
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