South Africa: National Radio Frequency Plan (NRFP) 2026
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) manages the National Radio Frequency Plan (NRFP), which is increasingly aligned with ITU Region 1 standards. The NRFP 2026, administered through the Electronic Frequency Information System (EFIS), governs the technical requirements for radio apparatus requiring type approval. While South Africa largely follows harmonized European (ETSI) standards, specific local variations exist regarding power limits and band usage for short-range devices.
WiFi and WAS/RLAN: Standard operations are supported in the 2.4 GHz (100 mW EIRP) and 5 GHz bands. For the 5 GHz range, 5150–5350 MHz is restricted to indoor use with a 200 mW limit, while 5470–5725 MHz allows up to 1 W EIRP subject to Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS). Significantly, ICASA has opened the lower 6 GHz band (5925–6425 MHz) for Low Power Indoor (LPI) and Very Low Power (VLP) RLAN applications.
Short-Range Devices (SRD) and RFID: The 863–870 MHz band is the primary allocation for SRDs, with RFID specifically authorized in the 865–868 MHz segment. While standard SRD power is often limited to 25 mW, certain RFID applications are permitted up to 2 W ERP. The 433 MHz band remains available but is subject to strict duty cycle constraints.
Mobile Communications (IMT): Cellular operations are centered on the 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2600 MHz, and 3500 MHz bands. These bands are strictly licensed for IMT-2020 (5G) and LTE services, requiring high-level coordination and adherence to specific emission masks to protect adjacent services.
Ultra-Wideband (UWB): UWB technology is permitted in the 3.1–10.6 GHz range, provided devices adhere to a maximum mean power spectral density of -41.3 dBm/MHz.
IoT and LPWAN: Technologies such as LoRaWAN and Sigfox typically operate within the 868 MHz ISM band, following ETSI-aligned frequency hopping and duty cycle requirements.
The NRFP 2026 replaces the previous NRFP 2021 and integrates all recent Government Gazettes regarding spectrum migration and radio frequency spectrum assignments. Manufacturers must ensure that devices are tested against the latest ICASA Official List of Regulated Standards to facilitate type approval. Equipment must operate on a non-interference and non-protection basis relative to primary licensed services.
