(Telecompaper) The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has issued a roadmap for freeing up more radio frequencies for mobile broadband. The IMT Roadmap for broadband seeks to ensure universal availability of broadband services, as well as a vibrant and competitive telecommunications industry and promote investments, the regulator said. The roadmap follows public consultations with relevant stakeholders in recent weeks and will see a number of current licensees migrated out of or within bands to free up spectrum. The focus is on opening up the 700 and 800 MHz bands for mobile services, as well as possibly the 450-470 band. At the same time, Icasa put out its draft Radio Frequency Spectrum Assignment Plan (RFSAP) for mobile broadband, which is open for consultation for two weeks. The draft RFSAP aims to specify the technical conditions on the use of the frequency bands and seeks stakeholder views on the rules for services operating in each band. The aim is for the new plan to take effect by July next year, although Icasa did not rule out issuing some frequencies before then.