Two-way radio licensing in Africa: do you need a licence?

The short answer

For most professional two-way radio, yes: if your system uses a licensed radio frequency, you need authorisation from the national regulator before you transmit. The main exception is push-to-talk over cellular (PoC), which runs on a mobile operator's already-licensed network and so needs no spectrum licence of its own. Between those two points sit some details that vary by country, which is what the country guides below are for.

Why radio spectrum is licensed

Radio spectrum is a shared, finite resource. If any two organisations transmitted on the same frequency in the same area, they would interfere with each other, so every country appoints a regulator to assign frequencies and keep the airwaves orderly. Using a licensed frequency without authorisation is an offence in most jurisdictions, and can lead to fines or confiscation of equipment. A licence is, in effect, your legal right to use a specific slice of spectrum in a specific place.

What a licence typically involves

The specifics differ by country, but the shape is usually similar:

• An application to the national regulator, identifying your organisation, location, and the equipment you intend to use
• Assignment of one or more frequencies for your use, sometimes after a technical or coordination check
• A fee, and a validity period after which the licence must be renewed
• A requirement, in many countries, that the equipment itself is type-approved for use on that network

Your matched reseller handles this routinely and will guide you through the local process, since they deploy on these frequencies every day. The country guides below set out what to expect before you speak to anyone.