Malawi

The Malawi Communications Act 1998 later revised to Communications Act 2016 and the E-Transactions Act 2016, provide the framework for regulating the communications sector in Malawi. The Act was enacted to strengthen the Postal and Telecommunications and to provide for the regulation of the provision of services in the electronic communications sector, posts, information society; for the establishment of the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority, the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation and the Malawi Posts Corporation; and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) was established pursuant to Section 3 of the Communications Act, 1998 of the Laws of Malawi to regulate the country’s communications sector. MACRA now draws its mandate from the Communications Act of 2016 to regulate and monitor the provision of communications services and ensure that, as far as it is practicable, reliable and affordable communications services are provided throughout Malawi.

Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority Strategic Plan is envisaged for implementation between 2015-2020 in fulfillment of MACRA’s mandate to facilitate the development of the ICT sector through efficient and effective regulation and research.

The legal frameworks are supported by the following Policy; Malawi ICT Policy 2013 National Access to Information Policy The Malawi Digital Broadcasting Policy Doha 2012-13 Postal Strategy

National Policy

Operator Licensing

Technical and Administrative Requirements

Licensing Fees

Access to Spectrum

Technical and Administrative Requirements

Licensed

Access Networks

Operator	800MHz	900MHz	1800MHz	2100MHz	2600MHz	3500MHz
XYZcom	None	2×10	2×15	2×10	None	None

PtP Networks

License-Exempt

Access Networks

Frequency	Power Limit	Transmit Power
2.4GHz
2400 – 2483.5 MHz	2.4EIRP
5GHz
5150-5250 MHz	5.1EIRP
5250-5350 MHz	5.2EIRP
5470-5725 MHz	5.4EIRP
5725-5800 MHz	5.8EIRP

PtP Networks

Frequency	Power Limit	Transmit Power
2.4GHz
2400 – 2483.5 MHz	2.4EIRP
5GHz
5150-5250 MHz	5.1EIRP
5250-5350 MHz	5.2EIRP
5470-5725 MHz	5.4EIRP
5725-5800 MHz	5.8EIRP

Secondary Use

Access Networks

PtP Networks

Spectrum Fees / Costs

Application

Annual

Auction

Backhaul

Gender

Universal Service

Cooperatives

Resources / References

Coding examples

This could be used to frame specific questions that should be asked

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