LCA tightens grip on communications sector

Issues new two-way radio rules and airtime ban for minors

MPOLOKENG THABANE

MASERU – In a sweeping regulatory crackdown, the Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) has unveiled stringent new measures targeting both businesses and individual consumers, signalling a decisive shift toward tighter oversight of the nation’s rapidly evolving communications landscape.

The authority has warned enterprises against the misuse of two-way radios while simultaneously banning airtime advance services for minors, moves that align Lesotho with international best practices in spectrum management and consumer protection.

The measures, announced during a media briefing in Maseru this Wednesday, represent the most significant regulatory intervention by the authority in recent years.

Acting Chief Executive Officer, Molupe Molupe, and Chief Compliance and Legal Officer, Thato Poonya, outlined a dual-pronged approach aimed at restoring discipline across the sector while safeguarding vulnerable consumers from financial exploitation.

The LCA has expressed growing concern over the proliferation of licence-exempt two-way radios across various industries, warning that improper use threatens the integrity of critical communication systems.

These devices, widely known locally as ‘li-rojaroja’, have become indispensable tools for sectors including security, construction, transport, and agriculture.

However, their increasing prevalence has raised alarm over frequency interference and regulatory non-compliance.

“These devices are critical for sectors such as security, construction and transport, but they must be used within the rules,” Molupe said during the briefing.

“Licence-exempt does not mean unregulated.”

Under the new directives, all two-way radio equipment must be registered with the authority and approved before use. The devices operate within designated frequency bands, including Very High Frequency (VHF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF), and users must ensure their operations do not interfere with licensed communication services.

The authority has warned that any interference could lead to immediate suspension of operations, with offenders facing penalties ranging from fines to confiscation of equipment.

Molupe also cautioned against modifying radio devices, particularly in ways that increase transmission power.

“Such practices could compromise critical communication networks,” he warned, noting that unauthorized modifications often cause cascading interference affecting emergency services, aviation communications, and commercial broadcasters.

The LCA’s move reflects a broader effort to harmonize Lesotho’s spectrum management practices with regional and international guidelines. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has established comprehensive protocols for radio communications, emphasizing transmission security and interference prevention.

SADC guidelines stress the importance of using minimum transmitter power consistent with reliable communications, selecting frequencies that enable reduced power usage, and maintaining strict circuit discipline to prevent interference.

These regional protocols align with international standards set by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies. The ITU’s Radio Regulations establish a global framework for spectrum management, requiring member states to ensure that all radio equipment operates within designated parameters to prevent harmful interference across borders.

For private individuals and businesses using two-way radios for security purposes, international best practices emphasize several key principles. Users must employ only type-approved equipment that meets technical standards, operate strictly within assigned frequencies, and refrain from any modifications that could alter transmission characteristics.

Security sector operators, in particular, are expected to implement transmission security measures including the use of authentication protocols and the avoidance of predictable transmission patterns that could be exploited by malicious actors.

The SADC framework also recommends the use of encrypted communications for sensitive security operations and advises against unnecessary transmissions that could reveal operational patterns. These protocols are particularly relevant in Lesotho, where private security companies, construction firms, and transport operators increasingly rely on two-way radio networks for daily operations.

In a parallel regulatory push, the LCA has confirmed that mobile network operators will cease providing airtime advance services to individuals under the age of 18, effective April 1. The restriction, announced by Poonya, will be enforced through Lesotho’s enhanced SIM registration system, which links user identity with airtime credit services.

“From April 1, mobile network operators will stop providing airtime advance to individuals under the age of 18,” Poonya said, adding that the move is aimed at curbing irresponsible usage and protecting young users from accumulating debt through borrowed airtime.

The ban represents a significant shift in mobile service regulation, closing a loophole that allowed minors to access credit-based airtime services without legal capacity to enter into binding agreements. Mobile operators, including Vodacom Lesotho and Econet Telecom Lesotho, have confirmed that minors who have already accessed airtime advance will still be required to repay outstanding balances.

Reminder messages will continue to be sent to ensure that all debts are settled.

The LCA’s action aligns Lesotho with evolving international standards regarding financial services for minors. Across the African continent, regulators are increasingly scrutinizing credit-based telecommunications services, recognizing that airtime advances function effectively as microloans with significant implications for young consumers.

The SADC has been developing harmonized guidelines on consumer protection in digital financial services, with emphasis on safeguarding vulnerable populations including minors. Several SADC member states have implemented or are considering similar restrictions, recognizing that mobile credit services can expose young users to debt cycles that may affect their financial well-being and credit histories.

Internationally, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has established principles for financial consumer protection that emphasize the need for age-appropriate access to credit products. These principles recommend that service providers implement robust age-verification mechanisms and restrict credit offerings to individuals with legal capacity to contract.

The United Nations Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children and the Convention on the Rights of the Child also inform regulatory approaches to child protection in commercial contexts. These international instruments emphasize that children’s economic exploitation must be prevented, and their best interests must be a primary consideration in all matters affecting them.

The LCA’s implementation of the ban through the SIM registration system, which verifies users’ age against national identification documents, reflects international best practices in age-verification technology. Similar systems have been deployed in countries including Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa to restrict minors’ access to gambling services, adult content, and credit-based products.

The new measures are grounded in Lesotho Communications Act of 2012, which establishes the LCA’s mandate to regulate the communications sector, grant licences, manage the radio frequency spectrum, and protect consumers. The Act grants the authority powers to conduct investigations, issue enforcement orders, and impose penalties on non-compliant operators.

The Children’s Protection and Welfare Act provides additional legal foundation for protecting minors from financial exploitation, recognizing that children require special safeguards in commercial transactions. The ban on airtime advances for minors directly addresses concerns about young people’s exposure to debt-related risks, which the LCA’s consumer protection investigations identified as a growing problem.

These investigations, conducted 2022 late last year, uncovered widespread practices that left minors vulnerable to financial harm. The LCA found that some operators had restricted airtime usage for certain customer categories without providing the legally required notice period, constituting unfair market practices under the 2022 Consumer Protection Guidelines and 2016 Administrative Rules.

In a further regulatory push, the authority urged postal and courier companies to register their businesses, warning that failure to comply undermines oversight within the communications sector. Officials said the move is aimed at strengthening regulation across all communication-related services and ensuring that operators function within the law.

The registration requirement applies to all entities providing postal and courier services, including international logistics companies operating in Lesotho. The LCA emphasized that unregistered operators circumvent consumer protection mechanisms and may compromise the security of shipments, particularly those containing sensitive documents or valuable goods.
Mobile network operators have expressed support for the new regulations while acknowledging the logistical challenges of implementation. Vodacom Lesotho and Econet Telecom Lesotho have confirmed their commitment to complying with the ban, with technical teams working to modify their billing systems to enforce age verification before extending airtime credit.

The operators have emphasized that while new advances will be prohibited for minors, existing debts must be settled. Parents and guardians have been urged to assist minors in clearing these remaining balances promptly to avoid service disruptions.

Speaking to this publication, Econet Telecom Lesotho’s Products and Services General Manager, Ketja Nhlapo, said the move to ban airtime credit for minors is the exclusive right of the LCA – which they support and have since published on their socials.

For the two-way radio sector, the LCA has indicated that a transitional period will allow businesses and individuals to register existing equipment and ensure compliance with technical standards. The authority has committed to providing guidance to users on the registration process and on maintaining compliance with operating conditions.

The regulatory crackdown comes as reliance on communication technologies continues to grow across industries, increasing the need for stricter controls and accountability. The LCA’s actions reflect a recognition that the communications sector’s rapid evolution requires regulatory frameworks that can adapt to emerging challenges.

The authority has positioned these measures as necessary to protect communication systems, improve service delivery, and ensure that both businesses and individuals use technology responsibly. The focus on spectrum management addresses concerns about the sustainability of Lesotho’s finite radio frequency resources, while the consumer protection measures respond to documented harms affecting vulnerable populations.

The LCA’s annual report for 2023/24 highlighted the authority’s commitment to regulatory transformation, emphasizing innovation, collaboration, adaptability, and transparency as core values. The report noted that Lesotho had 786 base tower stations, with 124 funded by the Universal Service Fund, demonstrating the sector’s growth and the increasing importance of effective regulation.

As the country’s communications landscape continues to expand, the LCA’s latest measures represent a significant step toward establishing clearer boundaries for both commercial operators and individual users. The ban on airtime advances for minors draws on international child protection standards and regional best practices, while the two-way radio regulations align with SADC and ITU spectrum management protocols.

For businesses operating in security, construction, and transport sectors, the message is clear: licence-exempt does not mean unregulated, and compliance is mandatory. For parents and guardians, the new rules on airtime advances offer reassurance that steps are being taken to protect young people from financial harm.

The LCA has emphasized that these measures are not intended to stifle innovation or limit access to communication services, but rather to ensure that growth occurs within a framework of accountability and consumer protection. As Molupe noted during the briefing, the goal is to balance the benefits of expanding communication technologies with the need to maintain the integrity of the systems on which all users depend.

The authority has signalled that further regulatory actions may follow, as it continues its mandate to promote fair competition, protect consumers, and ensure that communication services are accessible, affordable, and of good quality for all citizens of Lesotho.

With the April 1 implementation date approaching, mobile operators and radio users alike are now on notice that the era of relaxed oversight has ended.