Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has issued Simba Telecom a Show Cause Notice over alleged unauthorised spectrum use and other regulatory concerns. The allegations include claims that the spectrum use was intentional and approved by senior management. Simba has until Nov 16 to respond; the notice is not a final finding of wrongdoing or a decision to revoke its licence.
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What IMDA alleges
The notice sets out six allegations, according to reporting on Tuas’s disclosure. The central claims concern two frequency bands and how they were used.
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- The 2,100 MHz band: Simba allegedly used dynamic spectrum sharing at about 133 sites intermittently in 2022 and 2023, allowing the band to carry both 4G and 5G traffic even though the company was authorised to use it for 5G only.
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- The 2,340–2,360 MHz band: Simba allegedly used this band without authorisation at about 92 sites intermittently between 2023 and 2026.
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- Intent and approval: IMDA alleges that both uses were deliberate and approved by senior management. This remains an allegation for Simba to answer, not a finding by the regulator.
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Other matters cited in reporting include the alleged deployment of 5G indoor wireless access network equipment at two sites before IMDA authorisation in November 2023, failure to fully comply with an order to produce documents, and concerns about the company’s governance and compliance culture.
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Why spectrum authorisation matters
Radio-frequency spectrum is used to carry wireless communications signals. IMDA allocates spectrum-use rights, and operators are expected to use frequencies within the bands and conditions they are authorised to use. Permission to use a band for one purpose does not, by itself, establish permission to use it for another.
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What the Show Cause Notice means
Tuas, Simba’s parent company, disclosed the notice in an Australian Securities Exchange filing on Oct 26. The notice was served on Oct 23, and Simba has until Nov 16 to respond to the allegations and explain why regulatory findings or sanctions should not follow.
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Possible consequences include a fine or suspension or cancellation of a licence. IMDA has not concluded the allegations or decided what action, if any, to take.
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How it connects to the M1 deal
The suspected unauthorised spectrum use first became public in May, while IMDA was reviewing Simba’s proposed acquisition of M1. The regulator suspended its assessment, and Tuas later scrapped the proposed S$1.43 billion transaction. The investigation contributed to the deal’s collapse, but the Show Cause Notice itself does not constitute a final decision on Simba’s alleged breaches.
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