In a landmark moment for South African innovation, AdNotes was awarded the prestigious SMME Award at GovTech 2025 (held from 8 to 10 September 2025); a victory made possible through its strategic use of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-developed Secondary Geolocation Spectrum Database (S-GLSD) technology.
Pioneered by the CSIR, the S-GLSD, also known as Spectrum Switch, is a groundbreaking platform that unlocks the potential of Television White Spaces (TVWS) to deliver affordable, high-speed internet to underserved communities. By licensing and operationalising this national asset, AdNotes demonstrated how homegrown technology and agile entrepreneurship can converge to drive digital inclusion and transform public service delivery.
Among many innovations on display, the SMME Award spotlights smaller enterprises whose technological solutions deliver real public-sector impact. That AdNotes took home this award underscores its elevated role in the national digital ecosystem.
A key dimension to AdNotes’ strength lies in its role as a licensee of the CSIR-developed S-GLSD/Spectrum Switch technology, which is a critical engine enabling efficient use of TVWS spectrum.
Dr Moshe Masonta, Chief research technologist and research group leader exclaimed, “It is great to see one of our SMME partners and TVWS champion making big waves in their use of our developed technologies towards improving the lives of the people and contributing towards closing the digital divide gap. We congratulate AdNotes for winning this SMME Award and look forward to their greater success in their quest to connect the unconnected”, he says.
Winning the SMME Award is more than a trophy; it validates that an agile, local enterprise can compete with large incumbent firms in delivering public-sector technology. Moreover, it is a gateway to partnerships.
Recognition at GovTech brings visibility within government and encourages collaboration, procurement and scaling. It signals that small and medium players, especially those focused on connectivity in underserved areas, deserve a seat at the table in national infrastructure strategies.
AdNotes seized the moment, pitching its Spectrum Switch–powered solutions (leveraging TVWS and 4G/5G integration) and won judges over by how it can bring connectivity to hard-to-reach communities.
The CSIR developed the SGLSD to manage unused or underutilised frequency spectrum, especially in TV bands, enabling dynamic access in localities where it is safe and permissible to do so.
Through geolocation, regulatory constraints and coordination, it permits secondary users (like wireless ISPs) to leverage TVWS spectrum that is unused locally by broadcasters for broadband connectivity.
This opens up connectivity possibilities, especially in rural or underserved zones, at a lower cost than deploying fibre everywhere.
In early 2023, the CSIR transitioned the daily operation of the SGLSD/Spectrum Switch service to AdNotes as a white-label licensee, which operates the system for registration, device coordination, etc., under the technology basis of the CSIR.
This move ensures continuity of service but also localises the operational responsibility in a commercial entity capable of scaling. As AdNotes describes it, this arrangement allows operators of all sizes to tap into Spectrum Switch services to deploy TVWS-enabled networks, integrate with 4G/5G, and deliver broadband more cost-effectively to marginalised areas.
Thus, AdNotes is not merely a user of TVWS technology; it is part of the infrastructure that enables the wider ecosystem to use it responsibly and efficiently. It has built a track record of using TVWS and hybrid wireless to reach communities that might otherwise remain offline:
It holds full licensing from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa and certification from relevant bodies (e.g. Film and Publication Board) to deliver internet services. Its Spectrum Switch/GLSD capabilities can manage radio spectrum dynamically, facilitating deployment of broadband over TVWS bands in rural and underserved areas, reducing infrastructure cost compared to fibre in remote terrain.
AdNotes has participated in multiple connectivity initiatives: expanding community Wi-Fi, partnering with local ISPs, working with municipalities and schools, and leveraging hybrid networks with 4G/5G where available.
Their technological approach promises to close the “digital divide,” especially in regions where commercial returns are thin but social need is high. Winning the SMME Award helps put a spotlight on these efforts and validates the model.
AdNotes’ award is a testament to the value of public-private collaboration in accelerating digital inclusion. This win reflects the power of translating research into real-world impact, reaffirming its commitment to enabling innovation through open technology platforms like the S-GLSD. As South Africa continues to pursue a smarter, more connected society, AdNotes’ success stands as a blueprint for how government-backed innovation, when placed in capable hands, can empower SMMEs to lead the charge in bridging the digital divide one rural connection at a time, leaving no one behind!