Planning for 5G - Perspectives from ATU (“planning for 5G and not 5G planning”)

a presentation to First Commonwealth Spectrum Management Forum 2016 Hôtel Mont Fébé Yaoundé 2 – 4 November 2016

Kezias MWALE Radiocommunications Coordinator

k.mwale@atu-uat.org

www.atu-uat.org

Slide 1 of 12 November 2016

1. About ATU

2. Current spectrum outlook, 2016 (post WRC-15)

3. Medium term spectrum - 2020 to 2023 (post WRC-19)

4. Planning for 5G Relevant ATU structures Role of state members and associate members Schedule of meetings Technical studies

5. Summary

Slide 2 of 12 November 2016

1. Established in 1977 in Kinshasa – the DRC, as Pan-African Telecommunications Union (PATU) as a specialized agency of AOU for telecommunications. Re-named in 1999 as African Telecommunications Union (ATU) still as specialized agency of AU for telecommunications

2. Primary objective: ICT development in Africa

3. Has four permanent organs Plenipotentiaries Conference Administrative Council Technical and Development Conference General Secretariat – currently headquartered in Nairobi – Kenya

4. On Radiocommunications: African Preparatory Meeting for WRCs (APMs) and its associated preparatory working groups (WGs)

5. Currently has 46 Member States and 30 Associate Members. However, all African countries actively participate in ATU activities

6. Various formal partnerships: e.g. ITU, ITSO, ISOC, African Institute, etc…

Slide 3 of 12 November 2016

Slide 4 of 12

Mobile

Satellite Band (MHz) Bandwidth (MHz)

450 470 20

694 960 266

1,427 1,518 91

1,710 2,025 315

2,110 2,200 90

2,300 2,400 100

2,500 2,690 190

3,300 3,400 100

3,400 3,600 200

Total 1,372

Band Band (GHz) Bandwidth (GHz)

C-band 3.6 – 4.2 5.850 – 6.425 1.175

Ku-band

11.45 – 11.7 12.5

– 12.75 14 – 14.5 1

Ka-band

17.7 – 21.2 27.5 – 31 7

Q/V band

37.5 – 42.5

47.2 – 50.2 50.4 – 51.4 9

Total 18.175

“The 1372MHz is within the IMT spectrum requirement estimate of 1340-

1960 MHz by year 2020” (ITU-R Report M.2290 refers)

November 2016

Slide 5 of 12

Mobile (potential addition at WRC-19)

Satellite (potential addition at WRC-19)

Band (MHz) Bandwidth (MHz)

24.3 27.5 3,250

31.8 33.4 1,600

37 43.5 6,500

45.5 50.2 4,700

50.4 52.6 2,200

66 76 10,000

81 86 5,000

33,250 Balance brought

forward 1,372

Total ???, but certainly enough

Band name

Band (GHz) Bandwidth (GHz)

V band 51.4 52.4 1

Balance brought forward 19.175

Total

???, but certainly

enough and meeting the

>1GHz contiguous spectrum

requirement

“Via the ATU platform, Africa will ensure ample spectrum for 5G (and beyond). Already, preparations are

underway for WRC-19” November 2016

Slide 6 of 12

APM

WG1 WG2 WG3 WG4 WG5 WG6

November 2016

In the context of planning for 5G:

1. State members are expected to listen hard from the associate members and industry in general, but retain their right to the ‘final say’ (in WGs and APMs). This is because 5G promises to be a complex matter.

2. Associate members are expected to lead in the technical preparations and provide the much needed technical advice to WGs and APMs.

Slide 7 of 12

Associate members (and industry in general) is urged

to take full advantage of their lead role in the

technical preparations and provision of technical advice

November 2016

Slide 8 of 12

Scheduled meetings

Working Groups (WGs) African Prep Meetings (APMs)

1st meeting April 2017 July 2017 2nd meeting April 2018 July 2018 3rd meeting May 2019 August 2019 Caucus During WRC-19 During WRC-19

November 2016

1. WG2 (Mobile Broadband applications in the mobile service) is expected to lead in the undertaking technical studies on which to base its advice/recommendations to APMs as well as to feed into the ITU study group work;

2. A specialized training workshop on SEAMCAT Software has been planned in Q1 2017;

Slide 9 of 12 November 2016

1. The contiguous spectrum factor: Larger portions of contiguous spectrum portions mobile (>400MHz) and satellite (>1GHz) 5G systems crucial;

2. Allocation not bottleneck: Allocation of spectrum to meet 5G system requirements should NOT a problem;

3. Spectrum identification and other technicalities: this aspect remains in the hands of the private sector and should expedited and concluded as soon as possible in order to inform the much needed allocation decisions;

4. Key challenge: 5G specifications, spectrum requirements, spectrum identification and other technicalities is seen as the key (and primary challenge). Private sector to rise to this noble challenge and conclude their homework as soon as possible.

Slide 10 of

12 November 2016

1. Spectrum outlook for 5G (even when the dust is yet to settle) is bright;

2. Private sector holds the key to 5G spectrum as allocation is seen as a lesser and more straightforward matter;

3. Private sector to conclude 5G specifications and spectrum requirements as soon as possible in order to move to spectrum identification studies;

4. 5G specifications and spectrum requirements seen as the primary challenge;

5. Collaboration of state members and associate members is crucial;

6. ATU stands ready to play its part yet again for the enablement of 5G systems

7. Indeed “working together we can do more” RSA.

Slide 11 of 12 November 2016

thank you!

Slide 12 of 12

Kezias MWALE Radiocommunications Coordinator

k.mwale@atu-uat.org

www.atu-uat.org

November 2016