telecom specrtum management

Radio Spectrum Management in Tanzania: Opportunities and Challenges

Radio Spectrum Management in Tanzania:

Opportunities and Challenges

Eng. Dennis Libena & Dr. Emmanuel Manasseh

Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority

January 13, 2015

Eng. Dennis Libena & Dr. Emmanuel Manasseh Tanzania Communications Regulatory AuthorityRadio Spectrum Management in Tanzania: Opportunities and ChallengesJanuary 13, 2015 1 / 35


Scope of Presentation

1 Introduction

2 Spectrum as a resource

3 Spectrum Management

4 Objectives of Spectrum Management

Spectrum Management Approach

5 Economic Valuation of Spectrum

6 Digital Migration

7 White Space spectrum

White Space spectrum applications

8 Opportunities and Challenges

9 Conclusion



Introduction

What is Radio Spectrum

The radio spectrum is that part of the electromagnetic spectrum

corresponding to radio frequencies (RF).

RF range → 3kHz to 300GHz

Electromagnetic waves in this frequency range → radio waves

The range of frequencies, which wireless devices can use to

transmit and receive information.



Introduction

Radio Spectrum

To manage access to spectrum, regulators allocate different

bands of frequencies for different uses and establish technical

rules → minimize harmful interference

Some bands of spectrum are licensed for specified purposes such

as military and public safety as well as commercial applications

such as radio, TV and broadband Internet.

unlicensed or license-exempt bands → for shared use

Common uses of unlicensed or license-exempt spectrum are

Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth devices


Radio Spectrum

Figure: Services Using Radio Spectrum


Introduction

Radio Spectrum

1 Interference is caused between radiocommunications systems

unless sufficient isolation from each other is provided: in

Frequency, Distance or Time domains

2 Radio spectrum is a finite resource

3 As the number of wireless devices and the traffic that flows over

them continues to grow, more efficient use of available spectrum is

needed to keep up with the demand

4 For physical/technical reasons, some parts of the spectrum have

greater demand, e.g. VHF/UHF bands due to better propagation

conditions


Radio Spectrum

Figure: Range of Radio Spectrum


Spectrum as a resource

Spectrum as an Economic Resource

Spectrum Land Oil Re-

serves

Water

Is the resource varied? Yes Yes Not very Not very

Is it scarce? Yes Yes Yes Yes

Can it be made more

productive?

Yes Yes Yes No

Is it renewable? Yes Partially No Yes

Can it be stored for

later use?

No No Yes Yes

Can it be exported? No No Yes Yes

Can it be traded? Yes Yes Yes Yes



Spectrum as a resource

What economics would tell us

1 Because frequencies differ in what they can do, there is an

optimization problem of matching them to particular uses

2 Spectrum can be in short supply in areas of high demand

3 Shortage of spectrum in particular bands can be addressed by

moving to less favored frequencies or making more efficient use of

spectrum (sharing, compression, MIMO)

4 Because spectrum is fully renewable and cannot be stored, there

is no reason to hoard it for later use

5 Spectrum demand is localized, it can only be used to provide

services in a given territory.



Spectrum Management

Spectrum Management (SM)

Spectrum management is the process of regulating the use of

radio frequencies to promote efficient use and gain a net social

benefit

Objective → to ensure the optimal use of the radio spectrum in

civic and economic terms and to ensure reasonable and fair

access to those who require it.



Spectrum Management

SM functions of TCRA

Developing spectrum management policy

Planning/allocation of spectrum

Frequency assignment and licensing

Spectrum control (enforcement and monitoring)

International cooperation

Administrative and legal support


Spectrum Management Activities

Figure: Range of Radio Spectrum


Spectrum Management

Spectrum Management

Individual countries manage the national use of the spectrum

reflecting these broad international commitments and extending

them to the retail level in more detail

TCRA Manages spectrum resource at the National level through

TCRA Act 2003.

The Electronic and Postal communications Act (EPOCA) The

Electronic and Postal communications (Radiocommunication)

Regulations govern the use of radio spectrum resource.


Spectrum Management Process

International

ITU Establishes

Allocations

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Objectives of Spectrum Management

Spectrum Management Goals

To avoid interference between radio systems

To meet international obligations (ITU RR)

To satisfy the demand for access to the radio spectrum by all kinds

of users

To ensure rational distribution of spectrum to support safety,

social, economic, security and defense requirements, according to

national policies

To protect existing services, while enabling the introduction of new

services and technologies





Spectrum management models

1 Administrative → Command and Control

Specify detailed rules and constraints affecting how, where andwhen spectrum can be used and who has access to spectrum.

Emphasis on the technical management of radio spectrumInvolves allocation and assignment stage

2 Property rights

Auctions, secondary trading, administrative incentive pricing, etc.

Allow spectrum rights to be bought and sold in the lifetime of alicense

Allow a change of use of the relevant spectrum

3 Commons

License-exempt or unlicensed spectrum





Auctions

Advantages1 Transparent and economically efficient

Disadvantages1 May lead to higher prices

2 Auction design can be complex

3 Temptation to use auctions to generate revenue

Alternatives to auctions include administrative licensing, such as the

comparative hearings conducted historically → beauty contests





Market Mechanisms

1 Bilateral negotiation: The seller and (prospective) buyer directly

negotiate the terms of the sale and are not subject to any

particular constraints set by the regulator;

2 Auctions: Once a type of auction has been chosen and the rules

have been decided by primarily the seller, prospective buyers have

the opportunity to acquire the spectrum usage rights by bidding in

the auction;

3 Brokerage: Buyers and sellers employ a broker to negotiate, with

their consent, the contractual terms under which the transfer of

usage rights can take place;

These mechanisms are most likely to be used in combination.





Requirement for adopting Market based Mechanism

1 When the demand for the spectrum in any band is less than its

availability, → assignment of spectrum needs to be done over the

counter on an administratively determined price.

2 When the demand for a spectrum in band outstrips its availability

→ the market based approach is best suited for ensuring the

optimal use of the spectrum.

3 Whoever can put together the best price (for the given band) will

clearly win.



Economic Valuation of Spectrum

How should one value spectrum?

How much is it worth?

One can establish the value of a discrete block of spectrum byputting it up for sale and seeing how much anyone is willing to payto use it.

Current use values → the economic value generated by

applications which are major users of spectrum

Social values

Final use → Saving life

Satisfaction → News, Entertainment, Education, etc.

Direct and Indirect values → What value would be obtained if the

spectrum were not available



Economic Valuation of Spectrum

Opportunity in Spectrum Value

Assessment of the spectrum value

Opportunity → To investigate the use of well-being valuation (WV)techniques.

WV techniques are based on an estimate of the impacts of differentspectrum uses, income, and a vector of other factors on lifesatisfaction.

Opportunity → Develop a consistent methodology for assessing thefull value of spectrum to the country.



Digital Migration

Digital Migration

Digital Migration, also called the digital switchover or analogue

switch-off, is the process in which analog TV broadcasting is

replaced by digital TV.

Digital TV can support more than one program in the same

channel bandwidth

Digital transmissions can be packed into adjacent channels, while

analog ones cannot



Digital Migration

Digital Migration

Has the potential for resolutions and sound fidelity far higher than

those of analogue broadcasts.

The band can be “compressed" into fewer channels, while still

allowing for more transmissions.

It is the most significant advancement of television technology

since color TV was introduced

Opportunity → Digital transmission can easily integrate other digital

services



White Space spectrum



White spaces refer to frequencies allocated to a broadcasting

service but not used locally.

The White Spaces Coalition, have advocated using white spaces

left by the termination of analog TV to provide wireless broadband

Internet access.

TV White Space frequencies occupy the ranges traditionally used

by Analogue TV in the UHF range.

In the United States, this is 698 - 806 MHz and in the UK it is 470 -

790 MHz.

In Tanzania, it is 694 - 862 MHz






The technology is predicted to improve the availability of

broadband Internet and Wi-Fi in rural areas.

White Space devices are expected to have a range of miles

instead of feet (in comparison to WiFi) → Filling Wi-Fi coverage

gaps

White spaces will enable to span the University Campus





White Space Devices (WSDs)

Any device that intends to use White Space channels for

communication is deemed to be a White Space Device (WSD).

They are expected to travel through physical obstacles like walls,

trees etc., just like conventional broadcast signals.

Are expected to deliver network speeds comparable to current 3G

and 4G technology.

WSDs will be cognitive radio devices.


White Space Spectrum

Figure: TV White Spectrum

White Space Spectrum

Figure: TVWS → Broadband Internet in Rural areas




Cognitive Radio

In wireless communication, cognitive radio is a transceiver that

can intelligently detect what communication channels are in use

and what are not.

It can then instantly move into vacant channels and avoid

occupied ones.

This optimizes the use of available radio frequency spectrum while

minimizing interference to other users.

All mobile devices are cognitive to some extent

A cellular handset will select one of many frequency bands and

standards or use Wi-Fi depending on the networks it finds.





Innovation

White Space networks “democratize" wireless networks.

Anyone can deploy a network without the need of a nationwide

contract.

This makes a big impact in the deployment of innovative

applications especially where traditional networks do not extend

easily.

White Space networks have potential to unleash innovation by

creating a new class of applications based on deploying networks

in areas where traditional networks cannot be easily deployed

(rural deployments, M2M, etc)


Cognitive Radio

With White Space radios, cognitive technologies are an integral

part of the operation due to the need to dynamically sense and

select the frequency.

The concept of this cognitive radio system also includes the ability

to conform to spectrum etiquette.

Radio varies its transmitted power output level if it detects that

interference is being caused to other legitimate users, or if local

spectrum regulations that may be in service dictate a maximum

output power level.



What infrastructure would the technology require?

The one essential infrastructure piece needed to deploy a TV

White Spaces network is a database.

The database lets devices in the area know which spectrum is

available for access in that location.

Users will be able to purchase, install and operate their own

networks.

Companies like Microsoft, Google, Dell, HP, Intel, Philips,

Earthlink, and Samsung Electro-Mechanics are involved in

developing the White Space ecosystem.




Challenges

The need to avoid interference with existing services like

broadcast.

The challenge is not only to find empty frequencies but also a

database

Could the principles of cognitive radio be adopted into the wider

telecoms spectrum management?

Will White Space technology and Cognitive radios cause a change

in better management of Spectrum?



Conclusion

Conclusion

Effective use of spectrum can make a big difference to a country’s

prosperity, especially where communications are heavily reliant

upon wireless technologies such as mobile phones.

Spectrum Management remains the crucial factor in wise and

efficient utilization of radio spectrum resource. Spectrum scarcity

whether it is real or artificial can have an adverse impact upon

prosperity.

A wise combination of administrative and market-based

mechanisms is required to address challenges of radio spectrum


telecom specrtum management

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