Telecommunication Standards, Policy & Strategies

Society’s increasing use of radio-based technologies, and the
tremendous opportunities for social development that these
technologies provide, highlight the importance of radio-frequency
spectrum and national spectrum management processes

1. Spectrum Policy…1
Telecommunication Standards, Policy &
Strategies
Lecture 5
Week 5

2. Introduction
•Society’sincreasinguseofradio-basedtechnologies,andthe
tremendousopportunitiesforsocialdevelopmentthatthese
technologiesprovide,highlighttheimportanceofradio-frequency
spectrumandnationalspectrummanagementprocesses.
•Technologicalprogresshascontinuallyopeneddoorstoavarietyof
newspectrumapplicationsthathavespurredgreaterinterestin,and
demandfor,thelimitedspectrumresource.
•Increaseddemandrequiresthatspectrumbeusedefficientlyand
thateffectivespectrummanagementprocessesbeimplemented.
•Inthisframework,moderndatahandlingcapabilitiesand
engineeringanalysisareimportanttoaccommodatethevarietyof
potentialusersseekingaccesstothespectrum.

3. Significance
•Radiocommunicationsisheavilyusedinagrowingnumberofservices1
suchasnationaldefense,publicsafety,broadcasting,businessand
industrialcommunications,aeronauticaland maritime
radiocommunications,navigation,andpersonalcommunications.
•Radiocommunicationlinks,asopposedtowirelesstelecommunications,
arenecessaryinadynamicormobileenvironment,wherewireline
telecommunicationmaynotbeavailable,orwheretelecommunications
havebeendisrupted,suchasinemergencyornaturaldisastersituations.
•Radiocommunicationsystemsmayoperatefromsatellitesorfrom
terrestrialplatforms.
•Ifthespectrumistobeusedefficiently,itsusemustbecoordinatedand
regulatedthroughbothnationalregulationsandtheRadioRegulationsof
theInternationalTelecommunicationUnion(ITU).
•Theabilityofeachcountrytotakefulladvantageofthespectrum
resourcedependsheavilyonspectrummanagementactivitiesthat
facilitatetheimplementationofradiosystemsandensureminimum
interference

5. Spectrum
Management Policies
•Licensing and authorizations
•Spectrum user rights
•Revenues and fees
•Spectrum planning and the technical standards

6. SpectrumPolicy Principles
•AllocateSpectrumtotheHighestValueUsesorUsers
(canbeeconomic,social)
•EnableandEncourageSpectrumtoMovetoitsHighest
ValueUse
•UsetheLeastCostandLeastRestrictiveApproachto
AchievingPolicyObjectives
•PromotebothCertaintyandFlexibility
•ManagingofInterferencesbylookingforalarger
SpectrumUtilization
•SpectrumAllocationandAssignmentshouldbe
transparent

7. Objectives for Spectrum
Management (1)
•Planningforfutureneedsandmanagementandmonitoringthe
utilizationofthespectrumresourceinaccordancewithlegislativeand
publicpolicyobjectivesandinternationalagreements;
•Ensuringspectrumavailabilityforvitalpublicservicessuchassafetyand
securityservices.
•Improvingtheefficientandoptimaluseofthespectrumresource
throughadoptionofadvancedspectrumallocation,management
techniquesandlicensingprocessesbasedonoperationalrequirements
andtechnicalandeconomicviability;
•Maintaininganddevelopingeffectivecompetitionbypreventingex
ante,orremedyingexpost,excessiveaccumulationofradiofrequencies
bycertaineconomicoperatorswhichresultsinsignificantharmto
competition;
•Ensuringflexibilityandadaptabilityandeaseofaccesstothespectrum
resourceinresponsetotechnologicaladvances,andeconomic,social
andmarketfactors.

8. Objectives for Spectrum
Management (2)
•Protectingnationalinterestswhilestrivingforglobal
harmonizationofspectrumalongwithcoordinated
spectrumpoliciesandutilizationworkingwithregional
andinternationalorganizationsandincompliancewith
treatyobligations,includingthoseoftheITU.
•Promotinginnovation,researchanddevelopmentinnew
radiocommunicationtechniquesandspectrum-based
servicesandapplications
•Coordinatingandestablishingwell-balancednational
spectrumandradiocommunicationpoliciesandplansby
widelyconsultingwithallinterestedpartiesandthe
generalpublic.

9. Requirement of Spectrum Policy
•Inordertomeetobjectives,thespectrummanagementsystemmustprovidean
orderlymethodforallocatingandassigningfrequencybands,authorizingand
recordingfrequencyassignmentsandestablishingregulationsandstandards.
•Apolicystatementorregulationcanspecifytechnicalfactors,establishlicensing
criteria,andsetprioritiesthatwillbeusedtodeterminewhowillbeauthorizedto
accessafrequencyband,andforwhatpurposeitwillbeused.
•Thegovernmentmaydelegatetothespectrummanagementorganizationthe
authoritytoestablishspectrumpolicyandregulations.
•Anationallong-rangespectrumplanshouldprovideaprojectionforfuturespectrum
usebasedontheanalysisoflong-rangenationalrequirements,theevolutionof
technologyandspectrummanagementcapabilities.
•Anationalallocationtableisakeyelementofsuchaplan,providingaframeworkfor
userstosettheirowngoals.
•Theplanshouldalsospecifythestepsthatthespectrummanagementorganization
shouldtaketoaccommodatefuturerequirements.

10. Spectrum Policy Elements
•Spectrummanagementpolicydocumentsarethebasisonwhichspectrum
managerswilltakedecisionsconcerningwhichusesoftheradiospectrum
topermit,whichusesandusersoftheradiospectrumtogivepriorityto
overothersand,veryimportantly,whatmechanismswillbeusedin
chargingforaccesstoradiospectrum.
•Thecoreobjectiveistocreateapredictableenvironmentforcurrentand
futureuseoftheradiospectrum,andtoenablespectrumtobeusedina
mannerwhichwillbringthegreatestbenefitstosociety.Thiscanbe
achievedthroughpolicyelementswhich:
•Encourageefficientspectrumuse;
•Equitableandaffordableaccess
•Encouragetheintroductionofmorespectrallyefficienttechnologies;
•Supportthedevelopmentofruralcommunications;
•Supportthespectrumneedsoftheemergencyandsecurityservices;
and
•Encouragetechnologicalinnovationandcompetitiveness.

11. Developing Spectrum Policy
•Developingspectrumpoliciesrequiresanalysisofanumberofkey
factors,notably:
•Thegovernment’spoliciestowardsthedifferentserviceswhich
requireaccesstoradiospectrum,
•Currentspectrumpolicyandrelevantanalysis,
•ExistingrelevantRegulationsandrestrictions,
•Thefuturedemandforspectrumfromthevariouspotentialusers
includingcivilandnon-civilusers,
•Availabilityofradiospectrumovertimeespeciallybelow1GHz
(e.g.bydigitaldividend)
•Internationalandregionalagreements,
•Economicalsituationandpeoplewealth.
•Policymakersmustalsounderstandandtakeintoaccounttheviewsof
manydisparate(andoftenconflicting)usersand,whereappropriatein
conjunctionwithinternationalbestpractice.

12. Spectrum Policy-
International Aspect
•ITUactivitiesanddecisionshaveasignificantimpacton
thenationalspectrummanagementenvironment.
•Frequencycoordination,notificationandregistrationare
essentialtasksforadministrationsandtheir
radiocommunicationservicestoobtaininternational
protection.
•Thisactivitymaybeperformedbycorrespondencewith
theITUandotheradministrations,orinthecaseof
satellitecoordination,inbilateralormultilateral
negotiations.

13. World Radiocommunication
Conference
•World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs) establish and revise the texts of the Radio
Regulations, international treaty, covering the use of the radio frequency spectrum by
radiocommunication services. Following its agenda, the WRCs may:
•revise the Radio Regulations and any associated Frequency Assignment/Allotment Plans, as
appropriate;
•address any radiocommunication matter of worldwide or ITU regional character;
•instruct the Radio Regulations Board and review their activities; and
•determine the areas of study by the Radiocommunication Study Groups in preparation for
future Radiocommunication Conferences.
•WRCs are normally convened every four years. The agenda is set by the Council on the basis ofthe
draft agenda as agreed by the previous WRC.
•Changes in international frequency allocations may have a major impact on the operation of existing
national services.
•Most administrations have the opportunity toprepare themselves for WRCs through participation in
the preparatory groups of regional organizations (CITEL, CEPT, APT, ASMG, RCC and ATU).
•These regional groups prepare common proposals for each agenda item together with technical and
regulatory information on the background.
•Regional preparations can ease the burden on administrations with limited resources by sharing the
results of any necessary technical and regulatory studies.

14. WRC
•Many countries establish a national coordination group with
members representing both government and non-
government radio users to provide a broad consultation
process.
•The goal is to develop agreed national positions and briefing
material for each WRC agenda item. In many cases, it may
be sufficient for the national position to support the relevant
regional position.
•After each WRC, follow-up action is required nationally to
implement WRC Decisions.
•As part of the ongoing consultation process, the first step is
usually to publish a report of the outcome, with suitable
explanations of the expected impact on existing users and
opportunities for new services.
•The second step will be to revise the national allocation
table to comport with the agreed global changes, including
any timescales for the changes to come into force.

15. Radiocommunication
Assembly
•The Radiocommunication Assembly (RA) is responsible
for the structure, programmeand approval of
radiocommunication studies. The Assembly may:
•approve ITU-R Recommendations and Questions
developed by the Radiocommunication Study
Groups;
•set the work programmefor Study Groups, and
disband or establish Study Groups according to
need.
•Radiocommunication Assemblies are normally convened
every three or four years and are in principle associated
in time and place with WRCs.

16. Radio Regulations Board
•TwelveelectedmembersoftheRadioRegulationsBoard(RRB)
representingfive(5)administrativeregionsoftheITU,performtheir
dutiesonapart-timebasis,normallymeetinguptofourtimesa
year,inGeneva.
•TheBoard:
•approvesRulesofProcedure,usedbytheRadiocommunication
BureauinapplyingtheprovisionsoftheRadioRegulationsand
registeringfrequencyassignmentsmadebyMemberStates;
•addressesmattersreferredbytheBureauwhichcannotbe
resolvedthroughapplicationoftheRadioRegulationsand
RulesofProcedure;
•considersreportsofunresolvedinterferenceinvestigations
carriedoutbytheBureauattherequestofoneormore
administrationsandformulatesRecommendations;and
providesadvicetoRadiocommunicationConferences.
•TheDirectoroftheBureauistheExecutiveSecretaryoftheRadio
RegulationsBoard.

17. Other ITU Organs
•The Radiocommunication Sector and
Radiocommunication Bureau
•Radiocommunication Advisory Group
•ITU-R Study Groups

18. National
Radiocommunication law
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