RADIO FREQUENCY SPECTRUM

POLICY

NOVEMBER 2009
WHAT IS SPECTRUM?

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 ITU REGIONS

170°
170°

160° 140° 120° 100° 80° 60° 40° 20° 0° 20° 40° 60° 80° 100° 120° 140° 160° 180°
C B A
75° 75°

60° REGION 1 60°

REGION 2
40° 40°
30° 30°
20° 20°

0° 0°

20° 20°
30° 30°
40° 40°
REGION 3 REGION 3
C B A
60° 60°
160° 140° 120° 100° 80° 60° 40° 20° 0° 20° 40° 60° 80° 100° 120° 140° 160° 180°

170°
170°

5-01
 WHAT IS SPECTRUM
MANAGEMENT?
 Combination of administrative and technical
procedures necessary to ensure the efficient
operation of radiocommunication services
without causing harmful interference

 The goal of national spectrum management is to

facilitate the use of the radio frequency
spectrum in the national interest and to ensure
that adequate spectrum is provided for all users,
public and private, big and small, in both the
short and the long term
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 SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT
FUNCTIONS

 Planning & Allocation

 International Co-ordination & Co-operation

 Assignment & Licensing

 Monitoring & Enforcement

 Standards Specification & Equipment Type

Approval
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 TYPICAL ALLOCATIONS
ITU Region 1 South African Applications Comments
Allocations Allocations
470-790 MHz
BROADCASTING BROADCASTING Television
Broadcasting
5.149 5.291A RADIO Radio Astronomy
5.294 5.296 5.300 ASTRONOMY 608-614 MHz
5.302 5.304 5.306 5.304 NF 2
5.311A 5.312

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 TYPICAL ALLOCATIONS
ITU Region 1 South African Applications Comments
Allocations Allocations
790-862 MHz
FIXED FIXED Fixed links 856-
864.1 MHz
BROADCASTING BROADCASTING Television
Broadcasting 790-
854 MHz
MOBILE 5.316B MOBILE 5.316B
5.317A 5.317A
5.312 5.314 5.315 5.316A NF 17
5.316 5.316A
5.319

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 TYPICAL ASSIGNMENT

32586 AFS 35 462 AFS JOHANNESBURG DT1 50.79

-261131 0280026 1777 m H RPC1 ND 225 m 531 m

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 WHY SPECTRUM POLICY?

 Radio frequency spectrum is a limited key

resource
 Ensure efficient use of spectrum in National
Interest
 Determine spectrum usage priorities
 Input to the formulation of the national
frequency plan
 Establish the key principles on which spectrum
management is based

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BENEFITS OF A SPECTRUM
POLICY
 Provide guidance:
in the development of national frequency plan
in the allocation of spectrum where there are
competing services

 Ensure Government objectives are met

 Ensure rational & effective spectrum utilisation

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 SPECTRUM POLICY
OBJECTIVES
 Promote National Interests
 Establish principles for spectrum management
 Establish guidelines for the national frequency
plan
 Ensure effective & rational use of spectrum &
ensure availability of spectrum in both short &
long term
 Establish principles for spectrum fees

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 SPECTRUM POLICY
OBJECTIVES Contd...

 Spectrum for Government Services

 Spectrum for Safety of Life Services
 Spectrum for Public Protection & Disaster Relief
 Spectrum for scientific research
 Spectrum usage for new innovative applications

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 GUIDELINES FOR THE
NATIONAL FREQUENCY
PLAN

 Comply with ITU Requirements

 Co-ordination with neighbouring countries
 Minister is responsible for approval of the Plan
 Minister must ensure requirements for security
services

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SPECTRUM FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT

 Spectrum and Land have similar characteristics

Occur naturally in the physical environment
Are intrinsically scarce since their physical
quantity is not extensible and cannot be
reproduce
Constitute a fixed stock able to supply a
production flow indefinitely, provided it is
managed effectively

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 SPECTRUM PRICING

 Purpose of Spectrum Pricing

 Types of Spectrum Pricing
 Elements of Spectrum Pricing
 Setting of Fees
 Level of Fees

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 SPECTRUM FOR
SECURITY SERVICES

 Defence

 Police

 Security Services

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 SPECTRUM FOR
SAFETY OF LIFE

 Aircraft

 Ships

 Emergency Position Indicator Beacons

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 SPECTRUM FOR
PUBLIC PROTECTION AND
DISASTER RELIEF
 Harmonised Spectrum for Public Protection &
Disaster Relief
Fire Services
Ambulance Services
Police

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 SPECTRUM FOR
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

 Meteorological Services
 Radio Astronomy
 Space Research
 Earth Exploration
 Remote Sensing

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 SPECTRUM FOR
NEW APPLICATIONS

 Electronic communications is extremely

dynamic
 New applications constantly appearing
 Spectrum must be made available for such
applications

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 IMPLEMENTATION

 Radio frequency spectrum strategy

 Policy directions to ICASA
 Spectrum audit

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 PRIORITY ISSUES FOR
POLICY DIRECTIONS
 Spectrum for Broadband
 Role of satellite in South Africa
 High definition television (HDTV)
 International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT)
 Fixed vs Mobile allocations

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 ISSUES FOR POLICY
DIRECTIONS Cont…
 ITU decisions on enhancing the international
spectrum regulatory framework
 Ultra Wide Band Devices
 Software defined & Cognitive Radio
 High altitude platform stations (HAPS)
 S-DAB/T-DAB

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 PROCESS
 Draft Policy approved by DoC Exco in August 2009
 Draft Policy presented to Economic Cluster in
September 2009
 Public consultation September/October 2009
 Policy to be submitted to Economic Cluster in
January 2010
 Policy to be submitted to Cabinet for approval in
February 2010

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 THANK YOU

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