Opening
Spectrum in
South Africa
Steve Song
Telecommunications Fellow
Shuttleworth Foundation
email: steve.song@shuttleworthfoundation.org
blog: http://manypossibilities.net
skype: steve_l_song
twitter: stevesong

Current regulation
Lack of clarity about who is
actually using spectrum

W hat kind of a
...like the sky?
thing is
spectrum?
H ow should it
be regulated?
...like the ocean?

In general
we manage
spec trum like
real estate.

Which was fine...

...until the explosive growth
of
Internet Mobile

...until the explosive growth
of
So what needs to happen?
Internet Mobile

Not all spectrum is created equal
Source: The Mobile Provide: Economic Impacts of Alternative Uses of the Digital Dividend

1) Independent spectrum
audit

1) Independent spectrum
audit
g to the best
“Accordin a, at any
at
available d d any one
n
o ne place a is
time in the U.S. it
an
likely that less th
e
10% of availabl e.”
us
spe ctrum is tinNew America
ra h,
- Sascha atioin
und
Me
n
Fo

1) Independent spectrum
audit
st
ecent spectr
um g to the be
Ar , “Accordin a, at any
au dit of Dublin av ailable dat any one
hat
Irela nd showed t le o ne place a
nd
ila b is
the U.S. it 10%
onl y 14% of ava se. time in
in u n
sp ectrum was ons likely th at less tha is
icati
n
- Irish t: Kmymuata Report e spectrum
of availabl
Co
Mark e e D
in use.” einrath, New America
M
- Sascha ation
Found

2) Standards for transparency
in spectrum auctions

2) Standards for transparency
in spectrum auctions
um
Rece nt spectr nited
U
auct ion in the 0Mhz
States of the 70 0
ulted in 2
band res e
D revenu
billion US ent.
nm
for gover

2) Standards for transparency
in spectrum auctions
d
Rece
um
nt spectr nited W ithout goo atural
,n
auct
U
ion in the 0Mhz g overnance th turns
l
of the 70 0 res ource wea for
States rse
ulted in 2 ut to be wo s than if
band res e o
D revenu trie
poor coun ad those
billion US ent. th
for gover
nm they hadn’ all.
re sources at tom Billion
he Bot
- Paul Collier – T

3) Start sharing spectrum

3) Start sharing spectrum
–
Nov 4, 2008 e of
Unl icensed us
Telev ision White
m
Spac es spectru
e
app roved in th
Un ited States

3) Start sharing spectrum
–
Nov 4, 2008 e of
us
U nlicensed
h it e
Te levision W m
ctru
S paces spe e
app roved in th
Sep t 26, 2008 – e Un ited States
t
802.1 1y-2008 “li rd
da
licen sing” stan
e
app roved by th
IEEE

Technology is often
a better regulator
than bureacracy

The Role of Industry
Television White Spaces
Use of television guard bands
Digital dividend spectrum
Serendipitous re-use

What's missing?
You!

Opportunities in
South Africa
Digital Television 802.11y
Dividend White “lite
Spectrum Spaces licensing”

Hand Holding a Mobile Phone by WhiteAfrican
Creative Commons
http://www.flickr.com/photos/whiteafrican/2736565604/
Sky by Robin Jaffray
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robinj/2934399671/
We share this... by Miguel Ramirez
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ibizadj/323305938/
At the end of a long day by Gustavog
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gustavog/16609600/
At the end of a long day by Gustavog
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gustavog/16609600/
Bureaucracy by BostonBill
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8533266@N04/1296614397/
King Farouk in the inauguration of the international
telecommunications congress 1938 by KodakAgfa
http://www.flickr.com/photos/96884693@N00/1509615338/
Other photos courtesy of http://www.istockphoto.com

Steve Song
email: steve.song@shuttleworthfoundation.org
blog: http://manypossibilities.net
skype: steve_l_song
twitter: stevesong