IMT Spectrum management

1. IMT RADIO
FREQUENCY
SPECTRUM
MANAGEMENT
PHILLIP RAMALATA
SEPT 2018

2. INTRODUCTION
What is IMT?
• International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT)
are mobile systems that provide access to a wide range of
telecommunication services including advanced mobile
services, supported by mobile and fixed networks, which
are increasingly packet-based.
Key features of IMT:
• high degree of commonality of functionality worldwide
while retaining the flexibility to support a wide range of
services and applications in a cost efficient manner;
compatibility of services within IMT and with fixed
networks; capability of interworking with other radio
access systems; high-quality mobile services; user
equipment suitable for worldwide use; user-friendly
applications, services and equipment; worldwide
roaming capability; and enhanced peak data rates to
support advanced services and applications.

3. WHAT IS SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT
• OBJECTIVES OF SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT [ICT regulation toolkit]:
a) Spectrum management reflects many separate activities, including planning spectrum use,
allocating and assigning spectrum licences, enforcing licence conditions, interacting with a
regional and international organisations on spectrum matters. Economic objectives relate to
ensuring that spectrum is used in ways which meet the country’s goals covering the efficient
allocation of resources – that spectrum is employed by both private and public sector organisations
in ways which meet the countries economic growth and other objectives.
b) Technical efficiency objectives relate to the more specific goal of ensuring that service frequencies
are used in ways which allow the maximum utilisation of the resource, avoiding, for example, both
interference and unnecessarily large gaps (‘guard bands’) between adjoining users. High-level
policy objectives relate to consistency in government policy on matters such as access,
competition, non-discrimination, and equity and fairness in the manner spectrum is allocated and
assigned to various users.

4. WHO ARE THE SPECTRUM STAKEHOLDERS?
END-USERS EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURES PROVIDERS OF COMMERCIAL
SERVICES (COMMERCIAL
OPERATORS)
PROVIDERS OF PUBLIC SERVICES
SUCH AS CIVILIAN SERVICES E.G
EMERGENCY SERVICES AND
MILITARY SERVICES.

5. LAYERS OF SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL
REGIONAL
INTERNATIONAL ITU
SADC
MINISTERS (DOC
AND DTPS)
REGULATOR
(ICASA)
CRASA
STAKEHOLDERS

6. APPLICABLE NATIONAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS
ON SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT
Electronic Commutations Act No. 36 of 2005
Radio Frequency Spectrum Regulations of 2015
National Radio Frequency
Plan 2018
Radio Frequency
Migration Plan
Radio Frequency Spectrum
Assignment Plan for IMT
Radio Frequency Spectrum
Fees Regulations

7. RADIO FREQUENCY SPECTRUM REGULATIONS
The purpose of these regulations is to [Radio Frequency Spectrum Regulations of 2015]:
a) establish the framework through which the Authority may allocate and assign radio frequency spectrum under the South African
National Radio Frequency Plan;
b) establish standard terms and conditions which will be applicable to all frequency bands and applications as well as radio frequency
spectrum licences;
c) establish transparent, fair and efficient procedures and processes for radio frequency spectrum licence applications;
d) allow for greater flexibility such that special conditions and procedures for specific frequency bands can be applied;
e) provide for circumstances in which the use or possession of radio apparatus does not require a radio frequency spectrum licence;
f) provide procedures and criteria for awarding radio frequency spectrum licences for competing applications or instances whereby
there is insufficient spectrum available to accommodate demand;
g) set out the procedures for application for permissions to assign, cede or transfer ownership and control of a radio frequency spectrum
licence;
h) set out the principles and procedures for frequency coordination where spectrum is assigned on a shared basis;
i) provide dispute resolution mechanisms with regard to shared spectrum;
j) provide a framework for the Radio Frequency Application Fees,
k) Radio Frequency Examination and Certificate Fees; and prescribe relevant application forms.

8. SPECTRUM ASSIGNMENT PLAN FOR IMT BANDS
• New IMT450, 900, 2600, 3500 spectrum assignment will be through Invitation to Apply (ITA) with currently no no
target timelines.
• IMT700, IMT750, IMT800 – Implementation date is 1 January 2016 and will be assigned through ITA.
• The bands are part of Digital Dividend 1, 2 and 3.
• Will only be usable on the completion of Digital Switchover, which is currently behind the ITU targets dates.
• IMT 900:
• Target assignment date – 31 March 2030
• Bandwidth – 5 MHz
• IMT2300 – Authority will conduct feasibility studies to identify the scope for the assignment of the band. No ready
for use
• IMT2600 – 70 MHz in FDD will be assigned through ITA process and the remaining 50 MHz in TDD will be assigned
through separate process.

9. IMT SPECTRUM
ASSIGNMENT PLAN
AND AVAILABLE
CAPACITY

10. IMT SPECTRUM LICENSING PROCESS
• 2010 – ITA for 2600 and 3500 MHz was published through Auction process which was subsequently withdrawn due to the
following reasons:
• Technological considerations – further consultation was required with intent to provide more desirable configuration for the band,
• Auction rules – lack of experienced auctioneers within the borders of South Africa.
• 2011- The Authority issued and invitation to apply for which was based on a comparative evaluation process for 800MHz and
2600 MHz spectrum. This was subsequently withdrawn again.
• 2016 - ICASA have published an Invitation To Apply (ITA) for a Radio Frequency Spectrum licence to provide mobile
broadband wireless access services for urban and rural areas in the complimentary bands, 700MHz, 800MHz and 2.6GHz
[Government Gazette number 38641 (Notice number 279 of 2015)] which was later interdicted by Minister of
Telecommunications and Postal Services challenged the regulator by:
• Interdicting and preventing ICASA from implementing the licensing steps and process referred to or contemplated in the Invitation
to Apply (“ITA”) published in the Government Gazette of 15 July 2016, pending the review of ICASA’s decision to launch the ITA.
• Declaring that ICASA’s decision as communicated to the Minister on or about 15 July 2016 to initiate a licensing process to invite,
consider and/or issue frequency spectrum licences set out in the ITA is unlawful, invalid and of no force and effect and, to the extent
required, declaring the publication of the ITA to be invalid, unlawful and of no force and effect.
• ICASA responded to the court judgement by deferring the ITA process until further notice.

11. DIGITAL SWITCHOVER PROGRESS
In Europe and Africa, a timeline has been agreed within the framework of an International Telecommunications Union (ITU) treaty. After June 2015 analogue television transmissions will no longer be protected from harmful
interference caused by digital TV transmissions. Analogue TV transmissions will not be permitted to interfere with digital TV transmissions.
 Who are the various role players and what are their roles?
 Digital Dzonga – a body established to oversee the migration process for the country.
Broadcasters – terrestrial broadcasters need to migrate their services onto digital. The main affected broadcasters are SABC, eTV and MNet. They will be responsible for establishing new services, migrating existing services (SABC 1, 2, 3, eTV, MNet)
to digital.
 Signal Distributors – responsible for rolling out the digital network infrastructure on behalf of broadcasters. The main signal distributor affected is Sentech.
 Government – responsible for developing the policy for broadcasting digital migration. They are also responsible for ensuring that funding is available for the scheme for ownership support for poor households, and for the development of a STB
manufacturing strategy. The Department of Communications is driving this process on behalf of government, and will work with other government departments such as National Treasury.
 ICASA – the regulator responsible for regulating the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors. ICASA will be responsible for the frequency planning and allocations, and the issuing of licences for digital services. New digital services cannot be
launched without a licence or authorisation from ICASA.
 Manufacturers – responsible for the manufacturing of STBs and to ensure that the boxes are compliant with the standards set and do actually work.
 Retailers – making the STBs available for purchase by the public and to provide accurate information to consumers so that they can make the right choices when purchasing STBs. Other organisations are also included here, such as the South African
Post Office, which could be used as a distribution outlet for the STBs.
 Consumers – responsible for ensuring that they have the information they need to make informed choices and to ensure that they get the necessary STBs timeously before the analogue signal is switched off.
• WHAT IS THE STATUS IN SOUTH AFRICA?
• his includes the finalisation of DTT regulations and the issuing of licences to terrestrial broadcasters by ICASA, the finalisation of a frequency plan,
• the roll-out of the DTT technology by Sentech, the technical specifications for STBs (completed),
• the manufacturing of STBs, and the development of channel content by broadcasters. This is expected to be completed during the first half of 2010.

12. CONCLUSION
• The current court process between ICASA and the Minister:
• Delay by the minister to issue a policy directive on IMT spectrum band.
• Planned introduction of open access network might delay the availability of IMT
spectrum as the spectrum license application requires lot of time,
• Delay in the DTT migration process, digital dividend spectrum will remain
unusable until the migration process is completed.

13. DIGITAL DIVIDEND
• Digital Dividend 1
• Digital Dividend 2
• Digital Dividend 3