The document discusses regulatory spectrum management challenges and actions needed for cellular IoT deployment in Suriname. It notes that some frequency bands assigned for mobile coverage have technology restrictions, and the regulator lacks visibility into spectrum usage. It recommends incentivizing IoT within existing licensing frameworks, following international harmonization, conducting spectrum monitoring, studying IoT technical aspects, and setting up a working group to facilitate IoT innovation. Actions include making spectrum provisions for licensed and unlicensed IoT, preparing for deployment, and identifying future demand bands.

1. R. Martin-Zeegelaar
Final Project
GSMA Course on Advanced spectrum management for
mobile networks
Cellular IoT deployment
Regulatory Spectrum Management challenges and
actions

2. Intelligent
Transport
smart
Applications
E-Health
IndustrialSmart Cities
Utilities
“A global infrastructure for the information society,
enabling advanced services by interconnecting
(physical and virtual) things based on, existing and
evolving, interoperable information and communication
technologies”. -IoT Definition from Recommendation ITU-T
Y.2060 -
Simply put, IoT is the concept of basically connecting any
device with an on and off switch to the Internet (and/or to
each other).
Watch this video for better understanding of what IoT is.
Public services
Environment
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3. Total IoT
connections
Traditional
Cellular IoT
LPWA IoT
Market Worth
7 billion
0.4 billion
0.05 billion
892 billion
Year 2016 Year 2025
27 billion
3 billion
2 billion
4 trillion
from
from
from
from
to
to
to
to
IoT Growth Forecast
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4. LPWA
LPWA networks offers lower-cost module hardware, reduced service costs, smaller form factors, improved battery life, and coverage
enhancements. Therefore they are intended for IoT solutions that need low power consumption, extended battery life, good
penetration in buildings and underground and coverage extension.
Unlicensed spectrum LPWA
Two main LPWA categories
Unlicensed LPWA technologies use publicly available, open
spectrum. Multiple communication devices access unlicensed
spectrum, which can cause interference, thereby degrading
performance. These technologies use Short-range license-
exempt frequency bands including industrial, scientific and
medical (ISM) bands;
Licensed spectrum LPWA
Licensed spectrum LPWA uses Mobile Network Operators’ (MNO)
current wireless spectrum holdings. Their Cellular IoT networks
are based on 3GPP standards for IoT networks. The two most
commonly identified technologies as defined within the 3GPP
standards for these purposes are LTE-M (also referred to as LTE
Cat-M1) and NB-IoT (Narrow-Band IoT).
Frequency bands
LTE bands1, 2, 3, 5, 7,
8, 11,12, 13, 17, 18,
19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28,
31(HD/FD –FDD)
39, 41 (TDD)
Technologies :
2G / 3G / 4G / 5G
Standard:
3GPP Release 13:
- LTE-M
- NB-IoT
Frequency bands
- 2.4GHz, 5GHz,
- ISM bands: 868 MHz,
915-921 MHz
- Harmonized bands for
Short Range Devices
Technologies
- WiFi, LoRa, Sigfox, Zigbee
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5. Why
Cellular IoT
Guaranteed Quality of
Service (QoS)
Because of dedicated
spectrum use by cellular
IoT, interference protection
and QoS is guaranteed,
contrary to devices
operating in the unlicensed
band with same frequency
range. Less interference
means an improved quality
of service that’s more
dependable.
Global coverage
Cellular connectivity has
been widely used for large-
scale device deployments
with global coverage by
Mobile Network Operators
(MNOs), based on widely
adopted standards.
Scalability and Performance
The scalability of the cellular network makes it well-suited for
a large number of devices in a single deployment for virtually
any type of asset or machine.
- Cellular IoT is currently mostly deployed with GSM
systems for low bandwidth applications, such as
vending machines
- LTE, specifically, has been designed to greatly enhance
capacity allowing it to process a significant amount of data
traffic. LTE-M only needs a software upgrade to existing
LTE networks, which means it can be launched quickly as a
nationwide service, then scale globally over time.
- 3G has been effective for many low and moderate
bandwidth applications that have infrequent data usage,
- 4G delivers improved performance for IoT applications
that use high bandwidth, such as streaming video, which is
becoming the expectation for many consumer and some
enterprise applications.
Technologies are Suitable for IoT broadband and narrowband
communication
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6. Cost-effectiveness
when talking about cost
effectiveness, device and
module prices are key
contributors. newer,
lower-cost devices for
4G LTE technologies for
many IoT applications
are in the same price
range as 3G devices and
prices should continue
to decrease with large
scale adoption.
Standardization
3GPP Release 13 supports
all the key requirements
for cellular IoT
technologies, including;
long battery life, low
device cost, low
deployment cost,
widespread coverage and
support for a massive
number of devices. Shortly,
it supports all Low Power
Wide Area (LPWA)
applications.
High Security
IoT solutions have many
system layers and require
a correspondingly layered
approach to security. In
addition to high security
at the network layer,
carrier-grade security
helps protect the device,
network, and systems
that make up the end-to-
end solution.
Why
Cellular
IoT
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7. GSMA
Position
on
Cellular
IoT
1. Regulators
should adopt a
service/Technology
neutral framework
to support cellular
IoT
5. Regulators should
work work with the
mobile industry to
support IoT in 5G
spectrum planning
2. Licensed
spectrum is vital in
order to deliver the
most reliable, high
quality IoT services.
4. International
spectrum
harmonization is
vital for a global,
affordable cellular
IoT market.
3. Licensed
spectrum has the
capacity and
coverage
capabilities to
support IoT growth.
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8. Technology restrictions in
some frequency bands
Use of assigned frequency
band expires every 5 years
MNO License valid for 15
years, with no technology
restrictions.
Assigned frequency bands by the regulator for mobile
coverage:
 Band 28: 703-748MHz paired with 758-803MHz
 Band 5: 824-839MHz paired with 869-884MHz
 Band 8: 880-915MHz paired with 925-960MHz
 Band 3: 1710-1785MHz paired with 1805-1880MHz
 Band 1:1920-1980MHz paired with 2110-2170MHz
 Band 2500-2690 available as TDD assignment
2 Mobile Network Operators:
One is a private MNO, the
other is state owned
Available reserved spectrum
for a possible third operator in
every assigned frequency
band.
Spectrum Management Overview
Mobile Service in Suriname
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9. Spectrum management
Challenges towards Cellular IoT deployment
Some currently assigned cellular frequency bands are not technology neutral,
impeding MNO’s to implement certain IoT technologies in those bands.
Regulator has no clear view on how much spectrum is actually being used by
the MNO’s.
No roadmap to IoT deployment has been set out as yet.
Very few registered IoT operators in the unlicensed band, none known
operator for use of licensed mobile spectrum. This indicates that
commercial IoT services to the public is taking up very slow.
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10. Regulatory actions to be taken
In both the licence
exempt frequency band
and as in the licensed
frequency band
provisions will have to be
made with respect to
spectrum requirements.
Although a technical
document for unlicensed
use of spectrum for SRD
has been drafted and a
desk-study of IoT has
been initiated, very little
has been done so far
towards preparation for
IoT deployment in
general.
Give incentives to
accommodate IoT
applications within
the existing licensing
framework and
identify spectrum
bands to cater for
future demand.
Follow
international
spectrum
harmonisation
to be able to
provide a
global,
affordable
cellular IoT
market.
Take up
spectrum
monitoring
on MNO’s
networks to
have clear
what the
mobile
spectrum
occupancy
rate is, so to
give way to
proper
spectrum
planning.
Study
technical and
operational
aspects of
radio
networks and
systems for
IoT and the
trends in IoT
for proper
spectrum
management.
Research on
the use of 5G
spectrum for
IoT and
closely follow
up on the 5G
evolution,
which will be
the enabler
for future IoT
applications.
Set up a working
group to find out if
existing frameworks
(legal, regulatory,
infrastructural) are
ready to facilitate
businesses and
consumers to benefit
from IoT innovations.
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11. References
 https://www.gsma.com/spectrum/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Introducing-Spectrum-Management.pdf
 https://www.gsma.com/spectrum/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Spectrum-IOT-Position-Paper.pdf
 https://www.gsma.com/spectrum/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/5G-Spectrum-Positions.pdf
 https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-r/md/16/rsg1sg5iot16/inf/R16-RSG1SG5IOT16-INF-0011!N2!PDF-E.pdf
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSIPNhOiMoE&feature=youtu.be
 https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Regional-Presence/Africa/Documents/IoT-ICTA-trilok-Dabeesing.pdf
 Course material from GSMA capacity building course on ADVANCED SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT FOR MOBILE
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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