Use it or lose it says ISPA

[rpm]

Use it or lose it says ISPA

ICASA must address spectrum allocation issues to ensure market benefits from competition

 

[tfoale]

It can be done

We have successfully deployed a wireless broadband network in London, UK, offering 2Mbps to 10Mbps services to small businesses. We use the 5.4GHz and 5.8GHz bands and a mix of technologies including WiMAX. There's 360MHz of spectrum in those two bands, enough to sustain several colocated networks if WiMAX is used. However, at this frequency only line of sight operation is possible, even with WiMAX, although MIMO would help to some extent. We also restrict the range of the service to 3km from any base-station for technical and operational reasons.

It is essential that telecoms operators get access to the spectrum they need to enable competitive high-bandwidth networks, as the availability of spectrum limits the bandwidths that can be provided. In the UK the goverment passed a bill that means that all users of spectrum pay 'market rates' for its use. This means that organisations (primarily the military and civil aviation) that used large amounts of spectrum inefficiently are now looking at how they can use it better and perhaps share spectrum under certain conditions with some of the newer technologies available. The regulator, Ofcom, has undertaken a study with the MoD of spectrum that can be made available and it looks like several large bands will become available over the next few years. It can be done if you can create sufficient motivation in those that control these resources.

 

[stoke]

I'm a little confused ... is ISPA trying to tell ICASA what to do by publishing articles?
Surely direct communique and participation from the ministry is required?

But, yea, self regulation sounds awesome .. very much like the mafia protection racket.
Perhaps providing incentives to cover uncovered area's should be the first approach though.
Everybody and his dog is trying to cover the already covered high population density areas.

 

[dominic]

I'm a little confused ... is ISPA trying to tell ICASA what to do by publishing articles?
Surely direct communique and participation from the ministry is required?

hi stoke
ispa is addressing this wherever it can
- in meetings set up with ICASA
- in direct correspondence with ICASA
- through processes such as the redrafting of the SA band plan

"participation from the ministery" ??? - right.

But, yea, self regulation sounds awesome .. very much like the mafia protection racket.
Perhaps providing incentives to cover uncovered area's should be the first approach though.
Everybody and his dog is trying to cover the already covered high population density areas.

i think the ALtech decision will see far greater progress in covering rural areas &, imho, over the next two years we will see that wifi - robust and inexpensive - is the logical technology choice in these areas. i think most would be amazed to know what kind of wifi networks are already in these areas and what is planned

 

[dominic]

In the UK the goverment passed a bill that means that all users of spectrum pay 'market rates' for its use. This means that organisations (primarily the military and civil aviation) that used large amounts of spectrum inefficiently are now looking at how they can use it better and perhaps share spectrum under certain conditions with some of the newer technologies available. The regulator, Ofcom, has undertaken a study with the MoD of spectrum that can be made available and it looks like several large bands will become available over the next few years. It can be done if you can create sufficient motivation in those that control these resources.

very interesting thank you
in SA the Minister is directly responsible for this kind of initiative (which is not good)