Frequency spectrum management – a thorny issue
The frequency spectrum is a national resource as it belongs to all of us. The question is: does it? It needs to be managed properly and with insight so that we can all benefit. Is frequency spectrum managed properly?
There are a number of thorny issues around the management question. Do we have enough qualified frequency spectrum managers in South Africa and does the regulator have enough clout to enforce management?
According to Linden Petzer, a frequency spectrum management consultant,the answer to both questions is no. On the question of whether the regulator has enough clout, his view is that there is not enough spectrum policing. He cites the SABRE project initiated by ICASA’s predecessor SATRA. SATRA was a frequency planning exercise. In the final determination some frequencies were to be vacated by some of the services and re-allocated to other services. "Until today, some 10 or more years later, this has not happened", he said.
Spectrum management is the application of technical, regulatory and administrative issues for the purpose of ensuring interference-free operation of services using the radio spectrum. "It is a question of how the various services co-exist in a limited spectrum, Pelzer said. "If one looks at the World Radio Conference (WRC) process where you have on the agenda discussions on how mobile, 3G and 4G systems will co-exist with satellite, broadcasting and other mobile services without causing mutual interference, the importance of sound spectrum management becomes clear".
"In South Africa, experienced spectrum managers are a rare breed. There are only a few of us who have the training and practical experience required to do the job properly. Currently I am not aware of any formal training taking place. The idea of a Chair of Spectrum Management has been mooted by the Department of Communication but nothing has yet materialised", he said
But why would South Africa need more spectrum managers? If ICASA had a competent person or two, why would companies want to employ their own spectrum manager or a consultant?
Petzer’s view is that companies need to develop a good under standing of spectrum issues. When ICASA issues intentions for spectrum re-allocation, the private sector is invited to comment on how ICASA’s intended spectrum allocation will impact on their business. Take the current issue of WiMAX, HPDA and Vsat. The various industry bodies representing the technologies have concerns as to how these systems will co-exist in the same frequency spectrum. The Vsat operators are lobbying for WiMAX not to be allocated the same spectrum as current deployed for Vsats in Africa.
"If was different prior to 1994. When I worked at the SABC we were our own spectrum managers and regulated all the broadcast frequencies. The Department of Post and Telecommunications did the same for telecommunications and the military for the large slice of spectrum they were using. When SATRA and the IBA were formed those function were vested in these two bodies and some order was brought into frequency spectrum management. This co-ordination was further enhanced with the bringing together of the two organisation into ICASA.
"When South Africa returned to the ITU and started taking part in the World Radio Conferences, we needed to align ourselves with world trends. This became more and more important as technology was advancing at a rapid rate. South Africa cannot afford to use frequency spectrum that is out of tune with the rest of the world if the country is to benefit from the reducing cost of infrastructure resulting from economies
of scale."
At the world conferences, governments are supported by the industries in their country and often include industry representatives on their delegation. South Africa is no exception and has included representatives in their current WRC delegation. "This calls for an enlightened approach to combine government spectrum management expertise with sound technical experience, and understanding the issues industry has to grapple with. Take the current debate about allocations to Vsat operators. Conditions affecting efficient operation in Africa are different to those in Europe. We need to understand these and ensure that our issues are on the table" Petzer said.
"Companies whose businesses are dependent on radio frequency allocations should take spectrum management seriously and work with the regulator to ensure that our national resource is managed in the best possible way. There is a notion that it is just money that can buy frequency licences. This could develop into a dangerous situation if it is not coupled with sound spectrum management."
South Africa is one of the two final bidders for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project. To ensure that South Africa is a worthy contender the Department of Science and Technology introduced the Astronomy Advantage Bill which was recently signed into to law, giving the minister wide powers to manage spectrum in SKA-designated areas. While all of South Africa needs to support the project, spectrum managers need to work closely with the project to ensure that radio services for which they are responsible are not adversely affected and are taken care of, timeously.
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