Lite-licensing suggested for SA
The Wireless Access Providers’ Association (WAPA) called on the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) to follow the example of other parts of the world by implementing lite-licensing in the local wireless access market.
Lite-licensing is a middle ground between the completely open ISM model, and the current strict, dedicated licensing conditions associated with “closed” frequency bands.
Lite-licensing will give wireless providers access to spectrum nationally in certain bands by paying a small fee. Another nominal fee may be charged for each base station in their network.
Most wireless access providers’ in South Africa currently make use of licence exempt frequencies in accordance with the ICASA Frequency License Exemption Regulations of 2008.
According to WAPA, Lite-Licensing is currently being trialled and employed by progressive institutions as an alternative wireless spectrum management approach.
“A local lite-licensing regime would improve spectrum efficiency, provide opportunities for new entrants to the market, as well as provide structure and management in the open spectrum space,” WAPA said in a press statement.
“Lite-Licencing schemes provide the registration, coordination and interference protection benefits that a wireless license guarantees, but at a cost and application time significantly lower than traditional wireless licensing,” said the Wireless Access Providers’ Association (WAPA) Chairperson, Christopher Geerdts
WAPA said that it is willing to work together with the regulator, ICASA, to implement the lite-licencing solution and is uniquely positioned to facilitate the management of spectrum under a lite-licensing regime, without imposing undue financial or administrative burdens on the national regulator.
In addition, should ICASA and the Department of Communication implement lite-licensing, with WAPA acting as advisor on the regime, there is a possibility that South Africa could export its wireless access framework solution to other African countries in the future.
“WAPA urges the Department of Communication to recognise the value of lite-licensing in meeting its policy objectives and for ICASA to implement it as part of the frequency management mix,” said WAPA regulatory advisor, Dominic Cull.
Dominic Cull
Lite-licensing explained
Lite-licensing works as follows. A central database keeps track of all current users and also monitors interference readings at each site.
When an operator wants to deploy a new site, the geographic coordinates of that site are entered into the database and a spectrum-band ‘licence’ is allocated automatically.
The operator then registers that site and spectrum allocation and also feeds back interference readings, which are used to verify the integrity of the solution. The licences can be free or attract a fee.
The process is automated and objective, with interference monitoring taking place through built-in cognitive radios.
Because the system is first-come, first serve, this approach favours the operators who are actually using the spectrum and leads to very efficient usage of spectrum.
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