Radio Spectrum Management

Spectrum Assignment

Where spectrum allocation policies are key to the effective organisation of radio frequency resources between different usages, a complementary assignment mechanism is no less important in assuring the equitable and sustainable access to those resources by individual users.

Demand for radio spectrum resources comes from an entire range of different user groups, such as:

Governmental users (e.g. the military and security services);
Emergency and Public Safety services (e.g. the police, fire brigade, ambulance service and coastguard);
Telecommunications service providers (including mobile and fixed-line networks, wireless local loops and WLAN 'hotspots');
Commercial users of private communications services (e.g. transport and logistics services, aviation, maritime and other private businesses);
Broadcasters (analogue and digital, television and radio services);
The general public (through use of low power devices, cordless phones, wireless LAN, etc);
Industry and commerce (through the production, sale and use of wireless-enabled equipment such as RFID tags, heating and drying machinery).

Regulatory mechanisms for the assignment of radio spectrum must fulfil two overriding demands - to encourage the efficient use of spectrum resources, and to preserve the rights of licensed users (especially those of public importance) against the activities of non-authorised transmitters. In doing this, however, they must take into account many other pressures, such as balancing economic and social priorities with individual and group aspirations, and recognising market trends which may impact upon the demand for new frequency assignments. They must be robust and capable of being enforced, but simultaneously transparent and not constitute an unreasonable barrier to market entry by new users or technologies. Lastly, they are frequently an essential tool by which regulators and spectrum authorities can generate revenue streams to support related activities such as monitoring.

InterConnect Communications' experience in creating and fine-tuning spectrum assignment mechanisms is significant and spans both individual and class licensing regimes. Past projects undertaken by our specialists and associated industry partners have included:

Assessing existing spectrum assignment capabilities in a range of EU Accession Countries, suggesting areas that would benefit from enhancement and proposing means for achieving these improvements;
Assisting a North African regulator to develop procedures for the assignment of spectrum and the award of licences;
Supporting a Middle Eastern regulator in formalising broadcasting licence processes and guidelines, including reviewing licence structure, licence conditions and licensing procedures, for both land-based and maritime systems;
Developing a new licensing regime for use in a major South Asian country, including a detailed framework for issuing and re-issuing mobile cellular licenses through single-stage and multi-stage selection processes;
Proposing a spectrum licensing policy and appropriate implementing mechanisms for a Gulf States regulator.

Key Service Areas:

Spectrum Management Policy

28 Feb 2008InterConnect News

Spectrum Master Class

The first Spectrum Master Class of 2008 will take place on 14 - 18 July 2008.

More Information?

For more information about InterConnect's Spectrum services, please contact Phil Harris by phone on +44 (0) 1291 638400.