Consulting Services

Radio Spectrum Management

The radio spectrum is a vital resource for many existing as well as developing technology-based industries and in particular the broadcasting and telecommunications sectors. At the same time, it is a vital input into the delivery of many public, safety-of-life and governmental services. Appropriate policy development, management and regulation of radio spectrum is therefore vitally important if the demands of as many radio users as possible are to be satisfied and the full benefits available from spectrum use realised.

Radio Spectrum Management

Historically, spectrum management was a matter of licensing spectrum use in such a way that harmful interference was avoided. Permitted uses of the radio spectrum were agreed administratively and licences were awarded primarily on a first come, first served basis. Avoiding harmful interference continues to be important today, however, in recognition of the importance of radio spectrum to economic development and given the high level of demand for access to radio spectrum, spectrum managers are now also faced with the problem of resolving which applications should be given access to radio spectrum. Not only must the spectrum manager resolve how the radio spectrum should be split between public/safety of life/government versus commercial uses but also which commercial use will bring greatest economic benefit to society as a whole. In recognition that spectrum managers are not necessarily best placed to anticipate the market in order to predict which potential uses of the spectrum will be most successful, spectrum managers are increasingly turning to market based techniques in order to resolve these critical issues. Such techniques include:

Auctions: Licensing the radio spectrum to the user who offers the highest bid (licence fee) should result in the spectrum being awarded to the party who values it the most;
Available Budget. Both initial and ongoing budget considerations will determine factors such as the capability of the system and its future maintenance.
Technology neutrality: Allowing the user to decide which service and which technology to deploy should support more efficient spectrum use; and
Trading. Permitting licensed users to sell/lease/swap/share spectrum with other parties should result in the spectrum becoming available to those who value it the most

In combination, the above mechanisms should result in the market determining the optimum use for any licensed radio spectrum and thus what should lead to the greatest economic benefit. However, this new, liberalised, approach to spectrum management also brings with it a different set of challenges for the spectrum manager. Technology neutrality introduces a level of uncertainty over which technologies will be in use and thus new mechanisms to define spectrum usage rights and spectrum packaging need to be defined in order to ensure compatibility between different uses and this avoid harmful interference and so ensure that the benefits of the new approach are realised.

InterConnect Communications' expertise and experience in the spectrum management area is extensive and enjoys international recognition. Our consultants have successfully completed major radio spectrum regulation, management and monitoring assignments for organisations around the world covering Europe, Africa and Asia.

These projects have included the successful specification, tender adjudication and purchase of radio spectrum management and monitoring systems as well as institutional development, training and regulatory reform. InterConnect has also produced reports on spectrum management for national spectrum administrations, the European Commission (EC) and European Radiocommunications Office (ERO).

Our multi-disciplined team of radio experts has extensive experience of the development and modernisation of radio spectrum management and spectrum monitoring activities and systems including:

The development and implementation of radio spectrum policies;
The construction of national radio frequency allocation plans/tables, the planning of spectrum usage and creation of refarming plans to support their implementation;
The development of processes for the assignment of frequencies, including mobile spectrum licence award;
The specification of spectrum management and monitoring systems including preparation of technical specifications and tender documentation, evaluation of offers, contract negotiation, project management of the procurement, installation and commissioning processes;
Operational development including the production of processes to support new spectrum policies, regimes and systems;
Training on all matters concerning radio spectrum management, including the running of the popular TRMC Spectrum events.

Key Service Areas:

Spectrum Management

4 Mar 2010InterConnect News

Seminar on Decision Making in Wireless Networks, London, 30th March 2010

InterConnect will be holding a free seminar on Wireless Networks which will look at some of the decision-making tools which can be employed by engineers, economists and financiers when assessing wireless networks, whether from a proposal / start-up perspective or indeed for assesing an expansion opportunity.

7 Dec 2009InterConnect News

Podcast on Service and Technology Neutrality

This podcast by John Berry (InterConnect's Head of Spectrum Services) discusses the concept of "Service and Technology Neutrality" in the management of the radio spectrum.

More Information?

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