Innovative Spectrum Sharing for Affordable Broadband Connectivity

Dr Fisseha Mekuria

Chief Research Scientist, Future Wireless Technologies

CSIR Meraka Institute,

0001 Pretoria

South Africa

Outline

• Spectrum as a Crucial National ICT Resource

• Spectrum Under-utilization & Scarcity

• Standards & Technologies for Effective Spectrum Utilization

• Addressing Digital Inclusion & Affordable Broadband

• TVWS Broadband Network Strategy & Spectrum Databases

• Dynamic Spectrum Management & Technical Regulations

• Smart Spectrum Sharing in Future Wireless 5G Networks

• Conclusion

The Council for Scientific & Industrial Research CSIR at a glance

• The CSIR is a science council, classified as a national

government business enterprise

• The CSIR’s Executive Authority is the Minister of the Department

of Science and Technology

In numbers:~ R2.15 bn

total in SET base

doctoral qualifications

total operating income

Cape Town

Stellenbosch

Port Elizabeth

Durban

Pretoria

Johannesburg

71yrs

1945 - 2016 total staff2411 355

500+Publication equivalents

R2.15 bn 1691

CSIR Units and Research CentresA Multidisciplinary SET R&D

Operating Units

Biosciences

Built Environment

Defence, Peace, Safety and Security

Materials Science and manufacturing

Meraka Institute (Information and Communication Technology)

Modelling and Digital Science

Natural Resources and the Environment

Implementation Unit

National Research Centres

National Laser Centre

Energy Centre

Emerging Research Areas

Mobile Intelligent Autonomous Systems

Nano-Technology

Photonics

Spectrum is a Crucial Resource for ICT Services

Static or Dynamic Spectrum Allocation ?

• RF spectrum is a scarce national resource• All “Usable” RF spectrum have been allocated… Low % of utilization.• White Spaces are “Available/Unused Spectrum” in any RF band of interest

• Dynamic Spectrum Allocation (DSA)• Dynamic Spectrum sharing in: {F, S, T, Pt} dimensions: “Database Assisted”• Future Wireless: Cognitive Radio Technologies is an active R&D area.

TVWS

Spectrum Underutilization in Tygerberg Western Cape

470 478 486 494 502 510 518

-100

-90

-80

-70

-60

-50

Sig

nal s

tren

gth

S [d

Bm

]

21 22 23 24 25 26

-103:CLIFTON:H:ETV

-96.3:HERMANUS:V:ETV

-91.4:AMANDA GLEN:V:SABC2

-86.3:CERES:V:SABC2-112:MONTAGU:V:SABC2

-94.8:LADISMITH (CAPE):H:SABC2

-64.8:TYGERBERG:V:SABC2-110:AGTER-WITZENBERG:V:SABC1

-107:HEXRIVIER:V:SABC2

-103:CLIFTON:H:SABC1

-101:AURORA:V:SABC2 -96.7:HERMANUS:V:SABC2

-85.8:TABLE MOUNTAIN:V:SABC2

-104:CLIFTON:H:MNET

-92:AMANDA GLEN:V:SABC3

-65.4:TYGERBERG:V:SABC1

-111:AGTER-WITZENBERG:V:SABC2

-77.9:PIKETBERG:H:ETV

0

10

20

Unc

erta

inty

(S)

[dB

]

Time variation in the signal strength, per frequency:

Frequency, MHz

Tim

e, h

rs

470 478 486 494 502 510 518

Scale of signal strength S [dBm]

-105 -100 -95 -90 -85 -80 -75 -70

0

50

100

occu

panc

y, %

%

S(t) >= -95 dBm S(t) >= -90 dBm S(t) >= -80 dBm

Wh

ite

sp

ace

s: T

V C

han

ne

ls 2

1,2

3,2

5,2

7

The Path to Dynamic Spectrum Sharing

Requires use of spectrum database

Motivation:

Address the need for broadband Connectivity in underserved rural areas.

Meet the large spectrum demand for high bandwidth services in Future Wireless Networks (4G/5G ++)

TVWS, CBRS, SAS,…..

GLSD, WSDB,...

Internet

5 km

8.5 km

Achimota SH School

GTUCAbeka Campus

4 km

2 km

Accra SH School

5 km

Odorgonoi SH School

St. Mary’s SH School

Accra Girls SH School

9 km

BS - GTUC Main Campus

GTUC Tesano (main) Campus

CSIR CHPC

CSIR Geo-location

Spectrum Database

WP 3: Implementation of GTUC TVWS Test-Bed

Lead Partner: GTUC

WP 1: TVWS Capacity Building

Lead Partner: CSIR

WP 2: TVWS Test-bed Implementation Support

Lead Partner: CSIR Supporting Partner: GTUC

WP 4: Hosting of Ghana GSDB

Lead Partner: CSIR

Regional & Global Collaboration on DSA & TVWS Broadband Networks:

Connecting the Next Billion

CSIR GLSD R&D Tech. Collaboration:

• Botswana – BITRI • Ghana – GTUC• Cyprus – EUC • 5GRange - EU-FP7• UDOM –Tanzania• OFCOM – UK• KAIST – KOREA• ANE – Colombia

Improved Network Capacity

Network Capacity Spectral

EfficiencyAmount of Spectrum

Number of Base

Stations= X X

Densification

Spectrum Sharing

Reducing Spectrum Underutilization in South Africa

• RF spectrum is a scarce nationalresource

Shannons Formula:

• Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA)– Co-existence Toolbox (GL-DSA) and sharing

in: {F, S, T, Pt} dimensions

– Future Wireless: Cognitive RadioTechnologies: Rogue Device Detection & SKAApplication

TVWS

SKA Radio Quite Zone

Bridging the Digital Divide : Spectrum Sharing TVWS

TVWS BS &Antenna

GLSD

Fiber Connection

ICASA

DM WISPs

Industry

Rural SchoolsHealth Clinics

Municipality

Fixed Wireless TVWS BB Network:

Test-bed trial in Western Cape Results:

◦ Connected 10 schools some already had

ADSL connectivity

◦ Served over 16000 students with 4Mbps

(average) ~ 16 Mbps peak

◦ Co-existent Operation for over 2 years without

causing any interference to TV broadcasting

TVWS network for M2M & IoT

TVWS Network :

Ghana, Accra – GTUC

Botswana, BITRI

Dynamic Spectrum Sharing Standards:Ofcom Lead Spectrum Database Qualification

Development of Spectrum

Toolboxes, Standards, Tech

Regulation & Policy:

Database Assisted

Spectrum Sharing to

enable TVWS

broadband networks.

Reconfigurable Radio

Devices & Interference

mitigation for Co-

existence WSD, PMSE

Spectrum Toolboxes

FutureWirelessNetworks

A TVWS Eco-system & DSS Regulation

https://www.icasa.org.za/uploads/files/Regulations-on-the-use-of-Television-White-Spaces-2018.pdf

CSIR Supporting ICASA &

Global Regulators:

ICASA DSS Regulation :

March 2018:

National Regulatory Authority

Private GLSD Service Providers

Reconfigurable WS Network Devices

WS Network Admin & WISP Providers

Supporting Telecom Regulators on DSS Policy:

Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) Technical Regulation Tutorial (GWS-2017)

Resource Constrained Telecom Regulatory Authorities.

Smart Spectrum Sharing: Changing Spectrum Scarcity to Abundance.

Spectrum Toolboxes for Interference Avoidance & Co-existence.

Harmonisation of DSS rules along country boundaries and ITU standards.

TVWS Technology Standards : IEEE 802.11xx, ETSI-WSR,

How to Avoid Roadblocks by Incumbents & Meet the Affordable Broadband Need

Future Wireless Spectrum Resource Management & Cognitive Radio Systems

Spectrum Sharing in Future Wireless Networks

• “What happens when hundreds of radios, each with their own waveforms,signal processing and distinct decision-making engines, occupy the samespectrum?”……… DARPA SC2 Challenge

• A question suitable to solve for AI & Machine learning techniques.

• Re-imagining the Spectrum Landscape without predetermined “Lanes”through using Machine learning, AI and Software Defined Radio (SDR)Technologies.

• Radio systems autonomously and collaboratively self-organize, self-govern and self-optimize the spectrum’s usage.

Conclusion & Summary

• TVWS broadband networks can complement existing mobile & wirelessnetworks to provide affordable broadband to underserved regions.

• TVWS is the first phase of a flexible and smart spectrum sharing wirelessnetworks to come.

• Dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) & regulatory toolboxes are maturing andnumber of standards are emerging.

• CSIR is ready to support global telecom regulators in addressing theregulatory bottleneck associated with DSS & TVWS.

• Intensive R&D in AI, machine learning, SDRs in Future Wireless Networks.

There Are NO Passengers In the Space Ship Earth ;

We are all Crews !....M. Mcluhan

Gracias ,…Thank You,…Ndiabulela,…Ameseginalehu

fmekuria@csir.co.za