National Institute of Communication Finance

30th April 2013(T K Varada Krishnan, Consultant, WPC Wing)

Outline of Presentation

• Radio Frequency Spectrum• What is Spectrum Management• Spectrum Management Process• Radiocommunication Services• Frequency Bands for certain Radio Services• Frequency Bands for 2G & 3G technologies (as

per NFAP)• Frequency Bands for IMT• Digital Dividend• Spectrum Re-farming• Spectrum Efficiency

Radio Frequency Spectrum

• Radio Frequency Spectrum (RFS) and associated satellite orbits, including Geostationary-Satellite Orbit (GSO) are limited natural resources.

• Radio waves are defined as electromagnetic waves of frequencies arbitrarily from 9 kHz to 275 GHz, propagated in space without artificial guide.

• Radio frequency waves do not respect geographical boundary, and these cannot be confined to national boundaries.

• Radio waves are susceptible to harmful interference and requires application of complex engineering tools to ensure interference-free operation of various wireless networks.

Radio Frequency Spectrumcontinued…

• This natural resource is used and not consumed;

• It is wasted if not used or if not used optimally and efficiently.

• Available universally and uniformly to the whole mankind.

• Radio Frequency Spectrum and Geostationary Satellite Orbit must be used efficiently, optimally, rationally and economically in conformity with the provisions of the national law and international treaty.

Radio Frequency Spectrumcontinued…

• The limitation of radio frequency spectrum is mainly due to the following:

• Propagation characteristics of radio waves• Availability of technology and equipment for

different applications• Suitability of frequency bands for specific

applications.• Demands on spectrum have always been more

than its availability.

Radio Frequency Spectrumcontinued…

• The utilisation of radio frequency spectrum is governed by international treaties, namely, the Constitution, the Convention and the Radio Regulations of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as well as by the bilateral agreements between two countries.

• All frequency bands are available for use in all countries, including India, in accordance with international table of Frequency allocations and associated radio regulatory provisions.

• National Frequency Allocation Plan forms the basis for development, manufacturing and spectrum utilisation activities in the country.

What is Spectrum Management

• Combination of administrative, scientific and technical procedures to ensure efficient operation of the various radiocommunication services without causing harmful interference.

• It has national and international aspects.

Spectrum Management Process Spectrum planning

Allocation (“Band Plan”) Table of Frequency Allocations

Spectrum engineering Modeling of propagation patterns

Spectrum Authorisation Assignment (“Spectrum licensing”)

“First come, first served”, beauty contest, lotteries, auctions

Spectrum monitoring and enforcement Type approval of equipment Detection of illegal or wrongful use of frequencies or

equipment Enforcement of regulations & licence conditions

Spectrum Planning

Spectrum planning involves the allocation of portions of the frequency spectrum to specified uses in accordance with international agreements, technical characteristics and potential use of different parts of the spectrum, and national priorities and policies.

Spectrum Engineering

Spectrum engineering involves the development of electromagnetic compatibility standards for equipment that emits or is susceptible to radio frequencies.

Spectrum Authorisation

• Spectrum authorization involves granting access under certain specified conditions to the spectrum resource by various types of radio communication equipment and the

certification of radio operators.

Spectrum Monitoring

• Spectrum monitoring and compliance involves the monitoring of the use of the radio spectrum and the implementation of measures to control unauthorized use.

Allocation

Allocation (of a frequency band):  

Allocations are entries in a table of frequency allocations which sets out the use of a given frequency band for use by one or more radiocommunication services. An allocation then is a distribution of frequencies to radio services.

AllotmentAllotment (of a radio frequency or radio frequency

channel):  

Allotments are entries for designated channels in a plan for use by one or more countries in those countries or within designated areas for a radiocommunication service under specified conditions. An allotment then is a distribution of frequencies to geographical areas or countries.

Assignment

Assignment (of a radio frequency or radio frequency

channel):  

Assignments are authorizations given to radio stations to use radio frequencies or radio frequency channels under specified conditions. An assignment then is a distribution of a frequency or frequencies to a given radio station.

Assignment• It is done to the end user based on their

requests• It contains technical parameters like

frequency spots, bandwidth, RF Power, Antenna gain, Azimuth, locations, and time of operations

• It requires technical examination which includes RR, Existing assignment (NFR), characteristics of proposed Tx/Rx, etc

• EMC analysis is done using the radio propagation models as per ITU before arriving at actual frequency assignment

Radiocommunication Services

• There are forty different types of radiocommunication services, defined in the ITU’s Radio Regulations.

• Some of the radio services, among others, are as given below:

o FIXED SERVICE o MOBILE SERVICEo FIXED SATELLITE SERVICE o MOBILE SATELLITE SERVICEo MARITIME MOBILE SERVICE o MARITIME MOBILE SATELLITE SERVICEo AERONAUTICAL MOBILE SERVICE o SHIP MOVEMENT SERVICEo AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R) SERVICE o AERO-MOBILE SATELLITE SERVICEo BROADCASTING SERVICE o BROADCASTING SATELLITE SERVICEo RADIOLOCATION SERVICE o RADIOLOCATION SATELLITE SERVICEo RADIONAVIGATION SERVICE o RADIONAVIGATION SATELLITE SERVICEo METEOROLOGICAL AIDS SERVICE o EARTH EXPLORATION SATELLITE o AMATEUR SERVICE o RADIO ASTRONOMY SERVICEo SAFETY SERVICE o STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME

SIGNAL SERVICE

Frequency Bands for certain Radio Services

• Some of the typical frequency bands for certain Radio Services are as below:

Radio Service Frequency Bands

Radionavigation 9 – 14 kHz

Mobile (Distress & Calling) 495 – 505 kHz

Broadcasting 535 -1605.5 kHz

Maritime Mobile 2065 – 2107 kHz2170 – 2173.5 kHz2190.5 – 2194 kHz

Amateur & Amateur Satellite 7000 – 7100 kHz18068 – 18168 kHz

Frequency Bands for certain Radio Services

continued

Radio Service Frequency Bands

Fixed, Mobile, BroadcastingRadio Astronomy

610 – 806 MHz

Mobile, Fixed, BroadcastingMobile Satellite

890 - 960 MHz942 – 960 MHz

Radiolocation 1350 – 1400 MHz

Mobile Satellite (s-E) 1535 – 1559 MHz

Mobile, Fixed, Space Operation, Space Research

1710 - 1930 MHz

Fixed, Fixed Satellite (s-E), Mobile 3700 - 4200 MHz

Frequency Allocations For Satellite Services

FIXED SATELLITE SERVICE (FSS)

5925-6425 MHz FOR UP-LINK(C-BAND)3700-4200 MHz FOR DOWNLINK( C BAND)6725-7075 MHz FOR UPLINK (UPPER EXT C)4500-4800 MHz FOR DOWNLINK(UPPER EXT C)6425-6725 MHz FOR UPLINK (LOWER EXT-C)3400-3700 MHz FOR DOWNLINK( LOWER EXT-C)

10.95 - 11.2 GHz (down-links) 11.45 - 11.7 GHz (down-links)

11.7 - 12.2 GHz (down-links) (Region 2 only)12.5 - 12.75 GHz (down-links) (Region 1 only)

14.0 - 14.5 GHz (up-links)

17.7 - 21.2 GHz (down-links) 27.5 - 31.0 GHz (up-links)

Frequency Bands for IMT

The WARC-92 and the WRC-2000 identified certain frequency bands for implementation of IMT-2000 ( now known as IMT)

806-960 MHz1710-1885 MHz1885-2025 paired with 2110-2200 MHz2500-2690 MHz

• Further, the WRC-07 identified certain additional frequency bands for implementation of IMT

450-470 MHz698-806 MHz2300-2400 MHz3400-3600 MHz

Spectrum Allocations in India-NFAP 2002*

(MHz)

GSM/CDMA

CDMA824 869844

Mobile Transmit800 960 22001710

1880 1710 1785 1805

2110-2170

1920-1980

1880 1910

889

GSM 890 915 935

* Under Revision

Cor-DECT(TDD)

IMT 2000(3G)

PCS CDMA

1900

1850-1910 1930-1990

960

Digital dividend after digital television transition

• The digital dividend refers to the spectrum which is released in the process of digital television transition. When television broadcasters switch from analog platforms to digital only platforms, part of the electromagnetic spectrum that has been used for broadcasting will be freed up because digital television needs less spectrum than analog television.

Digital dividend after digital television transition

• The digital dividend usually locates at frequency bands from 174 to 230 MHz (VHF) and from 470 to 862 MHz (UHF). However, the location and size of digital dividend vary among countries due to the factors including geographical position and penetration of satellite/cable services.

Spectrum Re-farming

One of the biggest planning challenges facing spectrum managers is the reallocation of spectrum. When frequencies have been used for one purpose, perhaps for decades, it is often difficult to reallocate these frequencies for a different use. The need for reallocation – often known as refarming - can arise in several ways:

Spectrum Re-farming• The international table of frequency

allocations may have changed and the national table of frequency allocations must be realigned to remain consistent with it;

• A radio service may not have developed as expected;

• New technologies are made available that are more spectrum-efficient, allowing spectrum to be freed up either for the same use in that band or other uses.

Spectrum Re-farming

Spectrum refarming may be seen as process constituting any basic change in conditions of frequency usage in a given part of radio spectrum. Such basic changes might be:

• Change of technical conditions for frequency assignments;

• Change of application (particular radiocommunication system using the band);

• Change of allocation to a different radiocommunication service.

Spectrum Refarming: Roll-out 3G services on 2G spectrum

Recently European Union officially ratified the updated GSM Directive which allows 900MHz frequency to be used for 3G and eventually 4G. This means governments across the region will now be obliged to allow operators to use 900 MHz spectrum band to roll out 3G and other high-speed technologies. The usual spectrum band for 3G services is 2.1 GHz but many operators are planning to use the existing 2G spectrum (850 MHz and 900 MHz) for 3G services.

Spectrum Re-farming Fund

who pays for the costs of transitioning existing users to new frequencies.

• the user to absorb the cost. • the beneficiaries of the change are either

invited or required to reimburse all or part of the transition costs of the incumbent user.

• to establish a refarming fund by setting aside a portion of spectrum revenues where funds come from either general taxation revenues,

• a combination of above.

Spectrum Efficiency

One radiocommunication system is more "spectrum efficient" than another if it conveys the desired information using less of the spectrum resource.

Spectrum Efficiency• In this broader sense, spectrum is not used

efficiently when systems are not packed together as tightly as possible in frequency bands (as when excessive guard bands are used), or when portions of frequency bands are unused while other bands with similar physical characteristics are congested.

• The allocation of frequency bands, the development of channeling plans, and the assignment of frequencies to specific systems all affect spectrum efficiency.

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