Telecommunications Spectrum Policy and Planning
Regional Workshop on Efficiency of the Frequency Spectrum Use in the Arab Region
5 – 7 December 2011
Mohamed Mahmood
Technical & Operations Director
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA)
mtayeb@tra.org.bh
Agenda
1
Telecommunications Spectrum Policy and Planning issued in June 2006
2
National Spectrum Planning and Allocation Policy issued in October 2008
3
Next steps
1
We developed the full spectrum policy over 9 months
1
Designing guidelines for
spectrum policy
•
•
•
•
•
Existing allocation and
procedures
Future demand based
on new users and
technologies
Key issues, constraints
and spectrum conflicts
Best practices in other
markets
Policy framework
June ’06
publication
Nov ’05
consultation
Aug ’05
start
2
•
•
Public
Consultation
Consultation document
drafting and publication
High success and
response rate from a
variety of stakeholders
from Bahrain and
overseas: government,
equipment
manufacturers, telcos,
ISPs etc
3
Drafting
frequency
policy
4
•
Review of the responses
•
•
Drafting and publication
of national spectrum
policy plan
– included number of
licences by band,
licensing award
mechanism, new
spectrum pricing etc
•
•
Ongoing
Execution of
policy
New licences granted:
• Two licenses in
the band 3.4 –
3.6 GHz
• Mobile licence to
STC (VIVA)
Process for introducing
new technologies :
• One licence in
the GSM 1800
Guard band
New licensing regimes
(light licensing) – 2.4
GHz and 5 GHz
1
Execution of the 2006 policy
Execution of policy
Spectrum bands
3.4 – 3.6
GHz
900, 1800,
2100 MHz
1785 –
1805 MHz
2
1
1
Zain Bahrain, BD 5.5 Million
Mena Telecom, BD 5.5 Million
(Auction in Dec 2006)
VIVA Bahrain, BD 84 Million
(Auction in March 2009)
Bahrain Broadband
BD 50,000
(Auction in July 2009)
2.4 & 5
GHz
light licensing regime
– free, available to all
2
National Spectrum Planning and Allocation Policy issued in
October 2008
International
Cooperation
Planning and
Allocation
Spectrum
Charges and Fees
National
Spectrum
and
Allocation
Policy
Spectrum
Engineering
Frequency
Assignment
Monitoring,
Enforcement and
Control
Radio
communications
Licensing
2
Planning and Allocation
• Creation of Spectrum Strategy and
Coordination Committee (SSCC)
• An updated National Frequency Plan
for the Kingdom of Bahrain in May
2009
International Cooperation
• Creation of International Panning
Group under the SSCC (i.e. WRC)
• Initial positions of the Kingdom of
Bahrain on WRC-12 agenda items
2
Objectives of the SSCC
• Responsible for providing views and
advices on topics related to national,
regional and international radio
spectrum
• Has members from the TRA, security
agencies, Civil Aviation Affairs, Sea
Ports and Information Affairs
Authority.
2
Work on LTE
• Creation of LTE Working Group under the
SSCC, chaired by TRA Bahrain
• Review LTE requirements
• Determine the spectrum availability
• Review existing systems operating in the
‘preferred’ international LTE bands
• Review possible alternatives as well as the
optimum means and time scale for
migration
• Consider the development of LTE-Advanced
systems
3
Next Steps: TRA issued a major spectrum management
consultation document in December 2009
Dec ’09
1
Feb ’ 2010
2
Public Consultation
•
•
•
•
•
•
Current and future
requirements
Spectrum management
Spectrum rights and
licensing
Migration
Financial compensations
Examples:
• Digital dividend
• 790 – 862 MHz
• 2.3 GHz
• 2.6 GHz
•
•
•
•
•
14 responses
received
Mobile operators in
Bahrain
Two international
Satellite Operators
International Trade
Association
National Association
Manufacturing industry
4
3
Next steps
•
Review the responses
•
Issue a report on the
Reponses
•
Draft “SPECTRUM
RELEASE PLAN” will be
prepared and then
discussed at the SSCC
level.
Expected
outcomes
•
MIGRATION and
COMPENSATION
regimes
•
SPECTRUM RELEASE
PLAN
• Frequency bands
• Timeframe
• Licensing
mechanism
TRA
Office Tel. 17 52 0000
Consumer Line 80088888
www.tra.org.bh
mtayeb@tra.org.bh