November 2010 PDF edition

Our lead story this month is the mounting pressure on US broadcasters to hold "incentive auctions" i.e. to auction off spectrum holdings in return for a share of the profits. The FCC believes this could free-up some of the frequencies need to deal with the mobile data "capacity crunch".

We also consider the implications of the elections for senior figures in the ITU.

The full contents list for the November issue of PolicyTracker is below and it is available for download here:

https://www.policytracker.com/Back%20issues/PT%20Nov%2010.pdf

POLICYTRACKER NOVEMBER 2010

CONTENTS

3

High Tech Spectrum Coalition pushes for incentive auctions

4

ITU elects leaders for next four years

BR should not be seen as a miracle worker

8

CEPT white space report says sensing not essential

10

Qualcomm announces chipset for digital wireless mic

11

Clearwire said to be selling 4G spectrum for $5 billion

12

New research confirms cable industry's LTE fears

13

Ofcom leans towards 2.6 GHz band for Games use before commercial release

14

LTE-Advanced frequency arrangements and specs move forward for 3.4 GHz bands

15

Latin America gears up to address the digital dividend

16

IMT in extended C-band still in question following WRC-07

18

Ofcom to cut budget by 28 per cent

19

Consultations

20

Australia consults on digital dividend

Ofcom advises urgent refarming of GSM spectrum for 3G

UK regulator Ofcom has had a significant change of heart on the competitive issues related to allowing operators to refarm their 900 MHz spectrum, and has now advised the British government to allow it as quickly as possible.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/ofcom-advises-urgent-refarming-of-gsm-spectrum-for-3g

Is spectrum harmonisation the solution for wireless mics?

Brussels thinks a harmonised band could help the PMSE sector through the digital dividend transition. But is there a suitable band?

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/is-spectrum-harmonisation-the-solution-for-wireless-microphones

Qualcomm announces chipset for digital wireless mic

Qualcomm says it has developed a chipset for an advanced digital wireless microphone with much greater spectrum efficiency than current analogue models. However, industry experts are sceptical about its likely power consumption. 

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/qualcomm-announces-chipset-for-digital-wireless-mic

IMT-Advanced 4G specs on track for approval

Participants in the ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) have cleared the way for a final push to complete 3GPP's LTE-Advanced and an IEEE 802.16m WiMAX variant technology called "WirelessMAN-Advanced" as international 4G technologies. 

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/imt-advanced-4g-specs-on-track-for-approval

US spectrum experts favour incentive auctions

The US is facing a spectrum crunch and incentive auctions can help close the gap between spectrum availability and the booming demand for new mobile services, speakers said at an October 21 workshop organised by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The devil, as always, is in the detail. 

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/us-spectrum-experts-favour-incentive-auctions

Ofcom to cut budget by 28 per cent

UK regulator Ofcom has revealed that it will reduce its budget by £30 million over the next five years, losing almost one fifth of its employees in the process.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/ofcom-to-cut-budget-by-28-per-cent

Irish regulator wants joint 800/900 MHz auction in early 2011

Irish regulator ComReg has rethought its position on how best to handle redistribution of the 800 and 900 MHz bands and is now proposing a single award process in the form of a joint auction, to be held in 2011, rather than awarding the bands in isolation. 

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/ireland2019s-comreg-in-favour-of-joint-800-900-mhz-auction-in-early-2011

Australia consults on digital dividend

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has published a 60-page discussion paper on its initial plans for allocating the digital dividend following the switch from analogue to digital broadcasting. 

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/australia-consults-on-digital-dividend

Ofcom leans towards 2.6 GHz band for Games use before commercial release

UK regulator Ofcom has published an update to its "evolving" spectrum plan for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games, including responses to its consultation on reserving use of the 2.6 GHz band for the event.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/ofcom-leans-towards-2.6-ghz-band-for-games-use-before-commercial-release

New research confirms cable industry's LTE interference fears

Not only is the issue of potential interference by new mobile services with cable and programme-making and special events (PMSE) equipment in the digital dividend band unresolved, a new study has found additional cause for concern from LTE base stations. 

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/new-research-confirms-cable-industrys-lte-interference-fears

Clearwire said to be selling chunk of 4G spectrum for $5 billion

The US telecoms industry is awash with rumours suggesting that national WiMAX operator Clearwire has launched a private auction of its excess 2.6 GHz spectrum.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/clearwire-said-to-be-selling-chunk-of-4g-spectrum-for-5-billion

Latin America gears up to address the digital dividend

An announcement by Mexican President Felipe Calderón that the 700 MHz band could be licensed in 2012, bringing the switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting forward six years from 2021 to 2015, is set to stimulate new debate on the digital dividend in Latin America. 

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/latin-america-gears-up-to-address-the-digital-dividend

Danes cancel auction and award licences to Hi3G

Having only received one application for a new national 900 MHz licence and one for a new 1800 MHz licence, the Danish regulator has cancelled a proposed auction of the refarmed spectrum and awarded the licences to the sole applicant.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/danes-cancel-auction-and-award-licences-to-hi3g

ITU elects leaders for next four years

ITU member countries elected two new top officials and re-elected several incumbents during an October quadrennial policy setting conference. They also elected members of the Radio Regulations Board and the 48 countries for the ITU Council.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/itu-elects-leaders-for-next-four-years

IMT in extended C-band still a question mark following WRC-07 decision

More momentum and work will be needed before International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) in the extended C-band becomes widespread technology, executives told PolicyTracker.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/imt-in-extended-c-band-still-a-question-mark-following-wrc-07-decision

High Tech Spectrum Coalition pushes for incentive auctions

Four US technology trade groups have joined forces to lobby Congress for voluntary spectrum incentive auctions. 

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/high-tech-spectrum-coalition-pushes-for-incentive-auctions

LTE-Advanced frequency arrangements and specs move forward for 3.4 GHz bands

A last flurry of work in the next few months will focus on completing industry specifications for use of sizeable chunks of the 3.4 - 3.8 GHz bands by 3G or 4G networks.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/lte-advanced-frequency-arrangements-and-specs-move-forward-for-3.4-ghz-bands

Tough negotiations expected for satellite and mobile issues at WRC-12

The outlines of the issues that will be addressed at the 2012 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12) got clearer recently with the release of 500 pages of draft text for the report that will guide the conference. The report will be finalised during a 10-day meeting in February.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/tough-negotiations-expected-for-satellite-and-mobile-issues-at-wrc-12

CEPT white space report says sensing not essential

Geo-location databases are necessary for white space devices in TV broadcast spectrum but sensing is not, the CEPT SE43 working group says in a draft report on technical and operational requirements for the possible operation of cognitive radio systems in the 470 - 790 MHz band.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/se43-working-group-says-sensing-not-essential-for-white-space-devices

EC workshop to assess PMSE requirements

The European Commission begins work this month on a long-term approach to spectrum coordination for the programme-making and special events (PMSE) sector.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/ec-workshop-to-assess-pmse-requirements

Download the October issue of PolicyTracker here:

https://www.policytracker.com/Back issues/PT-Oct-2010.pdf

October 2010 PDF edition

Our lead story this month is the European Commission's spectrum policy manifesto for the next five years. This makes broadband rollout the top priority, requiring governments to encourage rural deployment, open up the use of 900 and 1800 MHz and give operators access to 10 MHz of contiguous spectrum.

The special report this month examines the wide array of bands where LTE is deployed and considers the implications for spectrum policy. 

The full contents list for the October issue of PolicyTracker is below and it is available for download here:

https://www.policytracker.com/Back%20issues/PT-Oct-2010.pdf

François Rancy: BR should not be seen as a miracle maker

Countries will elect the ITU's top five management posts, 12 members of the Radio Regulations Board and members of Council next week during a policy setting conference. Two of the candidates for director of the Radiocommunication Bureau (BR), Fabio Leite and François Rancy, have answered some questions via email for PolicyTracker. In this article, we provide the responses from François Rancy.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/francois-rancy-global-knowledge-based-society-must-encompass-all-countries

Fabio Leite: time for ITU to give substance to new endeavours

Countries will elect the ITU's top five management posts, 12 members of the Radio Regulations Board and members of Council next week during a policy setting conference. Two of the candidates for director of the Radiocommunication Bureau (BR), Fabio Leite and François Rancy, have answered some questions via email for PolicyTracker. In this article, we provide the responses from Fabio Leite.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/fabio-leite-time-for-itu-to-give-substance-to-new-endeavours