Opening Spectrum

25.03.09

What is Spectrum?

The range of radio frequencies used in wireless broadcast and communication

But. Not all spectrum is created equal

But why regulate spectrum?

Spectrum is regulated to prevent interference among spectrum users.

But what kind

of a thing is

spectrum?

Should it be

regulated...

...like the sky?

...like the ocean?

In general

we manage

spectrum like

real estate.

Imagine a conference centre..

..where each room might correspond to a spectrum band.

Or many conference centres...

Johannesburg Cape Town

Durban

Access to any conference room A anywhere, anytime.

Johannesburg Cape Town

Durban

Spectrum is allocated like slices of a pie.

Johannesburg Cape Town

Durban

Guard bands...

Johannesburg Cape Town

Durban

ISM Band Spectrum

Johannesburg Cape Town

Durban

Which was fine...Which was fine...

...until the explosive growth of...until the explosive growth of

InternetInternet MobileMobile

...until the explosive growth of...until the explosive growth of

InternetInternet MobileMobile

So what needs to happen?

1) Independent spectrum audit1) Independent spectrum audit

1) Independent spectrum audit1) Independent spectrum audit

“According to the best

available data, at any

one place and any one

time in the U.S. it is

likely that less than

10% of available

spectrum is in use.”

- Sascha Meinrath, New America

Foundation

A recent spectrum

audit of Dublin,

Ireland showed that

only 14% of

available spectrum

was in use.- Irish Communications

Market: Key Data Report

2) Standards for transparency 2) Standards for transparency in spectrum auctionsin spectrum auctions

2) Standards for transparency 2) Standards for transparency in spectrum auctionsin spectrum auctions

Recent spectrum

auction in the United

States of the 700Mhz

band resulted in 20

billion USD revenue

for government.

2) Standards for transparency 2) Standards for transparency in spectrum auctionsin spectrum auctions

Recent spectrum

auction in the United

States of the 700Mhz

band resulted in 20

billion USD revenue

for government.

Without good

governance, natural

resource wealth turns

out to be worse for

poor countries than if

they hadn’t had those

resources at all.

- Paul Collier – The Bottom Billion

3) Start sharing spectrum3) Start sharing spectrum

3) Start sharing spectrum3) Start sharing spectrum

Nov 4, 2008 –

Unlicensed use of

Television White

Spaces spectrum

approved in the

United States

3) Start sharing spectrum3) Start sharing spectrum

Nov 4, 2008 –

Unlicensed use of

Television White

Spaces spectrum

approved in the

United StatesSept 26, 2008 –

802.11y-2008 “lite

licensing” standard

approved by the

IEEE

Technology is often a Technology is often a better regulator than better regulator than

bureacracybureacracy

The Role of Industry

Television White SpacesUse of television guard bandsDigital dividend spectrumSerendipitous re-use

What's missing?

You!

802.11y “lite

licensing”

Opportunities in South Africa

TelevisionWhite

Spaces

Digital Dividend Spectrum

So instead of this...

Johannesburg Cape Town

Durban

Let's have this

Johannesburg Cape Town

Durban

1) Independent spectrum audit

2) Transparency in spectrum auctions

3) Start sharing spectrum

Summary

Creative Commons

Sky by Robin Jaffrayhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/robinj/2934399671/

Hand Holding a Mobile Phone by WhiteAfricanhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/whiteafrican/2736565604/

We share this... by Miguel Ramirezhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/ibizadj/323305938/

Bureaucracy by BostonBillhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/8533266@N04/1296614397/

Other photos courtesy of http://www.istockphoto.com

King Farouk in the inauguration of the international telecommunications congress 1938 by KodakAgfahttp://www.flickr.com/photos/96884693@N00/1509615338/

Steve Songemail: steve.song@shuttleworthfoundation.orgblog: http://manypossibilities.net

skype: steve_l_songtwitter: stevesong