Day 1 C2C Summit July 2016; Is Africa Spectrum Ready for 4G and 5G by ATU

1. Is Africa Spectrum Ready for 4G and 5G?
(The Spectrum Factor in Affordable (Broadband ) Infrastructure Development)
a presentation to the 4th C2C Summit, Sheraton Hotel, Pretoria, South Africa, on 19 – 21 July 2016
Kezias MWALE
Radiocommunications Coordinator
k.mwale@atu-uat.org
www.atu-uat.org
Slide 1 of 11July 2016

2. 1. Why spectrum is particularly important in Africa
2. Current spectrum outlook, 2016 (post WRC-15)
3. Medium term spectrum - 2020 to 2023 (post WRC-19)
4. Is Africa spectrum ready for 4G and 5G?
5. Some challenges that remain in broadband development
6. Recommendations
7. Summary
Slide 2 of 11July 2016

3. 1. Vast landmass and vast population distribution – Tokyo has the population of the
entire Zambia (344 times the size of Tokyo)
2. Limited development of fixed broadband even in the medium term
3. Wireless platforms are faster to deploy and more affordable – think limited
financing, faster to market and lower incomes.
4. Much of the economy activity (not necessarily volume) is “on-the-go”
implied by the informal sector huge employment figures – ILO estimates that
about 80% is informal sector employment – a typical case of Kenya
5. Current infrastructure and general setups favor wireless platforms – more
unplanned settlements/setups than in developed countries.
Slide 3 of 11July 2016

4. Slide 4 of 11July 2016
 Mobile  Satellite
Band (MHz)
Bandwidth
(MHz)
450 470 20
694 960 266
1,427 1,518 91
1,710 2,025 315
2,110 2,200 90
2,300 2,400 100
2,500 2,690 190
3,300 3,400 100
3,400 3,600 200
Total 1,372
Band Band (GHz)
Bandwidth
(GHz)
C-band 3.6 – 4.2 5.850 – 6.425 1.175
Ku-band
11.45 – 11.7
12.5 – 12.75
14 – 14.5 1
Ka-band 17.7 – 21.2 27.5 – 31 7
Q/V
band
37.5 – 42.5
47.2 – 50.2
50.4 – 51.4
9
Total 18.175
The 1372MHz is within the IMT spectrum
requirement estimate of 1340-1960 MHz
by year 2020, thanks to the work of African
countries via the ATU platform
(ITU-R Report M.2290)

5. Slide 5 of 11July 2016
 Mobile (potential addition at WRC-19)  Satellite (potential addition at WRC-19)
Band (MHz) Bandwidth (MHz)
24.3 27.5 3,250
31.8 33.4 1,600
37 43.5 6,500
45.5 50.2 4,700
50.4 52.6 2,200
66 76 10,000
81 86 5,000
33,250
Balance brought forward 1,372
Total
???, but certainly
enough
Band
name
Band (GHz) Bandwidth
(GHz)
V
band 51.4 52.4
1
Balance brought forward 19.175
Total
???, but
certainly enough
and meeting the
>1GHz
contiguous
spectrum
requirement
Via the ATU platform, Africa will
ensure ample spectrum for 5G (and
beyond). Already, preparations are
underway for WRC-19

6. 1. Satellite spectrum: the main quest is introduction of non-GSO satellite in the existing GSO spectrum
2. New satellite systems: Dense (mesh-type) LEO satellite systems to play an enhanced complimentary role to
mobile
3. Second Digital Dividend (694 – 790): Africa was the first region to complete modification of the GE06 to cater
for DD2: today, DD2 is usable;
4. Equal goodwill towards mobile and satellite: Africa passionately defended the core C-band satellite
spectrum, while availing 3300-3400MHz and the L-band (1427-1518MHz) as ‘soft compassion’ for the
Europe’s identification of 3600-3800MHz;
5. Allocation not bottleneck: African countries have delivered in terms of allocating spectrum sought the ICT
industry – industry crucial to development use technicalities such as channeling;
6. Spectrum utilization: Spectrum utilization is very low in the majority of countries;
7. Contiguous spectrum: Larger portions of contiguous spectrum portions crucial for both mobile (>400MHz)
and satellite (>1GHz) 5G systems
Slide 6 of 11July 2016

7. Considering:
• the goodwill of countries towards making spectrum available (and protecting) for
ICTs (mobile and satellite including 4/5G spectrum), as evidenced by the outcomes
of WRC-07, 12 and 15, and now the potential bands at WRC-19; and
• current utilization level of the available spectrum;
while notwithstanding:
• usage technicalities that need to be defined in some bands (the L-band and 3300-
3400MHz) such as channeling plans;
it is fair to conclude that Africa is spectrum ready for 4/5G: in other words spectrum
will not be the bottleneck!
July 2016 Slide 7 of 11

8. 1. Holistically poor investment climate
1.1 Legal (e.g. rule of law (the Zambian case), justice systems, licensing frameworks)
1.2 Corruption
1.3 Infrastructure
1.4 Market structures (e.g. dominance, regional single/common markets)
1.5 Financials (e.g. repatriation of profits, financing, stock markets)
1.6 Civil instabilities in some countries
1.7 Content – limiting the growth of data consumption which is the new business model for broadband
2. Consumer side challenges
2.1 Cost of broadband enabled devices (smartphones)
2.2 Personal identification and traceability – limits device loan schemes and mobile money
2.3 Low or no incomes – limits what can be spent on broadband even when broadband is key to improving incomes
3. Operator side challenges
3.1 Poor service – limits repeat business – a fundamental aspect of broadband business
July 2016 Slide 8 of 11

9. 1. Private sector to take a more active role in development of spectrum use technicalities
notably channelization via the ATU platform;
2. Operators need to use the available spectrum by undertaking appropriate investments
while maintaining prudence in spectrum use to foster goodwill towards identification of
additional spectrum in future;
3. Countries ought to hasten steps to improving investment climate holistically (e.g. legal,
infrastructure, market structures, financials, resource availability including spectrum,
etc);
July 2016 Slide 9 of 11

10. 1. For the foreseeable future, spectrum will remain an important element for (affordable)
broadband (particularly mobile) development in Africa;
2. Spectrum administrators (countries) in Africa have done their utmost to making the region
spectrum ready for 4G and 5G by identification of the sought spectrum via the ITU process,
notably at WRC-07, WRC-12, and WRC-15, (and certainly at WRC-19);
3. In the majority of countries, much of the spectrum still remains used or underutilized – this
needs to change so as not to damage goodwill towards identification of more spectrum;
4. There is need for private sector to take a more active role in development of spectrum use
technicalities notably channelization;
5. While spectrum in clearly NOT the bottleneck, other bottlenecks remain notably poor
investment climate (e.g. legal, infrastructure, market structures, etc)
July 2016 Slide 10 of 11

11. thank you!
Slide 11 of 11
Kezias MWALE
Radiocommunications Coordinator
k.mwale@atu-uat.org
www.atu-uat.org
July 2016