The APT Frequency Arrangement in the 700 MHz: Reflections on the International Spectrum Management Regime

Abstract

Following WRC-12, discussions have emerged with regard to the frequency arrangements in the 700 MHz band, out of band emissions (OOBE) of the mobile terminals below 694 MHz considering the allocation of the 694-790 MHz band to the mobile service. These discussions have shown that there is a tendency to partially harmonise with the APT plan and to adopt APT OOBE values. This reflects the emerging approach of countries in Regions 1 and 2 that are aligning themselves with Region 3 to lower the cost of end user equipment. Countries such as Australia and New Zealand are leading the discussion in Region 3. The 700 MHz issue has revealed that the ITU-R decision making procedures are mostly based upon consensus with the possibility of few countries blocking the discussion. Moreover, it suggests that there is a need to revise the current ITU-R structure of three regions.

Bribery and corruption in telecommunications – the case of Nigeria

“…The ITU World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC) unexpectedly changed the 700 MHz band from being exclusively for broadcasting to a shared assignment with mobile telecommunications (El-Moghazi et al , 2016). In the closing days of the Jonathan Administration, MTN was the sole bidder for a large part of these frequencies, paying NGN 34bn to the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) (Adepoju, 2015; Garba and Adepetun, 2015).…”

Radio spectrum regulation as a matter of international affairs: discussing the effectiveness of the European Union at World Radiocommunication Conferences

“…For this reason, they established their own regional organisations to discuss and coordinate their views on radio spectrum use. Agreeing on common positions prior to WRCs has given them the power to make their voices heard at WRCs and succeed in promoting their objectives (El-Moghazi et al , 2016; Manner, 2003; Soliman, 2010).…”

“…This paper builds on existing studies on international radio spectrum regulation, which ascertains that the urge of developing countries to promote their own interests related to mobile communications recently challenged the historical leading role of European countries in the ITU (El-Moghazi et al , 2014, 2016, 2017). Preceding WRCs, held in 2000 and 2003, had been considered particularly successful by European countries, which sought and obtained allocation of additional spectrum to be used for the third generation of mobile cellular technology (EC, 2000; EU, 2003).…”