Spectrum Management

Effective regulation enables broad coverage and efficient use of spectrum, promotes innovation, eliminates interference, and maximizes the social benefit.

Radio spectrum is of increasing importance in the global economy, and plays a critical role for many industries, including: broadcasting, mobile telecommunications, aviation, public safety, transportation and defense.  Both developed and emerging nations are exploring opportunities to expand broadband coverage to increase their competitiveness, and regulators are struggling to identify and manage spectrum to meet increased demands.

There is a shortage of available frequencies in many countries, and spectrum below 1GHz is particularly scarce.  This has led to the development of procedures and regulations for distributing and managing spectrum, in order to ensure that spectrum is distributed efficiently and to provide the greatest public welfare.
Computech has been involved with spectrum management for 17 years and we have been engaged in a wide range of projects.  In order to provide the broadest range of spectrum management services, we have also established partnerships with leading economic consultants and created a team with a full range of spectrum management capabilities.  Our clients have found this attractive, because Computech is able to identify the best-suited partner to augment its staff, based on the project scope and regional expertise needed for successful project completion.

Computech and its partners offer a full range of spectrum management consulting services:

Spectrum Strategy

Spectrum management starts with a thorough understanding of current spectrum utilization and the development of a strategy to liberalize a nation’s spectrum assets.  A proliferation of wireless technologies has created the need for further coordination with broadcasters and mobile operators, in order to improve spectrum availability in the most desirable bands.  Deliverables include-

• Plans to support the allocation of the digital dividend and other re-allocation strategies
• Development of rural broadband plans
• Assessing the efficient use of public sector spectrum
• Development of spectrum trading and migration recommendations
• Conducting inventories and producing spectrum dashboards
• Creation of band allocation plans
• Suggestions related to license band plan structure

Spectrum Pricing

Proper pricing is an important aspect of encouraging the most economically productive use of spectrum.  Most regulators have moved away from the traditional approach of assigning spectrum and are using market mechanisms to determine the value of spectrum.  This method promotes the best social and economic use of spectrum.  Establishing the best pricing structure can be complicated and often involves retaining economists to provide consulting services.  Deliverables include-

• Estimating the ‘opportunity cost’ of denying alternative users access to spectrum.
• Determining the administrative burden incurred in issuing licenses

Valuation of Spectrum Assets

Regulators across the world have awarded significant amounts of spectrum and generated over $100 billion in proceeds for their treasuries.  There are significant plans for future awards in many developed countries and emerging countries are ramping-up activities at a rapid pace.  This has created the need for spectrum users to have a clear valuation of the spectrum bands.  And regulators need to broadly understand the value of their spectrum in order ensure that it is awarded efficiently.  Deliverables include-

• Production of market surveys
• Application of economic game theories

Policy and Legal Frameworks

Rapid technological advancements and dynamic market developments require a review of spectrum policy with a view to formulating a responsive and transparent policy that enables the community to reap maximum benefits from the deployment of spectrum.  Governments also need to develop a policy framework that accommodates future developments.  Deliverables include-

• Development of spectrum policy objectives
• Establishment of guiding principles for spectrum rights and supply
• Development of radio communication policies
• Design and implementation of licensing management systems