The first-ever Telecom Airwaves Spectrum Re-farming Framework has been finalised by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT).
After extensive consultation, the Frequency Allocation Board (FAB), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), and industry stakeholders provided recommendations for the framework on spectrum re-farming, which is the first of its type.
Syed Amin UI Haque, the federal minister for IT and telecommunications, stated that the draught has been posted on the ministry’s website for public comment prior to Federal Cabinet approval.
For the new generation of mobile technologies, including emerging technologies, Internet of Things, and 5th Generation Technology for on-ground inclusion of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, he said frequency or airwaves spectrum re-farming is a process governing the repurposing of frequency bands that have historically been allocated for legacy cellular services.
Spectrum re-farming is regarded as a potent and innovative approach to managing the spectrum dynamically in order to make it available for newer commercial applications 5G, Internet of Things, broadband wireless access, and digital broadcasting, he continued. This is due to the growing demand for cellular and radio communication services globally and emerging technologies.
The framework will make it possible to use the available frequency spectrum for front-end and backhaul frequencies in an efficient manner, increase licensees’ potential business viability, improve the quality and coverage of mobile broadband services, and bring in more money for the national exchequer. The framework will give operators access to enough contiguous spectrum to facilitate the operation of several technologies at once in a given frequency band.
PTA/PEMRA and FAB will advise MoITT to require the re-farming of any given frequency band for effective utilisation based on global developments, including but not limited to technological trends, vendor reports, telecom operators’ feedback, R&D landscape, survey reports, and most importantly, the recommendations from ITU, IEEE, ETSI, 3GPP, 3GPP2, GSMA, and other standard framing bodies.
