Page 100 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2024

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Regulators Brand Spectrum Sharing Key to 6G

Authorities covering markets across the be fully cleared and exclusively [or almost way, with plans for India to be at the fore-
globe outlined their expectations and chal- exclusively] licensed as has happened in front of this era. On a more cautionary note,
lenges in deploying the next generation of previous Gs”. The requirement for sharing Yoko Nakata, deputy director of the Glob-
mobile network technology, with the ability spectrum with critical services was also al Strategy Division of Japan’s Ministry of
to share spectrum with incumbent services raised by Charles Cooper, associate ad- Internal Affairs and Communications, said
cited as a key requirement. In a series of ministrator at US authority NTIA’s office of although her country was working on strat-
sessions featuring regulatory bodies from spectrum management. “Spectrum fuels egies for the next generation, the full value
the US, UK, Japan, India, Bharain and the national security, aviation, climate moni- of 5G was yet to be realized. “We haven’t
European Union, levels of ambition var- toring, scientific use and radio astronomy, found the killer app unique to 5G yet and
ied for 6G, though the technology being a demanding a balanced approach”, he said, we are hoping to find one with the rollout
network of networks incorporating space- adding the US is also supporting commer- of the standalone system.” “But we believe
based technology and needing to be envi- cialization of open radio architecture to there will be no 6G without the success
ronmentally sound were a constant theme. this end. This included “work on software of 5G so it’s really important that we find
Among the more tempered assessments defined radio spectrum sensing technol- some applications accepted by everyone in
of the shape of the 6G era, representatives ogy that protects incumbent users, such society”. The requirement to build on previ-
from the UK and US cited a requirement to as government operations, while promot- ous generations, be realistic and ensure 6G
share spectrum bands with existing ser- ing safe and efficient use of shared spec- is an evolutionary technology was raised by
vices. David Willis, group director, spec- trum”. Levels of expectation for 6G var- Philip Marnick, general director of Telecom-
trum, at UK regulator Ofcom, said “we’re al- ied across the regulators, though all were munications Regulatory Authority for the
ready seeing a greater diversity in demand broadly positive on its potential, especially Kingdom of Bahrain. He noted a need for
for spectrum”, highlighting a requirement for non-consumer applications and each a change of mindset from previous gener-
for “sharing by design” moving forward. He talked-up their nation’s progresses. Chair ations, for example: “We need to ask our-
added frequencies earmarked for 6G “are of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of In- selves, do we need a new air interface, if we
already used by some incumbent services, dia (TRAI) Anil Kumar outlined his hopes do, when do we need it?” European Union
including defence that cannot be moved. for the transformation of economies and body BEREC’s vice chair Konstantinos Mas-
It’s clear we cannot expect these bands to delivering universal service in a sustainable selos stated the argument for the necessity
of 5G to improve broadband speeds was
questionable, with this even less likely to be
the case for 6G. “In my opinion 6G will not
be about speed, it will be about services and
we will see a change from speed-focused
networks to service-focused networks,” he
added, citing applications requiring “real
time” guaranteed performance, for exam-
ple autonomous driving or smart city appli-
cations. With the commercial launch of 6G
still more than half a decade away, these
debates are sure to continue over the com-
ing years, though the number of nations
represented at this relatively early stage
shows there is a global push to ensure they
are at the forefront of the coming era.

ANCOM Celebrates Memorandum of Collaboration with UAE's TDRA

The National Authority for Administration Governance from the United Arab cooperation and exchange of experience in
and Regulation in Communications Emirates (TDRA), regarding the facilitation the field of electronic communications, and
(ANCOM) of Portugal has recently of cooperation and the exchange of satellite regulatory policy, including satellite
signed a memorandum of collaboration information in the field of electronic frequency monitoring, radio frequency
with its counterpart in the United Arab communications. ANCOM highlighted spectrum management, and monitoring,
Emirates, the Regulatory Authority that the memorandum of collaboration as well as other aspects of electronic
for Telecommunications and Digital establishes the necessary framework of communications regulation.

100 MAY-JUNE 2024