Page 81 - SAMENA Trends - February 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

REGULATORY NEWS

GSMA Backs Mid-Band 5G to Deliver Global GDP Boost

The GSMA reiterated calls for governments noting as demand grows increased impact. The report analyses the impact of
to prioritize making mid-band spectrum network congestion and deployment various government spectrum policies on
available for 5G, backing services using costs could “stifle” the technology. It economic development strategies, which
the frequencies to contribute $610 added network quality would suffer the organization highlighted as a key area
billion to global GDP by 2030 should without sufficient spectrum, limiting 5G of its ministerial program during MWC22
sufficient allocations be available. The adoption and hampering its economic Barcelona.
lofty prediction was made by the industry
association in its Socio-economic benefits
of mid-band 5G services report released.
It forecast 5G spectrum in the mid-band
range would drive a significant proportion
of the $960 billion socio-economic value
created by the latest network technology.
Among the areas the GSMA cited as
having the greatest financial benefits are
services including health and education,
manufacturing and smart cities. However,
the GSMA warned $360 billion of the GDP
growth expected to be fueled by mid-
band 5G could be lost if spectrum was
constrained to levels currently available,

NTIA, FCC Commit to Spectrum Management Changes

US regulator the Federal Communica- and propagation models, among other holding monthly meetings to focus on joint
tions Commission (FCC) and the Nation- items. spectrum planning. Roger Entner, found-
al Telecommunications and Information • Revamp Technical Collaboration. A er of research company Recon Analytics,
Administration (NTIA) pledged to improve commitment to foster proactive tech- told Mobile World Live the agencies’ com-
government coordination on spectrum nical exchange and engagement with mitment to put the nation “ahead of their
management, an apparent response to industry and other federal agencies by respective turfs” was a welcome devel-
a recent spat with the aviation industry participating in cross-agency advisory opment. “We can only win when the FCC
over C-Band deployments. The agencies groups, beginning with the FCC partic- and NTIA are working together to bring
formed the Spectrum Coordination Initia- ipating as an observer in the a commit- more spectrum, more quickly and without
tive, committing to: tee advising NTIA chiefs and vice-versa. hiccups to the best possible use. The new
• Renew efforts to develop a national Going forward, the FCC and NTIA pledged cooperation will accelerate and harmonize
spectrum strategy. NTIA and the FCC they would work together to resolve spec- the approach to spectrum management.”
vowed to cooperate to develop a nation- trum policy issues by holding regular for- Creation of the spectrum initiative follows
al spectrum strategy, increase transpar- mal meetings on joint spectrum planning. a fierce spat between the US aviation in-
ency and establish long-term planning In a statement, the agencies explained the dustry involving the launch of 5G services
and coordination. Spectrum Coordination Initiative will work in C-Band spectrum by Verizon and AT&T.
• Recommit to scientific integrity and ev- towards improving their “ability to address The FAA has repeatedly expressed con-
idence-based policymaking. The agen- gaps in governmental coordination” by cerns the 5G services could interfere with
cies plan to create processes for spec- updating a nearly 20-year memorandum aviation operations, with the operators
trum engineering compatibility analysis, of understanding between the two. The agreeing to create buffers around some
including a compilation of principles, Initiative also includes recently-appoint- airports. Hope springs eternal the new ini-
guidelines, accepted technical stan- ed NTIA assistant secretary Alan David- tiative will plant the seeds for better coop-
dards, interference protection criteria son and FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel eration going forward.

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