Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication

DIGITAL PAKISTAN

ROLLING SPECTRUM STRATEGY

2020-2023

November 2020
 ROLLING SPECTRUM STRATEGY (2020-23)

Contents
Contents ..................................................................................................................................................................... i
List of Figures ..............................................................................................................................................................
List of Tables ...............................................................................................................................................................
1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 1
2 Global Trends for Wireless Communications.................................................................................................... 1
2.1 Network – Faster Speeds Moving into 5G ................................................................................................ 2
2.3 Devices–Affordability and Functionality ................................................................................................... 3
2.4 Smart Cities, Connected Homes and IoT................................................................................................... 4
2.5 Applications & Content Ecosystem – Convergence .................................................................................. 5
2.6 Competition & Consolidation ................................................................................................................... 5
3 Spectrum Management Needs to Cope with these Trends .............................................................................. 7
3.1 Technology Neutrality Regulation ............................................................................................................ 7
3.2 Spectrum Sharing and Trading .................................................................................................................. 8
3.3 Spectrum Pricing – Administrative Incentive Pricing (AIP) ..................................................................... 12
4 Mobile Broadband Services ............................................................................................................................ 13
5 Broadcasting Services ..................................................................................................................................... 18
6 Fixed Services .................................................................................................................................................. 21
7 Public Safety and Land Mobile ........................................................................................................................ 25
8 Satellite Services ............................................................................................................................................. 27
9 Aeronautical and Maritime ............................................................................................................................. 30
10 Unlicensed Bands for Short-Range Devices ................................................................................................ 32
11 Spectrum Outlook and Work Plan .............................................................................................................. 34
12 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................. 37
12.1 Spectrum Master Plan – Transparency and Predictability ...................................................................... 38
12.2 Spectrum Demand versus Revenue ........................................................................................................ 38
12.3 Spectrum Trading Framework ................................................................................................................ 38
12.4 Spectrum Management System for Developing Country – SMS4DC...................................................... 39
12.5 Human Capacity Building ........................................................................................................................ 40
Glossary ................................................................................................................................................................... 41

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List of Figures
Figure 1: IMT Evolution ........................................................................................................................... 2
Figure 2: Low-cost Handset from Domestic Manufacturers ................................................................... 3
Figure 3: Connected Devices – from Personal Wearables to Smart Cities ............................................. 4
Figure 4: IoT Standards ........................................................................................................................... 5
Figure 5: Mobile Data Usage ................................................................................................................. 13
Figure 6: Digital Terrestrial TV Broadcasting ........................................................................................ 19
Figure 7: Microwave Backhaul Share in Different Regions (source: Ericsson 2015) ............................ 23

List of Tables
Table 1: Spectrum Cap in other Countries .............................................................................................. 7
Table 2: Examples of Countries that have Introduced TVWS ............................................................... 11
Table 3: Mobile Spectrum Allocation Benchmark ................................................................................ 14
Table 4: Current Mobile Spectrum Allocation ...................................................................................... 15
Table 5: Current Broadcasting Spectrum Allocation............................................................................. 20
Table 6: Current Fixed Service Spectrum Allocation ............................................................................. 24
Table 7: Public Safety Mobile Broadband Allocation in Different Countries ........................................ 26
Table 8: Frequency Bands Permitted for RFID ...................................................................................... 33
Table 9: Level of Demand for Spectrum, Difficulty and Timeline ......................................................... 34
Table 10: Spectrum Outlook Table ........................................................................................................ 37
 ROLLING SPECTRUM STRATEGY (2020-23)

1 Introduction

The telecommunications industry is constantly evolving with new technologies being developed to
address market demand or to open up new markets. With the growing demand for wireless
communications and spectrum, it is necessary for spectrum management organisations to put in place
a framework to coordinate spectrum management activities in a structured and transparent manner.
This is the main goal of the Spectrum Master Plan and this report is developed by incorporating
international best practices that are applicable to Pakistan.

The Spectrum Master Plan provides a future roadmap for spectrum allocation as well as spectrum-
related policy reviews that are anticipated to take place between2020 and 2023. This report will assist
Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoIT&T), Pakistan Telecommunication
Authority (PTA) and Frequency Allocation Board (FAB) in formulating the 3-year rolling Spectrum
Strategy – which is a key area highlighted in the Telecommunications Policy 2015.

Section 2 of this report discusses global trends around wireless communications and highlights the
challenges faced by spectrum managers. Chapter 3 provides approaches that are now being
adopted/investigated by various countries to overcome some of the challenges.

Section 4 to 10 look at different radio services, the current utilisation in Pakistan and the future
outlook for various spectrum bands. Some spectrum bands will need to be refarmed before they can
be allocated and these issues are being detailed in the report.

The publication of the spectrum roadmap helps commercial operators with their network planning
investments. It is crucial to recognise that the pace of change of industry is rapid and whilst the aim is
to provide transparency and certainty to the industry, there is a need to review the plan (every 3 years)
to ensure that the plan continues to be relevant.

2 Global Trends for Wireless Communications

Globally, the wireless communications industry has witnessed several major shifts that is resulting in
the convergence of services and technologies. The last decade saw tremendous growth of demand for
mobile services whilst some services such as paging ceased to exist. Today, there are over 9.4 billion1
mobile connections globally exceeding the total world population. This means that the adoption of
mobile services is not just happening in the affluent markets but also penetrating into the developing
world. In Pakistan, the number of subscribers had grown at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
of 32% from 2003 to 2019. There is still room for growth as the current mobile penetration at around
77.2 % is still low compared to many countries. Based on ITU’s statistics for mobile-cellular
subscriptions, more than 50% of the countries have already surpassed 100% mobile penetration.

1
Source: GSMA Intelligence (https://www.gsmaintelligence.com/)

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There are a few key factors that helped to accelerate the growth of the mobile services and they
fundamentally point to an expanding ecosystem that enables faster innovation both in terms of
technologies as well as the usage of these technologies.

2.1 Network – Faster Speeds Moving into 5G

At the beginning of the millennium, the mobile industry was looking at developing mobile broadband
capabilities through the IMT2000 vision. It took a decade for IMT2000 (or 3G including HSPA) to take
off and to demonstrate the viability for the mobile network to also deliver Internet access. With the
appetite for faster connection, the industry has since evolved the network to IMT-Advanced (i.e., 4G
/ LTE-Advanced) and this is spreading rapidly across the world right now. Zong, the first operator in
Pakistan to launch 4G/LTE in 2015, is seeing strong growth in its data revenue. In other markets,
operators are looking at aggregating spectrum to achieve higher speeds. For example Zain Kuwait,
Namibia’s MTC and Australia’s Optus have announced trials with Huawei that pushed the download
speeds to 1Gbps and above. This is the result of applying techniques such as MIMO, carrier
aggregation, higher-order modulation which drive spectral efficiency as well network speeds.

Research and development (R&D) continues to push the envelope as equipment manufacturers
prepare for the next phase – IMT 2020 or 5G.Trials are already underway with several mobile network
operators working with manufacturers to test IMT2020 capabilities. ITU WRC 2015 paved the way for
IMT2020 with the deliberation of the spectrum requirements and allocation of spectrum to support
the technology. In IMT-2020, a total, 17.25 GHz spectrum has been identified for IMT, in comparison
with 1.9 GHz of bandwidth available before WRC-19.

Figure 1: IMT Evolution

Moreover, with economies of scale, the LTE technology has formed the basis for many other
applications such as voice-over-LTE (VoLTE), LTE-broadcast (eMBMS) and machine-to-machine (LTE-
M). There are also increasing interests to deploy private LTE networks for specialised requirements (a
remote mine site).

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2.3 Devices–Affordability and Functionality

The network evolution has to go hand in hand with the availability of handsets that can take advantage
of the network speeds. The development of handset has also been making progress by leaps and
bounds focusing on improving functionality and affordability.

The ecosystem is now fairly mature and device manufacturers often work closely with network
equipment manufacturers to adopt standards for faster speed-to-market. Device manufacturers are
also cognizant that mobile operators have to operate in multiple frequency bands and in multiple
modes (FDD and TDD) so the devices have to support these requirements. For example, mobile
operator Three in Hong Kong (3HK) partnered with Huawei to demonstrate multi-mode (FDD-TDD LTE-
A) with carrier aggregation to deliver a faster network. 3HK is looking at moving from 2 Component
Carrier (2CC) to 5CC in the future. Device manufacturers (Huawei is also one of them) will need to
ensure that they keep pace with the requirements from operators and introduce devices that can
support multi-mode, multi-band in a timely manner.

New devices introduced to the market by leading global manufactures such as Apple and Samsung are
often positioned as premium products and distributed first in the affluent markets. Once there is
economies of scale, the prices of these products will fall rapidly and become more affordable for
consumers in other parts of the world. Increasingly, there are also low-cost manufacturers, often local
companies developing products for domestic market initially before distributing into international
markets. Some of the Chinese device makers such as Oppo, Xiaomi and Gionee have already expanded
overseas and penetrating well into emerging markets.

Figure 2: Low-cost Handset from Domestic Manufacturers

Going forward, the devices connected to the network will not only be mobile phones. Increasingly
media tablets, 2-in-1s and ultrabook convertibles are mobile-enabled, which allow consumers and
workers to access information and content with multiple devices. The next wave is the emergence of
wearables. The industry is developing wearables such as smart watches, fitness bands and smart
glasses that are mobile enabled.

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2.4 Smart Cities, Connected Homes and IoT

Wireless communications will also play a key part in smart city implementation. Some smart city
initiatives involve installing sensors on street lamps, garbage bins, parking meters, surveillance
cameras, etc. that transmit information via a wireless connection. Smart cities are gaining interests
from governments in the Asia-Pacific region driven by the desire to leverage technologies to develop
sustainable cities. Many counties in the region are facing the issue of overcrowding, especially in mega
cities that have seen rapid urbanizations. China and India in particular have gained a lot of attention
due to their commitments in smart city projects in multiple cities. Developed countries such as
Australia, South Korea and Singapore are also showing strong support for smart city development.

Figure 3: Connected Devices – from Personal Wearables to Smart Cities

From connected homes to industrialised IoT (Internet-of-Things), the industry is also developing
solutions that will see objects being connected to the network. Different industries today from
agriculture, manufacturing to transport & logistics are starting to deploy machine-to-machine
(M2M)/IoT solutions to improve productivity, operational efficiency and develop new business
models. Even in case of Agriculture and Livestock, farmers have started to use smart sensors/devices
for improving productivity. All of these solutions require the sensors to be connected to the network
via wireless means. Different standards have emerged to support different applications and they
deliver the connectivity using either the mobile networks or using unlicensed bands.

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Figure 4: IoT Standards

The smart cities and IoT solutions are no more at the nascent stage and they have wide implication on
telecommunications’ networks including the amount of traffic these connectivity will generate.
Popular projections are pointing to the number of things/machines connected to reach tens of billions
by end 2020. There are positive signs that different pieces are coming together and the ecosystem
starting to form.

These IoT solutions are generating significant amount of network traffic as they scale up. Therefore
appropriate amount of Spectrum should be assigned by PTA/FAB as the unlicensed band/s, as per
international practices. The application in NB-IoT in the bands licensed to mobile operators, are also
required to be encouraged.

2.5 Applications & Content Ecosystem – Convergence

Smartphones and tablets are sometime collectively known as smart devices. However, they are only
‘smart’ because of the large number of applications available to consumers that can help them to
perform many tasks from chatting, navigation and payment to information access and entertainment.
With the growing ecosystem and the availability of open sourced platforms, there are now myriads of
software developers creating applications and content trying to solve different problems for
consumers and businesses.

The availability of applications resulted in a growing demand for mobile data services giving mobile
service providers an additional source of revenue. In response to the growing demand for data
services, mobile operators’ strategy is to implement voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) and Rich Communications
Services (RCS).These services will enable operators to eventually shutdown their circuit switched
2G/3G networks, and refarm spectrum for 4G/LTE and beyond.

2.6 Competition & Consolidation

The liberalisation of the telecommunications market has brought about competition which resulted
in better quality of service and improvement in pricing. In a competitive environment, mobile
operators have to maintain cost efficiency and stay innovative to win customers and minimise churn.
Often with the introduction of a new player, there is a tendency for the new entrant to offer attractive
pricing to build up their subscriber base. This may result in a price war but will accelerate the rise in
mobile penetration. In many markets, regulators have also introduced rules and regulations to enable
the growth of MVNOs to create more competition. MVNOs can be very effective in targeting

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underserved market segments such as youth, budget customers and migrant workers. In markets with
favourable regulatory environment, MVNOs have flourished. Whilst not all MVNOs can be successful
depending on their business model and ability to promote their products, these players can take a
healthy slice of the mobile market.

In many markets where there had been too many players, market consolidation became inevitable.
In Pakistan, there were six operators up until 2008 when Instaphone’s licence was terminated by the
PTA due to unpaid licence fees. More recently, Mobilink and Warid merged. The merger resulted in a
larger player not only in terms of subscriber base but also in spectrum holding. By merging two
networks, there is a gain in efficiency and the operator will have more capacity.

One main consideration for the regulators in assessing the merger approval is the spectrum they hold
as the combined entity. The general view is that each player should not hold more than a certain
threshold to ensure effective market competition. Some countries have imposed a spectrum cap to
limit the amount of spectrum an operator can hold. However, with the changes in technology (higher
speed mobile broadband requires more spectrum using carrier aggregation techniques) it means that
there is a need to constantly increase the spectrum cap (in MHz). This being the case, regulators are
adjusting the spectrum cap requirements to ensure greater flexibility.

Country Spectrum Cap Notes

Spain 185MHz across all bands; with 135MHz Vodafone and ONO merger and the tie-
limit for the higher bands (1.8GHz, up of Orange Espana and Jazztel
2.1GHz, 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz) required the return of spectrum to the
regulator; CNMC now proposes to
increase the cap.

USA The FCC eliminated the limit on the 30MHz of at least 70MHz in the 600MHz
aggregation of Commercial Mobile Radio band auction is set aside for participants
Services (CMRS) spectrum in 2003. with sparse holding below 1GHz (i.e.,
Instead, the FCC now analyses the excluding AT&T and Verizon).
competitive effects of transactions
involving mobile telephony service
providers on a case-by-case basis.

UK Ofcom applies general policy to ensure Ofcom proposed to introduce a

effective market competition, without spectrum cap for the 2.3GHz and 3.4GHz
strict spectrum caps. The UK regulator spectrum auction planned for 2017. The
applies band-specific spectrum caps that proposal is to limit bidders from
provide greater flexibility. processing more than 255MHz (39%) of
any spectrum band thus preventing
BT/EE (holds the largest share of
spectrum at 45%) from bidding on the
2.3GHz band. After the auction, BT/EE’s
share will drop to 35%.

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India TRAI imposes a cap of 25% of the total Mobile operators have been lobbying
spectrum assigned (all bands including for a raise of the overall spectrum cap
700, 800, 900, 1800, 2100, 2300, 2500 from 25% to 33% or 40%. For instance,
MHz); and 50% within a given band in Bharti Airtel which has over 35% market
each of the access area. share is not able to increase its share of
spectrum to enhance its network. TRAI
and Telecom Commission agreed after a
review that the spectrum cap should
stay. The major spectrum auction in
October 2016 significantly increased the
total spectrum available therefore giving
all mobile operators the opportunity to
acquire more spectrum.

Table 1: Spectrum Cap in other Countries

Recommended Actions: It is not recommended for PTA/FAB to put in place a fixed spectrum cap
defined in MHz. PTA/FAB can consider using a percentage share of overall mobile spectrum as a
guide to decide if further evaluation needs to be performed. Since there are four mobile operators
in Pakistan, it is recommended that PTA/FAB consider 35% or 40% a reference point. PTA/FAB
should in conjunction with the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) ascertain if an operator
acquiring spectrum (whether through merger or through an upcoming auction) will have unfair
advantage over small competitors. The evaluation will take into account the operator’s share of
subscriber as well as the opportunity for other operators to acquire spectrum through an
upcoming auction. MoIT&T/PTA/FAB may take a stance that the operator with a higher than 35%
/ 40% of all mobile spectrum to be barred from an impending auction.

3 Spectrum Management Needs to Cope with these Trends

The rapid evolution of wireless technology and services makes it imperative for spectrum
management practices to be sufficiently flexible to meet the changing demand. At the same time, the
enhancement of wireless technology is also making it more feasible for spectrum to be shared,
resulting in improved spectrum efficiency. Several approaches have been adopted or are being
considered by regulators to introduce greater flexibility in spectrum management. Regulators need to
look at these options and formulate their stance on these issues.

3.1 Technology Neutrality Regulation

Flexibility in spectrum management and access to spectrum can be increased through technology- and
service-neutral authorisations to let spectrum users choose the best technologies and services to
apply in a frequency band. This is becoming common, and administrative determination of
technologies and services should become the exception and should be clearly justified. In some

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countries, technology neutrality is often applied to spectrum bands that are auctioned (or under
spectrum rights framework) to commercial operators. The regulator specifies the emission criteria
instead of the technologies that can operate in the spectrum bands. In addition, mobile spectrum
assigned administratively was re-assigned through an auction or converted to spectrum rights that are
aligned to spectrum awarded via auctions.

The technology-neutral approach incentivises network operators to adopt the most spectrally efficient
technology. Pakistan has already adopted technology neutrality for spectrum that was auctioned. The
mobile licenses for Jazz, Zong and Telenor which are under renewal process, also include provisions
for technology neutrality.

3.2 Spectrum Sharing and Trading

There are emerging technologies that are enabling more efficient use of spectrum, either limiting the
power to avoid interference to primary users; or tapping into spectrum that are unused at a given
time and location. Different levels of coordination may be required for the introduction of spectrum
sharing. Ultra-wideband (UWB), software-defined radio (SDR) and cognitive radio are technologies
that will enable greater spectrum sharing amongst different users thereby promoting spectrum
efficiency.

SDR are radio systems implemented on general purpose hardware where specific operational
characteristics are implemented in software. Different radio systems and standards are essentially
loaded as software programmes (e.g. a GSM program or a Wi-Fi program). A radio increases its
flexibility as more of its functionality is software based. Cognitive radios on the other hand can be
programmed to detect and use the frequency channel in its vicinity that is not in use.

Ultra-Wide Band Technology (UWB) is an active underlay technology, transmitting signals that spread
over a large bandwidth (>500MHz). Operating at very low signal levels, UWB emissions appear as noise
floor to narrowband radio systems, allowing UWB devices to operate underneath existing services.
UWB technology is typically used to transmit large amount of data over a short distance (<15m). UWB
devices have not seen widespread adoption and it is losing relevance since WiFi standards
(802.11n/ac/ad) now offer longer range and faster speed. However, UWB has found its place in
specific applications, in areas such as automotive sensing, wall or ground penetrating radars, and
automotive radar. Some companies are also looking at UWB for indoor positioning systems.

A key concern for spectrum managers is the potential rise in the overall noise floor as a result of a
large number of UWB devices operating in an area. The rise in noise level will reduce their S/N margins
and affecting the performance of existing systems. The concerns expressed by operators of existing
radiocommunications services led to significant work in the ITU-R to update the protection
requirements for existing services and to develop a framework for the introduction of UWB
technologies that would protect existing services. To address UWB issues, ITU-R created a Task Group
(TG1/8) which completed its work without endorsing a common emission mask. TG1/8 developed key
recommendations for administrations to consider when developing their framework for introducing
UWB technology. Key documents produced include:

1. Report SM. 2057 presenting UWB compatibility studies

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2. ITU-R SM.1754 [9] recommends measurement techniques for generating UWB signals with
various modulation and randomisation schemes. This document includes both frequency domain
and time domain measurement techniques of the PSD of UWB transmissions for all UWB signal
types
3. ITU-R SM.1755 [10] recommends the general characteristics of UWB technology;
4. ITU-R SM.1756 [11] recommends the framework and provides guidance to administrations
considering the introduction of devices using UWB technology
5. ITU-R SM.1757 [12] recommends methodologies which assess the impact of UWB devices on
systems operating in the spectrum band concerned. It includes a summary of both theoretical
analyses and measurement studies carried out in the laboratory and in the field.

The setting of emission standards remains largely as a national issue. It is noted that several
administrations have allowed UWB devices and introduced emission standards by referencing the US
FCC or Europe ECC standards. In the Asia-Pacific region, countries such as Australia, Japan, Korea, New
Zealand and Singapore have introduced UWB technology.

Light licensing is a way to minimise regulatory intervention and it removes the need for the regulator
to coordinate frequency assignment. Instead, an automated notification and frequency assignment
process is set up to allow users to register for a frequency via an online system. The system will
perform an interference assessment and inform the user whether the registration is successful or not.

Light licensing is different from licence-exempt since the users still need to go through the registration
process and pay a fee. The spectrum band under this approach is still controlled and there is a limit to
the number of users within an area. An example of this is the Managed Spectrum Park introduced in
New Zealand2 for the 2.5 GHz band (2575 – 2620 MHz). The registration is to be performed by an
Approved Radio Engineer and there is a requirement for the user to implement services within two
years of allocation to ensure efficient use of spectrum. Another example is the use of 5.8GHz band in
the UK 3 for fixed wireless access (FWA) services which are operating at higher power than other
licence-exempt applications. Similarly, a minimum payment and registration are required.

The light licensing approach is suitable for spectrum bands that can be shared by multiple users and
their protection can be established by simple analysis methodology.

Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) enables a radio device to operate in spectrum that is not being used
in a particular area, at a particular point in time. The development of cognitive radios is making this
spectrum sharing possible and it can significantly increase the efficiency of spectrum. A cognitive radio
is to some degree aware of the environment by monitoring transmissions across a wide bandwidth,
noting areas of unused spectrum and is able to modify its transmission using appropriate modulation
and coding methods. From a user standpoint the certainty of finding unused spectrum in congested
areas may fall low enough to impair its usefulness as a mainstay communications device.

TV White Space (TVWS) which is currently being deliberated by regulators is a form of DSA.
Particularly for analogue TV broadcast, spectrum is allocated exclusively to the broadcasting services
but they may not be used all the time in all locations. In some areas, TV channels are unassigned to

2
Managed Spectrum Park by the New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment:
http://www.rsm.govt.nz/cms/licensees/types-of-licence/managed-spectrum-park
3
Ofcom: http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radiocommunication-licences/fixed-wireless-access/

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avoid interference, or channels may be assigned for low power, localised broadcast. There are
opportunities therefore for other applications to tap the unused TV spectrum. White-space devices
(WSDs) are being developed to use underutilised bands to provide broadband services in rural/remote
areas where spectrum is generally less congested.

However, since cognitive radios are not fully mature, regulators that have allowed the use of WSDs
have put in place some coordination rules to ensure existing services are not affected. These rules
should include detailed technical specifications for white space devices (WSD), protection criteria for
existing services and a database providing information on which spectrum bands can be shared with
WSDs. WSDs must have geolocation capability and provide location information to the national
database which will return a list of channels that the WSDs may operate. WSDs may also be required
to have adaptive power control to use the minimum power. Database providers also need to be
authorised by the regulators. Primary users are not aware the number of secondary WSDs that are
operating but they are assured protection in locations where they are using the spectrum. Below are
some examples of countries that have permitted the operation of WSDs. While WSDs currently
operate in TV bands, the database-powered spectrum sharing framework has the potential of being
extended to other spectrum bands.

Country Framework

TVWS regulatory framework was released in June 2014.

TVWS equipment is allowed to operate in the VHF and UHF TV bands (VHF Band III
and UHF Band V) and it is exempted from licensing.
Singapore A set of technical standards has been published.
TVWS Equipment registration – TVWS must meet the technical standards.
There are three approved TVWS Geo-location Database providers – Network
Genetics, Starhub and DNNA Solution.

Moved from Pilot to commercial use of TVWS devices. Ofcom made regulations
which enable licence exempt use of WSDs in the 470 – 790 MHz band.
The regulations – The Wireless Telegraphy (White Space Devices) (Exemption)
Regulations 2015 – came into force on 31 December 2015. Device requirements and
operational parameters are covered in the regulations.
Ofcom also published a statement on 25 September 2015 confirming its decision to
license manually configurable WSDs. This licensing regime is now in force. Whether
UK operating on a licence exempt basis or in accordance with a Wireless Telegraphy
Licence, devices must only operate in accordance with operational parameters
provided by a White Space Database (WSDB) which is operated by organisations
qualified by Ofcom.
So far Ofcom has qualified four organisation: Fairspectrum Oy, Nominet UK, Sony
Europe Limited and Spectrum Bridge Incorporated.
In Europe, the harmonisation of TVWS is undertaken by ETSI through the EN 301 598
standard.

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TVWS devices (aka TV Band Devices or TVBDs) are allowed to operate on an

unlicensed basis in vacant TV spectrum nationwide – since March 2013.
FCC issued Part 15 TV Bands Devices which covers the device compliance
requirements. TVBDs can operate in an unoccupied TV channel in the range of
channels 2 – 51 excluding channels 3, 4 and 37.
TVBDs can either be fixed (transmit and receive at a specified fixed location for
providing wireless broadband services); or personal/portable (transmit and receive
while in motion or at unspecified locations). TVBDs must have geolocation capability
US and ability to access to a database of protected radio services. Fixed TVBDs can
transmit up to 1W whilst personal/portable TVBDs can transmit up to 100mW.
TVBDs must be certified by FCC.
Database systems that are approved by FCC include those operated by Spectrum
Bridge, Google and Key Bridge Global. Fixed TVBDs are required to register their
operation specifying their operating locations. However, the National Association of
Broadcasters raised an alarm to the FCC in 2015 indicating that the databases are full
of errors – there is a lack of a mechanism to ensure that users provide accurate
details of their operation.
Table 2: Examples of Countries that have Introduced TVWS

Recommended Action: PTA/FAB to devise Framework for unlicensed spectrum including Ultra
Wide Band (UWB), Wi-Fi, Short Range Devices (SRD) and IoTs.

Licensed Spectrum Access is also enabled by the development of SDR and cognitive technology. The
European Union Radio Spectrum Planning Group (RSPG) defines the LSA concept as follows:

“An individual licensed regime of a limited number of licensees in a frequency band, already to one or
more incumbent users, for which the additional users are allowed to use the spectrum (or part of the
spectrum) in accordance with sharing rules included in the rights of use of spectrum granted to the
licensees, thereby allowing all the licensees to provide a certain level of QoS.”

Some spectrum bands are allocated exclusively for specific services but they may not be used all the
time and in all geographical areas. Unlike the TV white space and UWB, a new proposition is to enable
incumbent and new users (LSA licensees) to fully coordinate the use of spectrum. LSA licenses are
required to negotiate with the incumbent on the rights and guarantees for the use of spectrum. For
example, a LSA licensee may negotiate a commercial arrangement with the incumbent to allow the
LSA licensee to transmit at a given period of time and to get the assurance that the incumbent will not
interfere during this time period. In this case, more spectrum resources become available and
incumbents are incentivised to offer underutilised spectrum.

There have been interests in applying LSA for spectrum bands such as 2.3GHz and 3.5GHz. These bands
have been identified for mobile broadband but they can be occupied by non-mobile incumbents. The
incumbents may include many government users who are not using the spectrum everywhere in the
country so there is a potential for mobile operators to negotiate with the incumbents to access
spectrum for mobile broadband deployment.

In the US, exchanges such as Cantor Spectrum & Tower Exchange allow the private and public sectors
to buy, sell and lease licensed radio frequency spectrum rights. This is a transparent platform enabling

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spectrum rights owners to offer their assets on the system for interested parties to evaluate the assets
and make a bid on them.

Spectrum Sharing and Trading Framework: PTA/FAB is in the process of developing Spectrum Sharing
and Trading Frameworks. The issues highlighted above including UWB, light licensing, DSA and LSA
will be investigated. This is expected to be a longer term process since some of these approaches are
fairly new and they have not been widely implemented.

3.3 Spectrum Pricing – Administrative Incentive Pricing (AIP)

Spectrum pricing is another tool that can be used to promote more efficient use of spectrum and also
to promote fiberization. Traditionally, spectrum pricing is set on a cost-recovery basis which means
that spectrum management organisations collect spectrum charges to cover the cost of managing
radio frequency spectrum. One problem with this spectrum pricing principle is that if the price is set
too low, it encourages hoarding, denying other users access to the spectrum.

Today, most of the spectrum used to deliver commercial services (e.g., mobile and fixed wireless
access) has been assigned via an auction. For some parts of the radio frequency spectrum, some
spectrum management organisations have adopted an approach commonly referred to as
Administrative Incentive Pricing (AIP) to impose pricing that reflects the economic value of the
spectrum.

In Pakistan, spectrum fees are imposed to cover FAB’s annual budget. Mobile operators pay the
Annual Spectrum Administrative Fee (ASAF) to cover 75% of FAB’s annual budget based upon the
portion of auctioned access spectrum they hold. Other licensed and private spectrum users cover the
remaining 25% of FAB budget on administrative charging basis. Under the current arrangement, the
use of Microwave links for Mobile operators is covered under the ASAF. There is no separate annual
fees for Microwave backhaul links. ASAF does not correlate with the number of Microwave links
Mobile operators have deployed. This results in inefficiency in the utilisation of Microwave
frequencies.

AIP Framework: PTA/FAB is considering implementing an AIP-base spectrum pricing framework to

replace the current ASAF. As part of the spectrum pricing review, PTA/FAB has already submitted the
revised ACR fee levels for principle approval by GoP for implementation. It will be applied to services
where auctions and AIP are not implemented.

Recommended Actions: The current charging regime based on ASAF may continue till the time a
market based pricing formula for back-haul spectrum is in place. ASAF is the Administrative cost for
managing Access and Back haul spectrums used by mobile operators pursuant to cellular policy
2004. It may be decoupled i.e. separate regimes to be introduced for Access Spectrum Annual
Administration Fees and Microwave Backhaul Spectrum (Administrative Incentive Pricing) regime.
AIP and revised ASAF regimes to be implemented once finalized.

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4 Mobile Broadband Services

Today, the demand for spectrum by commercial operators is mainly driven by mobile broadband
services. The amount of spectrum required is closely correlated to the growth in data traffic. It is noted
that in Pakistan, the mobile data traffic grew 165% in 2017 to 69 Petabytes (PB) and 86% in 2018 to
128 Petabytes (PB). Figure 5 compares the projected growth in the amount of mobile traffic per user
month in different regions:

Figure 5: Mobile Data Usage4

Pakistan is expected to see exponential growth of data traffic over the next five years to reach close
to 1 Gb/month/user, reaching similar levels seen in countries like Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Thailand.
Moreover, with greater availability of content, applications and devices now compared to few years
ago, Pakistan has grown at a rate of 1.75Gb/month/user

Country Data Traffic Spectrum Additional Allocation / Auction

(Gb/Month/User) Allocated Planned
in 2018

Pakistan 1.75 256 MHz Auctioned 850 MHz spectrum in

May 2016; two 10 MHz of 1800
MHz spectrum have also been
auctioned in 2014 and 2017
respectively.

Granted permissions to Mobile &

WLL operators for utilizing more

4
Source: https://www.ericsson.com/en/mobility-report/reports/june-2019/mobile-data-traffic-outlook

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spectrum efficient technologies

like LTE.

Indonesia 0.20 472 MHz Remaining 2.1GHz spectrum has

been Auctioned in 2017

Bangladesh 0.21 258.8 MHz Remaining 1.8GHz and 2.1GHz

spectrum has been auctioned in
2018.

Saudi Arabia 0.98 425.2 MHz Auctioned 80MHz of spectrum across

the 700MHz, 800MHz and 1800MHz
bands in 2018.

Thailand 1.20 420 MHz Thailand has auction in 1800MHz

in 2018

Table 3: Mobile Spectrum Allocation Benchmark

It is noted that operators in different countries will require different amount of spectrum depending
on the number of operators and the density of the urban areas. It is further noted that the mobile
data traffic in Pakistan has increased to 1.75 Gb/month/user in June 2018 as compared to 0.34
Gb/month/user in September 2016. For planning purposes, Pakistan should plan to have at least 400
MHz by 2021. Should Pakistan aspire to be the early adopter of 5G, more spectrum will be required.
A number of operators in other markets have started to investigate 5G capabilities through technical
trials and work alongside their equipment suppliers with the aim to implement 5G in the early part of
the 2020s. Pakistan needs to plan ahead to ensure that the required spectrum is available to support
trials and eventually commercial services.

Between now and 5G launch, operators will be looking for spectrum to support the growth of data
traffic as well as to offer faster LTE speeds through carrier aggregation. Moreover, with the need to
maintain QoS standards imposed by PTA, operators will have to either add smaller cells and/or acquire
more spectrum.

Current Utilisation

The table below shows the spectrum bands allocated for mobile services. The spectrum allocated to
mobile services for cellular networks include 850MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz and 2100MHz with a total
of 180 x 2 MHz available. Of which, 128 x 2MHz has been assigned to operators.

Spectrum Band Total Bandwidth Spectrum Assigned Spectrum Available

824 – 849 MHz / 25 x 2 MHz* Assigned to Telenor 850 DL is almost fully

869 – 894 MHz assigned (only 3.5 MHz is
(10 x 2 MHz)
available) as it overlaps
with EGSM UL. EGSM
can be mapped with 850

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in order to avoid cross

border interference.

880 – 915 MHz / 35 x 2 MHz Assigned to Zong, Jazz 2.5 x 2 MHz unassigned
925 – 960 MHz Ufone and Telenor under due to guard band
a 15-year licence (32.4 x requirements; Zong,
2 MHz) Telenor and Jazz
spectrum assignment /
License renewal is in
process
1710 – 1785 MHz / 75 x 2 MHz Partly assigned to Jazz, Partially assigned; 12.8 x
1805 – 1880 MHz Ufone, Telenor and Zong 2 MHz unassigned; Zong,
(55.6 x 2 MHz) Telenor and Jazz
spectrum assignment /
License renewal is in
process.

Note: Besides 12.7 x 2

MHz unassigned
spectrum, 6.6 MHz is
temporarily assigned to
Zong till Oct 2019.

1920 - 1980 MHz / 60 x 2 MHz Partially assigned to 30 x 2 MHz unassigned

2110 – 2170 MHz Zong, Telenor, Ufone and WLL operators are
and Jazz. (30 x 2MHz ) ready to refarm /release
(two already done).
Telecard & Worldcall are
willing to surrender
spectrum. Telecard’s
request has been
processed. 10 MHz
guard band would be
required between WLL
downlink and 3G uplink.

Total *180 x 2 MHz 128 x 2 MHz 49.4 x 2 MHz (27.8 x 2

MHz is readily available)
*15 MHz of 850 DL is not usable due to overlap with 900 (EGSM) UL and guard band requirements

Table 4: Current Mobile Spectrum Allocation

Future Outlook

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To meet the demand for future mobile services, PTA/FAB will be making the following changes to its
spectrum plan in coming years:

700MHz: The 700MHz band (703 – 803MHz) is harmonised globally for IMT services with the addition
of Region 1 in WRC-2015. This is a highly sought after band due to global harmonisation (enabling
economies of scale and ease of roaming) and better propagation characteristics. PTA/FAB has
earmarked the 700MHz band for mobile services. This band is currently used by government systems
and there is a need to refarm this band. The allocation of this band for mobile services will be made
depending on the equipment availability.

Recommended Actions: There is a high chance that devices will hit critical mass before 2020 and it
is recommended that MoIT&T/PTA/FAB aim to allocate the band for auction. This band is also crucial
for Pakistan operators to extend the coverage to rural areas since it has better propagation
characteristics.

900 MHz: The 900MHz band (882.5 – 914.9MHz / 927.5 – 959.9MHz) has been fully assigned to mobile
operators. However, the assignment will expire at different stages. The spectrum assigned to Zong
and Telenor expired in 2019 whilst Jazz and Ufone assignment will expire in 2022 and 2029
respectively. This being the case, PTA/FAB will need to renew the spectrum/ Licenses accordingly. Jazz
has already applied for renewal of Mobile License.

Recommended Actions: PTA/FAB need to work for rationalization of spectrum, so that Mobile
operators can be provided with standard spectrum blocks.

Some operators have started to shut down 2G systems. For example, in Australia, Telstra turned
off 2G on December 1, 2016 and Optus in April 2017. Telstra in 2019, also started to shutdown 3G
in 850 MHz in order to launch IMT (5G). In Singapore, the regulator has stopped the sale of 2G-
only devices from January 1, 2017. Whilst 2G will continue to be in use in many places including
Pakistan, it will also start to phase out in a few years as mobile operators try to promote
smartphones to earn revenue from data services. It is therefore useful to consider the long term
use of this band and as far as possible divide the band into separate lots of 2 x 5MHz. .

1427 – 1518 MHz (L-Band): The L-Band has been identified for IMT at WRC-2015 to support future
requirements. PTA/FAB is prepared to make this band available in the longer term when deployment
begins in other markets and equipment becomes available.

1800 MHz Globally, the 1800 MHz is one of the most popular spectrum bands for mobile
communications. The band is now used to deploy LTE by several operators around the world. PTA/
FAB has also received requests for additional spectrum assignments in this band.

Recommended Actions: With widespread global adoption, equipment is readily available and this
band is deemed valuable to mobile operators, particularly for the deployment of LTE. PTA/FAB
should plan transparent and effective methodology for assignment of vacant portion of this band.

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1900 MHz: The 1950 – 1980 MHz / 2140 – 2170 MHz is part of the IMT/3G band which has not been
assigned in Pakistan due to the operation of WLL systems. PTA/FAB are refarming the band to move
the downlink spectrum from 1960 – 1980 MHz to 1980 – 1995 MHz. This will free up spectrum for
mobile operators looking to expand their network.

There is a requirement to auction the available bandwidth in 3GPP Band 1 for proliferation of
broadband services in Pakistan.

2300 MHz: The 2300 MHz band offers 100MHzof bandwidth (2300 – 2400 MHz) and it is allocated in
several countries for mobile services (3GPP Band 40). It is noted that some operators in other countries
have already deployed LTE (TDD-based) systems using this band. In Pakistan, this band is currently
used for government systems as well as commercial fixed links. PTA/FAB intend to make this band
available in the future but the priority will be lower than other potential bands due the lack of low-
cost devices operating in his band. This band has also been identified for deployment of IMT (5G) in
all three ITU Regions.

Recommended Actions: This band is now being used in some countries for LTE systems (mainly TDD).
In Region 3, mobile operators in Australia, China, Hong Kong and India have deployed LTE using
2.3GHz. Some handsets now support this band but the availability is lagging behind other bands
including the 2.5GHz band. Moreover, some ISPs in developing countries have deployed LTE in this
band for providing wireless Internet services. It will also be beneficial for operators in Pakistan to
adopt a similar approach to offer broadband services.

2500 MHz: The 2500MHz offers 190MHz of bandwidth (2500 – 2690 MHz) and it is allocated in many
countries for mobile services. This is 3GPP Band 7 for FDD (2500 – 2570 MHz paired with 2620 – 2690
MHz) and Band 38 for TDD (2570 – 2620 MHz). In Pakistan, the 2500MHz band is currently occupied
by Southern Network Limited (SunTV) for operating its MMDS system that is used to deliver Pay-TV
services. The PTA/FAB is in the process of refarming the 2500MHz band and plans to recover the band
but the timing is dependent on the judiciary process. This band has also been identified by ITU for IMT
(5G) deployment. GoP in its Policy Directive for Test & Trials of Future Technologies, has also identified
it as potential band for IMT deployment in Pakistan.

Recommended Actions: This band should be a high priority after the 1800MHz has been fully
assigned. This band is now being used in many countries for LTE systems, and often being
aggregated with other bands to deliver faster LTE speeds. This is crucial for mobile operators in
Pakistan. Mobile Operators have also applied with PTA/FAB to conduct 5G trials in this band.

3000 MHz: 3300 – 3400 MHz has been identified by ITU for IMT (5G). As such, PTA/FAB will stop
assigning frequencies in this band and will work with existing users to migrate their systems to
alternative bands.

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3400 to 3600 MHz has been awarded to operators for mobile or wireless broadband services in
several countries. Some operators have deployed LTE systems to offer wireless broadband services
(e.g., UK and Canada) but fewer operators use 3500MHz for mobile services (e.g., NTT DoCoMo
launched 3500MHz TDD LTE in mid-2016). Mobile devices supporting this band (3GPP Band 22 for FDD
and 42 for TDD) are also not widely available at this point. In Pakistan, this band has been allocated to
operators for the deployment of fixed wireless broadband services. At this point, the band is not fully
utilised with only three operators offering services. This band has also been identified by ITU for IMT
(5G) deployment. GoP in its Policy Directive for Test & Trials of Future Technologies, has also identified
it as potential band for IMT deployment in Pakistan. PTA/FAB expect this band to see demand from
mobile operators in the future for IMT (5G) and will allow more players to bid for the spectrum when
the existing licences expire.

Recommended Actions: PTA/FAB to auction the full band when all the licences expire in 2024. In the
longer term, there should be a plan for WLL systems to be eventually phased out – for example with
the view that legacy WLL will eventually be replaced by mobile services and other relevant 5G use
cases. In the meantime, PTA/FAB should make arrangements to hold 5G trials in this band as per
2017 GoP policy.

5 Broadcasting Services

Transitioning from analogue TV to Digital TV

Globally, terrestrial TV broadcasting uses prime spectrum in the VHF band (173 – 230 MHz) and UHF
band (470 – 862 MHz). Analogue terrestrial broadcasting stations, typically operated by public
broadcasters, have been transmitting in these band for decades. Over the past decade, countries
around the world have been transitioning their terrestrial TV from analogue to digital to provide better
picture quality (high definition TV, or HDTV), increase number of programme and free up valuable
spectrum.

Digital broadcasting is spectrally more efficient and the switchover to digital is freeing up spectrum
known as the digital dividend. By implementing single frequency network (SFN) and more advanced
modulation and coding techniques (e.g., DVB-T2), the same 8MHz frequency channel (which supports
one analogue TV), can now carry a multiplex of up to 20 digital programmes with similar quality. For
spectrum management organisations, the digital dividend means spectrum freed up for other services.
In Asia, through the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT), administrations have harmonised the band
plan for the digital dividend (698 – 806 MHz) which is now harmonised for IMT services globally.

As of September 2016, ITU’s records show that 73 countries have already completed the Digital
Switchover (DSO) and Analogue Switch Off (ASO) whilst another 63 countries are in the process of
doing so.

(https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Spectrum-Broadcasting/DSO/Pages/countries.aspx).

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Figure 6: Digital Terrestrial TV Broadcasting

It is crucial for broadcasters to move to digital since globally they are losing viewership to other
platforms including satellite networks, fixed networks (cable TV or IPTV via DSL or other broadband
access), as well as free over-the-top services (through both fixed and mobile broadband). With the
additional bandwidth, broadcasters are able to introduce new services to retain viewership and to tap
into new revenue streams. For example, broadcasters can offer catch-up TV, electronic program guide
(EPG), 3DTV and digital signage. Another major trend is for terrestrial broadcasters to implement
hybrid TV or interactive TV to harmonise the broadcast, IPTV, and broadband delivery of
entertainment to the end consumer through connected TVs (smart TVs) and set-top boxes. It offers
broadcasters the ability to provide video-on-demand, interactive advertising, personalisation, voting,
social networking, and so on. In the multiscreen era, people do not just consume content from the TV
unit in the living room, so broadcasters are also aware of the need to push content to mobile devices.

In Pakistan, the government has limited terrestrial TV broadcasting services to be carried out by PTV
the national broadcaster and ATV (Shalimar Recording and Broadcasting Company and Sports Star
International joint venture). Besides terrestrial broadcasting, there are operators offering content via
other platforms. PEMRA has issued licences for IPTV, MMDS, Cable TV, mobile TV and satellite TV.
PEMRA is also in the midst of issuing DTH licences.

PEMRA also plans to introduce digital terrestrial TV broadcasting on national, provincial and
metropolitan city basis. However, the plan has not been finalised and PEMRA has not firmed up its
decision on issues such as the technology standard, rollout plan and analogue switch-off date. PEMRA
is aiming for 36 content channels including 9 from PTV plus 3rd party channels. There is an ongoing
trial using the DTMB technology developed by Chinese manufacturers.

Audio Broadcasting also migrating to Digital

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FM analogue radio broadcasting has also existed for a long time and in many countries FM radio
services remain popular. With limited bandwidth (88 – 108 MHz), some countries have introduced
Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) to support new programmes and to offer better sound quality.
However, on a global basis, there is mixed level of success. Several European countries have deployed
DAB+ but no countries have made a decision on when analogue radio transmission will be switched
off. Digital radios offer better sound quality but apart from that, there are no compelling reasons for
consumers to purchase a digital radio device which costs more than the analogue radio. On the other
hand, FM radio services offer extensive coverage and FM receivers are relatively low cost, often
integrated to mobile devices. Moreover there is currently no competing demand for the spectrum.
Hence, FM radio services are expected to stay in the foreseeable future.

PEMRA is considering licensing Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) / Digital Radio Services (DRS). The
broadcasting industry is considering DAB+ to be the more suitable standard due to the availability of
receivers.

Current Utilisation

In Pakistan, terrestrial TV broadcasting occupies the VHF and UHF bands but frequencies are assigned
only to PTV and ATV. For sound broadcasting, there are around 60 FM radio stations including several
non-commercial, localised campus radio stations. Only 3 radio networks provide nationwide coverage.

Spectrum Band Frequency Range Utilisation

MW 526.5 – 1606.5 kHz AM stations operated by Pakistan Broadcasting

Corporation for news and current affairs programme.

SW 1.6 – 30 MHz Mainly operated by Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation

VHF Band II 87 – 108 MHz 60 FM radio stations; 3 nationwide stations

VHF Band I 47 – 68 MHz These bands are allocated for terrestrial TV broadcasting
and it is currently used for PTV (Home and News
VHF Band III 174 – 230 MHz channels), ATV and DTMB trial
UHF Band 502 – 598 MHz

Table 5: Current Broadcasting Spectrum Allocation

Future Outlook

TV Broadcasting: PEMRA/FAB will be coordinating the digital TV planning to ensure a smooth

migration. With the implementation of digital terrestrial TV broadcasting, there is scope of allowing
more programmes to be transmitted over the air which is crucial in enticing consumers to change their
TV units that is capable of receiving digital TV signals. PEMRA/FAB will announce its plans for Digital
Switchover (DSO) and Analogue Switch-off (ASO) over the next two years.

Audio Broadcasting: There is spectrum available in the VHF Band III for the introduction of digital
audio broadcasting services. PEMRA/FAB is considering allocating spectrum for the implementation

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of digital audio broadcasting. PEMRA/FAB will determine the standards, licensing conditions and
assignment process over the next two years.

Recommended Actions:

Many countries have either completed their migration to DTTB or have put in place a plan for the
transition from analogue to digital broadcasting. Pakistan is lagging other countries in fleshing out
its plans to implement DTTB and switching off analogue TV. With different platforms carrying TV
content and limited terrestrial TV (not occupying the 700MHz “digital dividend” band), there is no
urgency to switch off analogue TV. However, it is advantageous for Pakistan to plan the migration
to DTTB since the transition typically takes a few years to complete. By making plans early, these
are the benefits:

1) Ensure that the right TV sets are being imported into the country so that consumers do not have
to buy new TV sets to receive digital signals in the future;

2) Enable PEMRA to determine how much spectrum is required during the simulcast period and how
much additional capacity is available for new programmes and services;

3) There is also a possibility for DTTB to replace existing MMDS and enable PEMRA to award new
licences for commercial TV via an auction (similar approach has been adopted by the Thai regulator,
NBTC);

4) This also gives PTV and ATV ample of time to rollout DTTB and for customers to gradually swap
out their TV sets thereby remove the need for the government to give out vouchers for people to
purchase new TV sets, something that is adopted by countries to speed up digital TV migration.
Broadcasters can also have greater visibility of the capacity they have to plan for content production
(e.g., HDTV, Mobile TV) and to carry new programmes.

Whilst there is no urgency to switch off analogue to free up spectrum for IMT services, there are
advantages to switch off earlier rather than later. Firstly, it lowers the cost for broadcasters to
transmit in both analogue and digital format. Secondly, it frees up spectrum for additional
broadcasting programmes and services. Sufficient time is required from planning, implementation
and consumer education. It is recommended that Pakistan aims to complete digital switchover and
analogue switch-off by end 20215.

6 Fixed Services

Fixed services operate in various radio spectrum bands from Very High Frequency (VHF) and Ultra-
High Frequency (UHF) to Extremely High Frequency (EHF). The VHF and UHF bands are typically used
for narrowband applications; for point-to-point links between land mobile base stations or point-to-
multipoint in the case of Wireless Local Loop (WLL). In some countries, the 2.3GHz, 2.5GHz and 3.5GHz
spectrum bands are also used for Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) / Fixed Broad Band (FBB) to deliver

5
This is based on international benchmark and a more detailed study is required to determine the exact date,
technology and spectrum requirements based on configuration and services to be supported.

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wireless broadband Internet access. In fact, FWA is one of the earliest use cases of IMT (5G)
technology. Various spectrum bands above 6GHz are used for point-to-point links with lower
frequency bands supporting longer communications range. Fixed services are being typically deployed
by organisations such as government agencies (Defence and public safety agencies),
telecommunications operators and broadcasters.

The demand for fixed services is changing. Firstly, telecommunications networks are gradually being
upgraded with fibre-based backbone infrastructure. Fibre networks are replacing microwave links as
fibre connections support higher speed (multiple Gbps), and provide higher availability (microwave
links are susceptible to fading and other propagation characteristics). In the access networks, Fixed
Wireless Access (FWA) is also being replaced by fibre access and mobile access particularly in the urban
areas. As a result, some fixed services in the lower frequency bands (<6GHz) have been refarmed for
other services. For instance, the 2.3 GHz and 2.5 GHz bands, previously used for FWA are now used to
deploy mobile services in many countries. These bands, along with 3.5 GHz have also been identified
for IMT (5G) by ITU.

However, in some government funded national broadband projects, wireless networks have been
deployed in rural or remote areas where fibre-based solutions are cost prohibitive. There remains
demand for microwave links where fibre connectivity is not available. Operators are also looking at
higher spectrum bands as the lower frequency bands become congested. In particular, fixed links are
a key backhaul option for mobile networks and operators have been exploring higher frequency bands
(e.g., 23 GHz, 28 GHz and 38 GHz) for shorter but higher capacity backhaul links. Some of the bands
falling in mmWave range (24.25-27.5 GHz, 37-43.5 GHz, 45.5-47 GHz, 47.2-48.2 and 66-71 GHz) have
also been identified for IMT (5G) during WRC-19. Additional bands to be used for IMT have been
proposed for further study and decision will be taken in WRC-23. Summary of priority frequency bands
in select countries for 5G is shown below:

Source: GSMA Study on Socio-Economic Benefits of 5G Services Provided in mmWave Bands.

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Demand for Fixed Services Being Driven by Mobile Backhaul

To cope with the rising demand for Mobile Broad Band (MBB) services, operators are adopting the
“network densification” strategy. This means implementing a large number of cells using small-cell
solutions. This is crucial when there is a shortage of mobile spectrum. However, this approach will
require a backhaul solution that is cost-effective and easy to install. Wireless backhaul is a feasible
option for connecting these small cells. As the data consumption increases, the capacity for backhaul
will also increase and each base station would require over 1 Gbps as the operator move from LTE to
LTE-Advance and IMT2020. In urban areas, operators use primarily fibre backhaul for their base
stations. However, with the deployment of a large number of outdoor small cells (e.g., street furniture,
bus stops, lamp post or external walls of buildings) fibre connection may not always be available. With
the upgrade of mobile networks to IMT-Advanced and IMT2020, the backhaul capacity will grow
quickly as well.

Wireless backhaul will complement fixed backhaul solutions particularly in countries that do not have
extensive fixed/fibre infrastructure. For example, wireless backhaul will play a smaller role in North
America and China where fibre network has been widely deployed but it will continue to play a
significant role in mobile networks in other regions.

Figure 7: Microwave Backhaul Share in Different Regions (source: Ericsson 20156)

There are different microwave spectrum bands that are now being used for wireless backhaul. There
is growing interest in using 59 – 64 GHz (V-band) as well as 71 – 76GHz/81-86GHz (E-band) for short,
high capacity backhaul links. At such high frequency, atmospheric absorption limits the propagation
of the signal and the antenna has to be highly directional. This means that the same frequency can be
reused multiple of times within a small area. In many countries, the use of these bands are also subject
to minimal regulations.

6
Ericsson, ‘Microwave Trends 2020’, September 2015

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Current Utilisation

Fixed services are widely deployed across Pakistan. Systems under fixed services are used by
government bodies, private entities as well as commercial operators. Fixed services in Pakistan can be
broadly categorised into three types:

Services Spectrum Bands Users

Specialised fixed Several bands below 1 GHz Various users including companies in
communications 2025 – 2110 MHz the oil & gas and utility sectors,
systems for private government agencies and telecoms
entities 2200 – 2290 MHz operators.
2300 – 2480 MHz
Wireless Local Loop 450 – 470 MHz (5MHz x 2) WLL providers such as PTCL using
including wireless 479 – 493.48 MHz (5MHz x 2) CDMA; as well as WiMAX / LTE based
broadband (WiMAX & providers such as Sharp and Wi-Tribe
LTE) 1900 – 1915 / 1980 – 1995 MHz7
3400 – 3600 MHz
Point-to-point 3800 – 5000 MHz These bands used by commercial
microwave 5925 – 7100 MHz telecommunications operators
(including PTCL and mobile
7425 – 9000 MHz operators) mainly for backhaul
10.15 – 10.65 GHz transmission. There are also
government users in these bands.
10.7 – 11.7 GHz
12.75 – 13.25 GHz
14.4 – 15.35 GHz
17.7 – 19.0 GHz
21.2 – 23.6 GHz
24.5 – 26.5 GHz
27.5 – 29.5 GHz
31.8 – 33.4 GHz
37.0 – 39.5 GHz
51.4 – 52.6 GHz
55.78 – 57.0 GHz
71 – 76 / 81 – 86 GHz (E Band)
Table 6: Current Fixed Service Spectrum Allocation
Future Outlook

2300 – 2400 MHz: This band has been identified by ITU for IMT (5G). As such, PTA/FAB will stop
assigning frequencies in this band and will work with existing users to migrate their systems to
alternative bands.

7
Pending the completion of the refarming process.

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3300 – 3400 MHz: This band has been identified by ITU for IMT (5G). As such, PTA/FAB will stop
assigning frequencies in this band and will work with existing users to migrate their systems to
alternative bands.

3400 – 3600 MHz: This band is currently allocated for Wireless Local Loop (WLL) services. Spectrum
was awarded through an auction in 2004. The spectrum is however not extensively used as the
number of subscribers on these services remain small and the coverage is not widespread. This band
has also been identified by ITU for IMT (5G). GoP in its Policy Directive for Test & Trials of Future
Technologies, has also identified it as potential band for IMT deployment in Pakistan. PTA/FAB expect
this band to see demand from mobile operators in the future for IMT (5G) and will allow more players
to bid for the spectrum when the existing licences expire.

7 Public Safety and Land Mobile

Land mobile systems continue to play a critical part in public safety and emergency services. Agencies
involved in public safety require radio networks that are secure, reliable and support closed group
communications. Increasingly, public safety agencies are implementing mobile broadband systems to
improve their operations. For example, live video streaming between the ground operations and the
central command centre provides situational awareness and helps to improve decision making and
more efficient deployment of resources. Whilst commercial mobile services are technically possible
to support public safety applications, there are usually concerns around quality of service to support
mission critical, emergency operations.

In many countries, different government agencies still operate their own system which require a
separate set of frequencies. By encouraging these agencies to consolidate their networks, there will
be efficiency gained, resulting in less spectrum required.

At the international level, through ITU and APT, administrations have been working towards
harmonising the spectrum for public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) systems. ITU-R Resolution
646 defines public protection radiocommunication as radiocommunications used by responsible
agencies and organisations dealing with maintenance of law and order, protection of life and property
and emergency situations. Disaster relief radiocommunication refers to radiocommunications used by
agencies and organisations dealing with serious disruption of the functioning of society, posing a
significant widespread threat to human life, health, property or the environment, whether caused by
accident, natural phenomena or human activity, whether developing suddenly or as a result of
complex, long-term processes. At WRC-2015, the band 694 – 894 MHz was identified to facilitate
mobile broadband communications for mission critical emergency services in PPDR, such as police,
fire, ambulances and disaster response teams. The harmonisation of spectrum for PPDR enables
economies of scale and lower costs for PPDR systems; as well as interoperability for cross-border
operations in emergency situations.

There is general consensus that LTE should be the technology for public safety mobile broadband
systems. Whilst the band 694 – 894 MHz is identified for broadband PPDR implementation, the exact
bands allocated differ in different countries. Some examples are shown in the Table below:

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Countries Bands Notes

CEPT 410–430 MHz / 450–470 MHz ECC Report 218 covers three elements:
700MHz (694 – 791 MHz) • Common LTE technical standard
• National flexibility to decide the amount
of spectrum to allocate
• Choice of implementation (dedicated,
commercial or hybrid)

France 698-703 MHz / 753-758 MHz Aim to add 400MHz in the future
733-736MHz / 788-791 MHz

United Kingdom No dedicated spectrum Procuring an Emergency Services Network

(ESN) to replace the current narrowband
network. ESN will carry voice and
broadband data through contracting with
commercial networks, but with priority
access to ensure quality of service.

USA, Canada 758–768 MHz / 788–798 MHz In the US, Congress allotted $7b and
20MHz for the implementation of FirstNet
to facilitate interoperability across
different public safety departments in the
US

Australia 806–824 MHz / 851–869MHz Whilst 800MHz is identified as the

potential band for PPDR, Australia is still
working through the model, whether it
should have a dedicated network,
commercial or hybrid.

Table 7: Public Safety Mobile Broadband Allocation in Different Countries

Future Outlook

806 – 824 MHz / 851 – 869 MHz: This band is part of the globally harmonised band for broadband
PPDR and it is being considered for PPDR allocation by regulators in Region 3. In view of the global
harmonisation, PTA/FAB has allocated this band for the deployment of a public safety communications
system. This being the case, this band will not be available for commercial mobile services.

Recommended Actions: It is noted that this band is already earmarked for broadband PPDR
implementation. To ensure efficient use of spectrum, the 800MHz PPDR band should be used to
deploy a system that is shared amongst various public safety agencies. For future expansion,
PTA/FAB should also consider the hybrid model and encourage public safety agencies to contract
mobile network operators to deliver part of the broadband requirements through priority access.

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8 Satellite Services

Satellite communications remain vital for niche applications particularly for communications across a
vast area where other means of communications are not available. For example, maritime, mining, oil
and gas exploration industries rely heavily on satellite communications. In addition, satellite is also
widely used for broadcasting content over a large geographical area. Internationally, the satellite
communications are categorised into the following:

• Mobile satellite service (MSS)

• Fixed satellite service (FSS)
• Broadcasting satellite service (BSS)

Similar to terrestrial communications, satellite operators are also offering broadband access to meet
user demand. There has been a growing demand for satellite bandwidth. WRC-19 included several
agenda items related with Satellite Services.

Key Outcomes of WRC-19

Earth exploration-satellite (EESS) service – Earth Exploration Satellite Service (EESS) was seeking
protection from GEO operators. Satellite operators are looking for reasonable protections to be
imposed after an adequate grandfathering period. Protection accorded to EESS with the possibility of
providing worldwide primary allocation in the frequency band 22.55-23.15 GHz in order to allow its
use for satellite tracking, telemetry and control.

Non-Geostationary Satellites – Mega-constellations of satellites consisting of hundreds to thousands

of spacecraft in low-Earth orbit are becoming a popular solution for global telecommunications, as
well as remote sensing, space and upper atmosphere research, meteorology, astronomy, technology
demonstration and education. Regulatory procedures established for non-geostationary satellite
constellations in the fixed-satellite service, opening the skies to next-generation communication
capabilities.

Regulatory changes introduced to facilitate rational, efficient and economical use of radio frequencies
and associated orbits, including the geostationary-satellite orbit.

Broadcasting-satellite service (BSS) – Protection of frequency assignments, providing a priority

mechanism for developing countries to regain access to spectrum orbit resources.

Earth stations in motion (ESIM) – The decision on ESIMs will connect people while in planes, ships, and
trains to communication links with geostationary satellites. Earth stations in motion (ESIM) address a
complex challenge: how to provide reliable and high-bandwidth Internet services to what are – literally
– moving targets. They provide broadband communications, including Internet connectivity, on
platforms in motion.

There are currently three types of ESIM: ESIM on aircraft (aeronautical ESIM), ESIM on ships (maritime
ESIM) and ESIM on land vehicles (land ESIM). They connect people on ships, aircraft and land vehicles
and ensuring their safety, security and comfort on the move.

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To address the increasing need for radio-frequency spectrum for ESIM, while protecting other
services, delegates at WRC-19 decided on the regulatory and technical conditions under which the
frequency bands 17.7‑19.7 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 27.5-29.5 GHz (Earth-to-space) can be used by
the three types of ESIM communicating with geostationary (GSO) space stations in the fixed-satellite
service (FSS). However, the Resolution also cautions that the frequency bands 17.7-19.7 GHz (space-
to-Earth) and 27.5-29.5 GHz (Earth-to-space) “are also allocated to terrestrial and space services used
by a variety of different systems, and these existing services and their future development need to be
protected, without the imposition of undue constraints, from the operation of ESIMs.”

The proposed agenda for WRC-23 also includes ESIM related items i.e., conditions to be further
defined for communications of ESIMs with non- geostationary space stations in the fixed-satellite
service to provide reliable and high-bandwidth Internet services to aircraft, ships and land vehicles.

FAB and Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO)

FAB is the designated Notifying Administration for the PAKSAT satellite networks at the ITU. FAB is
therefore responsible for the frequency coordination of PAKSAT. SUPARCO is the national space
agency mandated to conduct R&D in space science, space technology and their peaceful applications
in the country. SUPARCO is also responsible for the operation of PAKSAT and it works closely with FAB
in satellite coordination.

PAKSAT-1R was launched in August 2011 operating at 38oE in the C and Ku bands.PAKSAT-1R Satellite
has a total capacity of 30 transponders, 12 in C-Band and 18 in Ku-Band. The second satellite PAKTES-
1 was launched in 2018. This satellite is planned to operate in various bands including L, S C, X, Ku, Ka.
In addition, the Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite for remote sensing – the Pakistan Remote Sensing
Satellite 1 (PRSS-1) was launched on same day as PAKTES 1A. It operates in S and X band. PAKSAT MM1
Gap filler satellite is in geostationary orbit along with PAKSAT-1R. PRSS-1 carries a high-resolution,
electro-optical payload with designed service life of 5 years.

Future Outlook

C-Band & Satellites:

The C-band (3.6 – 4.2 GHz) is a core spectrum band for 5G deployment. Many national regulators
globally have either assigned this spectrum for mobile or have started preparations to do so. Portions
of this is being used by different satellite and fixed services as well. The current use of the C-band band
varies across regions and by country.

Identification of 3300-3400 MHz, 3600-3800 MHz in addition to 6425-7025 MHz, 7025-7125 MHz and
10.0-10.5 GHz for all ITU Regions is also included in WRC-23 Agenda. Within ITU Region-1 (Europe,
Middle East and Africa), UAE decided in November 2018 to award 100 MHz Bandwidth within this
frequency band for each Mobile Service Provider in the UAE to facilitate the early deployment of IMT
(5G) networks. Oman (December 2018), Qatar (January 2019), and Saudi Arabia (March 2019) have
also identified 3.5 GHz for IMT assignment.

The fixed satellite service (FSS) applications in the C-band include:

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• Large satellite earth stations which serve as a gateway that carry trunk or network traffic (feeder
links) to and from satellite space stations

• Telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) stations used for communication between spacecraft and
the ground.

• VSATs, which are small two-way satellite systems, primarily used by businesses, but also for military
and government applications.

• Satellite Master Antenna Television (SMATV), a system that uses multiple satellite and broadcast
signals to create a single integrated cable signal for distribution to a cabling network within a building
(e.g. apartment block, hospital etc.).

• TV receive-only (TVRO), used for reception of broadcast signals such as free-to-air television.

There are two general approaches to release the spectrum for mobile use, namely:

1. Accommodate both mobile and existing users through sharing.

2. Clear the band (or parts of it) by migrating existing users to alternative bands or technologies.

The potential to share between IMT and incumbent users depends on the services themselves, the
extent of their deployment and the type of sharing envisioned (co- or adjacent-channel)

In addition to guard bands, other possible measures to ensure coexistence between IMT and FSS
include;

• Earth station site shielding

• Restriction zones to protect FSS

• Improved FSS receivers

• Addition of filters to FSS receivers

The C-Band Alliance (CBA), a lobbying consortium made up of satellite giants SES, Intelsat and Ottawa-
based Telesat, has been pitching to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to
sell a chunk of their satellite capacity over the US for use by would-be 5G operators. The CBA was
planning to auction off a total of 300 MHz of their 500 MHz C-band satellite capacity, On 18 Nov, 2019,
FCC announced that they would host a public auction and it would then pay out a percentage of its
proceeds from the sale to incumbent satellite operators for executing the complex task of
reconfiguring and transitioning their networks.

Recommended Actions: PTA/FAB/MoIT in consultation with SUPARCO should carry-out a cost-

benefit analysis to assess the optimum approach for the release of C-band for 5G. It should include
the cost of implementing coexistence measures or a band clearance. In some cases, a hybrid of the
two approaches may be appropriate. For example, in its plans for releasing the 3575-3700 MHz
band, the Australian regulator ACMA decided to clear existing FSS and FS users in metro and
regional areas over a transition period of up to seven years while specifying coexistence measures
to protect incumbent users during this period.

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9 Aeronautical and Maritime

Aeronautical Services

Civil and military aviation are key users of spectrum and the radio systems on board aircraft as well as
for air-traffic control are generally harmonised globally through international bodies such as the ITU
and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO is also a specialised agency of the United
Nations). ICAO has been developing standards for aeronautical radio communication, navigation and
surveillance systems and equipment, installed on aircraft or on the ground. In this regard, ICAO is
actively involved in the ITU processes to secure the radio-frequency spectrum required for aviation
purposes. In Pakistan, PTA/FAB together Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) ensure that the aviation
industry have access to spectrum that is globally harmonised through ITU and ICAO.

With the changes in aviation technologies, there will be new requirements that will impact the
spectrum allocation for aeronautical services. There were two major development at the WRC-15
related to the aeronautical:

Wireless Avionics Intra-Communications (WAIC): WRC-15 approved a worldwide primary allocation

of 4200 – 4400 MHz to aeronautical mobile (route) service to support WAIC. WAIC replaces wiring
with wireless systems to reduce the weight of the aircraft, resulting in greater fuel efficiency. WAIC is
intended to support data, voice and video communications between systems on an aircraft to monitor
different areas and to provide communications for the crew. Wireless sensors locate at various points
on the aircraft will enable the monitoring of the health of the aircraft structure and all its critical
systems – to ensure flight safety. WAIC is based on short-range radio technology with low power
levels. WAIC is mostly for internal, within fuselage communications and it does not support
communications for passengers or in-flight entertainment.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS): UAS or drones are finding more commercial applications (from
crop surveys, counting wildlife, fire detection and monitoring to goods delivery). There is a need for
reliable terrestrial and satellite links for controlling UAS. WRC-12 allocated spectrum for the terrestrial
component in 5GHz and WRC-15 approved the use of FSS spectrum for UAS. Eight spectrum bands
including Ku (970 MHz globally and 1520 MHz regionally) and Ka (1000 MHz globally) were designated
for UAS. However, the bands can only be used after the development of ICAO standards and
recommended practices. This paves the way for large-scale commercial utilisation of UAS after 2023.

The major agenda items of WRC-19 related with Aeronautical Services and their key outcomes are as
follows:

High-altitude platform stations (HAPS): Additional frequency bands Identified for High Altitude
Platform Systems – radios on aerial platforms hovering in the stratosphere – to facilitate
telecommunications within a wide coverage area below for affordable broadband access in rural and
remote areas. HAPS systems can be used to provide both fixed broadband connectivity for end users
and transmission links between the mobile and core networks for backhauling traffic. Both types of
HAPS applications would enable wireless broadband deployment in remote areas, including in
mountainous, coastal and desert areas.

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Delegates at WRC-19 agreed that allocations to the fixed service in the frequency bands 31-31.3 GHz,
38-39.5 GHz will be identified for worldwide use by HAPS. They also confirmed the existing worldwide
identifications for HAPS in the bands 47.2 – 47.5 GHz and 47.9 – 48.2 GHz are available for worldwide
use by administrations wishing to implement high-altitude platform stations. They agreed to the use
of the frequency bands 21.4-22 GHz and 24.25-27.5 GHz by HAPS in the fixed service in Region 2. They
also agreed to limitations regarding link directions, and inclusion of technical conditions of operation
of HAPS systems for the protection of other services.

Some of the Agenda Items for WRC-23 related with Aeronautical Services are mentioned below:

High-altitude IMT base stations (HIBS) – Possible use of same frequency bands as ground-based IMT
base stations on HAPS for extended mobile broadband connectivity to underserved communities and
remote areas.

Aeronautical Mobile Applications – Modernizing aeronautical HF radio, new non-safety aeronautical

mobile applications for air-to-air, ground-to-air and air-to-ground communications of aircraft systems,
and possible new allocations to the aeronautical mobile satellite service to support aeronautical VHF
communications in the Earth-to-space and space-to-Earth directions.

Maritime Services

The maritime mobile services are used by vessels operating in international waters, coastal areas and
inland waterways. Maritime systems are also used in onshore facilities for ensuring safety and security
purposes. To ensure safety of life as vessels move across international waters, the maritime systems
and frequency requirements are also coordinated internationally through the ITU and the
International Maritime Organisation (IMO). For example, the Global Maritime Distress and Safety
System (GMDSS) and emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) are globally harmonised
systems. Similarly, PTA/FAB together with the Maritime Security Agency (MSA) ensure that the
maritime industry has access to spectrum that is globally harmonised through ITU and IMO.

Like the aeronautical sector, the maritime industry also constantly enhance their communications and
navigation technologies to improve operation and safety.

At WRC-15, two major issues were tackled:

(1) Maritime On-board Communications: The on-board communications in the UHF band is facing
congesting since only six frequencies around 460 MHz were available. WRC-15 did not allocate
more frequencies but adopted measures to enable more efficient usage of existing frequencies.
These measures include the introduction of new channelling arrangements of 6.25kHz and
12.5kHz through Rec. ITU-R M. 1174-3; as well as the recommendation to use new digital
technologies such as digital coded squelch. These measures will increase the number of channels
thereby alleviating congestion.
(2) Maritime Automatic Identification Systems (AIS): The development of new AIS applications
requires new frequency allocation. These applications are aimed at improving maritime
communications and navigation safety. WRC-15 made the following provisions to enable AIS:
• Enable application-specific messages (ASM) in Appendix 18 channel 2027 and 2078; and
protecting AIS by prohibiting channel 2078, 2019, 2079, 2020 for ships

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• Identification of bands for terrestrial VHF Data Exchange System (VDES): 157.200–
157.325/161.800–161.925 MHz in Region 3.
• Secondary allocation to uplink maritime mobile-satellite service in 161.9375–161.9625
MHz/161.9875–162.0125 MHz for satellite component of VDES; downlink will be
considered at WRC-19.

VDES regional solution: identification of Appendix 18 channels 80, 21, 81, 22, 82, 23 and 83 for digital
systems in Regions 3.

At WRC-19, the agenda item related with Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)
resulted in expanded coverage and enhanced capabilities for GMDSS. For WRC-23, one of the
proposed agenda items is to improve communications and allocate additional spectrum and satellite
resources to enhance maritime capabilities in GMDSS, such as e‑navigation.

Future Outlook

Aeronautical & Maritime: PTA/FAB will implement the changes to the aeronautical and maritime
spectrum allocation in accordance with the decisions made by WRC-19. Together with Pakistan Civil
Aviation Authority (CAA), PTA/FAB will monitor the standards development by the ICAO and make
available spectrum in the FSS bands for UAS accordingly. PTA/FAB shall participate in studies and trials
for High Altitude Platform System (HAPS).

10 Unlicensed Bands for Short-Range Devices

Short range devices are low power devices that have low capability of causing interference to other
radio equipment. Short range devices are not considered a radio service under the ITU Radio
Regulations. In some countries, spectrum bands are designated as “unlicensed spectrum bands” whilst
in some countries, the short range devices are exempted from licensing under a class licence. The level
of power permissible and the types of applications are usually specified in published standards. Only
equipment that meets the standards are permitted to be imported.

SRDs are used in many areas including remote control, RFID, wireless microphones, health monitoring
devices and wireless LAN. Increasingly, manufacturers are working through the ITU and other
standardisation bodies to harmonise the frequency ranges and the technical standards. Bluetooth,
ZigBee and Wi-Fi (802.11) are some examples of global standards that are widely used and the
economies of scale have driven down the cost of hardware tremendously. At WRC-15, the 79GHz
frequency band was allocated for the operation of short-range high-resolution automotive radar. This
is part of the work to develop standards for Intelligent Transport System (ITS) and the vehicle radar is
part of the connected cars and road safety agenda.

Today, wireless LAN has moved from IEEE 802.11b in 2.4GHz offering 11 Mbps to IEEE 802.11ac in
5GHz offering over 500 Mbps to 1 Gbps (using wider bandwidth and techniques such as MIMO and
256 QAM). The development of IEEE 802.11ay is underway, pushing wireless connectivity to 20Gbps
by utilising 60GHz spectrum. Wireless LAN is now widely deployed in offices and used in households

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for sharing the bandwidth with multiple users or devices. In large campuses, such as universities,
wireless LAN can help students to get access anywhere within the campus. Consumers now switch
their mobile devices from 3G/4G to WiFi when they are at home or in the office. Mobile operators
have also been using WiFi to offload mobile data traffic from their cellular networks. With connected
homes, household appliances will also become more connected (air conditioners, lighting sensors,
garage openers) to enable home automation. Sensors will also be embedded everywhere to enable
process automation.

Moreover, the industry is now working with regulatory bodies to enable LTE systems to operate in the
unlicensed bands, particularly the 5GHz bands. In January 2016, the FCC in the US gave the green light
for Verizon and Qualcomm to conduct LTE-U tests. With the popularity of wireless LAN, the industry
is also pushing for the consideration of 5350 – 5470 MHz and 5850 – 5925 MHz for Wi-Fi operation.
Under the agenda item 1.16 of WRC-19, regulatory provisions were revised to accommodate both
indoor and outdoor usage and the growth in demand for wireless access systems, including RLANs for
end-user radio connections to public or private core networks, such as WiFi, while limiting their
interference into existing satellite services..

Current Frequency Bands Designated for SRDs in Pakistan

PTA/FAB allow the operation of SRDs in several frequency bands. For example, the spectrum approved
for RFID applications is listed in Table 8.The use of SRDs in other spectrum bands have been approved
on a case-by-case basis. The use of SRD will be on a license-exempt, type approval exempt basis if the
power and distance limits are met.

No. Frequency Band Allowed Power Max. Range Applications

Passive Tags = 0.5m
1 <135 KHz 0.022 W RFID
Active Tags = 2m
2 433MHz 10 – 100 mW Passive Tags = 2 – 5m RFID
3 865 ‐868 MHz 2W Active Tags = 100m RFID
0.5W outdoor;
4 2.4 GHz Passive Tags = 2 – 5m RFID
4W indoor W
Active Tags = 30m
5 5.7 GHz ISM band 2W RFID
Table 8: Frequency Bands Permitted for RFID
Future Outlook

5470 – 5725 MHz: New wireless LAN equipment (802.11n and ac) supports the 5470 – 5725 MHz band.
Many countries have already permitted the use of wireless LAN in this band if the equipment has
dynamic frequency selection (DFS) and transmit power control (TPC) capabilities. PTA/FAB are in the
process of formulating a framework for permitting this band for wireless LAN.

SRD Framework and Guidelines: PTA/FAB are in the process of preparing a Framework for Un-
Licensed Bands including SRDs that provides the industry a list of frequencies that are approved for
SRDs. This will include the technical parameters and standards, types of applications approved and
other operational restrictions.

Recommended Actions: With the growing demand for wireless LAN, there is a strong case for
allowing wireless LAN to share the spectrum in the 5GHz band with existing users. However, there

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have been instances where wireless LAN can interfere existing systems. For example, in the US,
wireless LAN was found to interfere with Terminal Doppler Weather Radars (5600 – 5650 MHz)
used around airports and the FCC had to impose a moratorium on new certifications and closed
the band temporarily to mitigate the problem. Hence the conditions of use need to be carefully
consulted with existing users.

11 Spectrum Outlook and Work Plan

The Spectrum Outlook table provides an indication of MoIT&T/PTA/FAB’s plan on a band-by-band
basis over the next five years. The table also provides an indication of the demand and difficulty to
change the allocation.

Demand Difficulty
Multiple parties asking for the spectrum; Many existing users; technical studies
High expressing urgency in using the need to be conducted; or potential legal
spectrum issues need to be considered

One or two parties enquiring the Some existing users, simple technical
Medium availability of spectrum, but the need is analysis required
not immediate

Future demand based on industry Very few users and system migration is
Low feedback and/or international trends straightforward

The timeline in the table refers to the timeframe anticipated for each work item to
Timeline be completed.

Table 9: Level of Demand for Spectrum, Difficulty and Timeline

Spectrum Outlook Table

Work Item Plan Demand Difficulty Timeline

Spectrum Sharing and As stated in Telecom Policy 2015, High High 2020 – 2021
Trading Framework PTA/FAB will develop the spectrum
sharing and trading framework to
encourage more efficient use of
spectrum.
AIP Framework & PTA/FAB will review the current N/A High 2020 – 2021
Spectrum Pricing spectrum pricing framework to
Review introduce AIP and other changes
based on international best
practices.
700 MHz Band To refarm this band and allocating Medium Medium 2020 – 2022
(703 – 803MHz) the band for mobile services.

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Work Item Plan Demand Difficulty Timeline

900 MHz Band Reassignment/renewal is in progress High Low 2020 – 2021
by MoIT&T/PTA/FAB
And 1800 MHz Band
reassignment
policy/license renewal

L-Band The L-Band has been identified for Low Medium Beyond 2021
IMT at WRC-2015. Also being
(1427 – 1518 MHz) considered for Supplementary Down
Link for mobile operations. PTA/FAB
is prepared to make this band
available in the longer term when
equipment becomes available.

1800 MHz Unassigned MoIT/PTA/FAB can potentially make High Low 2020 – 2021
Spectrum spectrum available for auction in the
near future. Re-farming will be
required to make block size
standardized.*

Below 2.7 GHz High-altitude IMT base stations Low Low 2024-2029
(HIBS) – Possible use of same
frequency bands as ground-based
IMT base stations on HAPS for
extended mobile broadband
connectivity to underserved
communities and remote areas.

2100 MHz Band PTA/FAB is refarming the band and High Medium 2020 – 2021
will make the spectrum available for
(1950 – 1980 MHz / mobile services.*
2140 – 2170 MHz)

2300 MHz Band 2300-2400 MHz is allocated to the Medium Medium 2020 – 2022
mobile service on a co-primary basis
(2300 – 2400 MHz) in the three ITU Regions. IMT (5G)
has already been deployed or is
being considered for deployment in
some countries in this frequency
band and equipment is readily
available. PTA/FAB intend to make
this band available in the future
when there is adequate demand.

* Availability status of these bands is attached as Annex-A

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Work Item Plan Demand Difficulty Timeline

2500 MHz Band MoIT&T/PTA/FAB is working to High High Depending
refarm the band with the intention on the
(2500 – 2690 MHz) of allocating it for IMT services. judiciary
Further GoP Policy has identified this process
band for trials of 5th generation
networks; the same is under
consideration for auction for IMT.

3.5 GHz Band (3300 3300-3400 MHz is identified for the Low High 2021-2022
MHz to 3400 MHz) implementation of International
Mobile Telecommunications (IMT)

3.5 GHz Band PTA/FAB is considering expanding High Medium Beyond 2024
(3400MHz to the usage of the band to include
3600MHz) mobile when the licences expire.
Further GoP Policy has identified this
band for trials of 5th generation
networks; the same is under
consideration for auction for IMT.

Digital TV MoIB/MoIT&T/PEMRA/PTA/FAB will Medium High 2020 – 2022

Broadcasting be coordinating the digital TV
planning to ensure a smooth
migration and make known the plans
for digital switchover.

Digital Audio There is spectrum available in the Medium High 2020 – 2022
Broadcasting VHF Band III for the introduction of
digital audio broadcasting services.
MoIB/PEMRA/FAB is considering
allocating spectrum for the
implementation of digital audio
broadcasting.
5470 – 5725 MHz PTA/FAB will be consulting the Medium Medium 2020 – 2021
industry for permitting this band for
wireless LAN and the conditions to
impose (e.g., DFS and TPC)
57 – 66 GHz To introduce point-to-point outdoor Low Low 2020 – 2022
application (V-Band)
31-31.3 GHz38-39.5 WRC has identified the frequency Low Low 2024-2029
GHz , 47.2 -47.5 GHz, band 31-31.3 GHz and 38-39.5 GHz
47.9-48.2 GHz for worldwide use by High Altitude
Platform Stations (HAPS). The
existing worldwide identifications
for HAPS is in the bands 47.2 – 47.5
GHz and 47.9 – 48.2 GHz. This
identification does not preclude the
use of this frequency band by other

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Work Item Plan Demand Difficulty Timeline

fixed-service applications or by
other services to which this
frequency band is allocated on a co-
primary basis, and does not
establish priority in the Radio
Regulations..

The existing worldwide

identifications for HAPS in the bands
47.2 – 47.5 GHz and 47.9 – 48.2 GHz
are available for worldwide use by
administrations wishing to
implement high-altitude platform
stations.
24.25-27.5 GHz, 37- GoP Policy has identified mmWave Low Low 2024-2026
43.5 GHz, 45.5- bands for trials of IMT (5G); WRC 19
47 GHz, 47.2-48.2 and has identified these band for IMT.
66-71 GHz Depending upon development of
eco-system and raise in demand, FAB
will make available the said
spectrum for IMT services protecting
incumbent services. Furthermore,
while identifying IMT bands for
agenda of IMT-2023, WRC-19 has
also identified 3300-3400 MHz,
3600-3800 MHz, 6425-7025 MHz,
7025-715 MHz and 10.0-10.5 GHz for
studies of coexistence of IMT. Use of
C-band for IMT will be decided in
coordination with SUPARCO due to
existing and future satellite
operations.
SRD Framework / PTA/FAB shall finalize the Medium Low 2020 – 2021
Guidelines framework.

Unlicensed Spectrum Framework for LPWAN shall be High Medium 2020-2021

for IOT finalized by PTA/FAB

Table 10: Spectrum Outlook Table

12 Conclusions

Telecom Policy 2015 provides clarity on various regulatory issues, as well as providing forward policy
directions for the next four years. Crucially, the Telecom Policy positions MoIT&T/PTA/FAB as forward-
thinking policy maker and/or regulator that also promotes transparency. This is essential to create a
conducive environment to encourage investment and spur growth within the ICT industry.

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12.1 Spectrum Master Plan – Transparency and Predictability

The Telecom Policy requires that a rolling Spectrum Strategy will be published every year. This
Spectrum Master Plan document provides the groundwork for developing the Spectrum Strategy. In
particular, Section 4 to 11 can be used to develop the Spectrum Strategy document. It is proposed
that PTA/FAB issues a draft document for consultation and get feedback on the strategy. This process
is necessary to ensure transparency and to receive additional inputs from the industry regarding
potential future requirements that may not have been captured during the interviews conducted
during this exercise.

12.2 Spectrum Demand versus Revenue

Previous auctions were not met by strong interests from mobile operators and in some cases there
were either no competition or leftover spectrum. The lack of demand for spectrum was partly because
the mobile operators were making their revenues mainly from voice services and data services were
mostly 3G-based. With intense competition and a low ARPU, operators were therefore more averse
to making huge investment in acquiring more spectrum. This is expected to change. As highlighted in
Section 4, the future demand for spectrum will be driven by mobile broadband services. Over the next
few years, 4G/LTE will drive the demand for spectrum and the adoption of mobile broadband is
expected to accelerate in future. Pakistan has crossed the 38.5 Million 4G subscriber mark through
expanding its 4G coverage across the country. The availability of service has also triggered the
development and adoption of applications (e.g., Careem taxi app).

There are ways the government of Pakistan can help to boost the usage of mobile broadband services.
The government can take the lead to promote the use of the Internet through enabling of government
services via electronic means, i.e., E/M-government. Several countries in Asia (e.g., Thailand and
Indonesia) are also initiating national broadband projects to improve the broadband infrastructure
particularly in rural areas, and to bridge the digital divide. Most of these national broadband projects
are choosing to use LTE in rural areas to lower project costs and enable faster rollout. As the demand
for mobile broadband grows, operators will gain additional revenues which will put them in a better
position to bid for spectrum to grow their networks.

12.3 Spectrum Trading Framework

The spectrum trading framework clarifies the rules with regard to spectrum trading between
licensees. The framework is comprehensive but there are areas that PTA/FAB could consider:

• The framework does not permit spectrum trading between a WLL licensee and a mobile
licensee. In light of the convergence of services and technology neutrality, it is beneficial for
operators to be able to maximise the use of spectrum through trading.

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• The framework also does not allow trading by regions. This could be assessed on a case-by-
case basis; allowing an operator that are not serving customers in a particular region to sell
the spectrum to another party that has a need for spectrum. This will further improve the
utilisation of spectrum.
• The framework for leasing does not specifically mention whether geo-spatial leasing is
allowed. The sharing of spectrum between different services are also not covered in this
framework (e.g., TVWS). This is an advance area which could be considered when cognitive
radios become more common in the marketplace.
• The trading framework could also include bands that PTA/FAB face difficulties refarming
administratively (e.g., 2500 MHz). This will allow operators with strong commercial incentives
to access the spectrum to acquire the resources from the incumbent based on commercial
terms.
•

12.4 Spectrum Management System for Developing Country – SMS4DC

PTA’s Frequency license process including invoicing is currently a manual one and the records are not
stored in a structured database that can be integrated with FAB’s assignment database. The
implementation of a database and using frequency evaluation software will help to improve accuracy
of data and efficiency in processing applications. As Pakistan move into the digital age, there will be
an expectation for people and organisations to be able to transact with the Government of Pakistan
through the online channel.

There are several options of implementing an electronic system for licensing. Developing a system in-
house gives the greatest flexibility to add or change features based on changing requirements.
However, this is often a costly approach since the software is only developed for one organisation.
There are also commercially available software that may also provide integration with technical
spectrum analysis tools. Such software can also be costly depending on the complexity of the software,
map resolution and the level of maintenance required.

Another more cost-effective option is the ITU’s SMS4DC – an

automated technical and administrative tool for spectrum
management. SMS4DC adopts ITU-R recommendations which
facilitates the registration of assignment with ITU. It is
recommended that PTA conduct a free trial of this software and
evaluate if this is the right option in terms of functionality and
useability.

Recommended Actions: MoIT&T and PTA should urgently look at automating the licensing
process. This should include automating the invoicing of licences. If PTA intends to develop a
system in–house, they should still evaluate the SMS4DC to determine the key parameters and
requirements for a comprehensive platform. Once the system is in operation, the next phase could
include an integration with an online application portal and/or continued reconciliation of
distributed records between FAB and PTA. In order to implement the light licensing regime for Un-
licensed Spectrum (UWB, Wi-Fi, IoT, SRD, etc), an online system also needs to be deployed by

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PTA/FAB. Another web-based system, similar to TOWAIR developed by FAA/FCC in USA needs to be
deployed by CAA/PTA/FAB for expediting site clearance process in vicinity of airports. BTS approval
process needs to be made on-line as well in order to shorten time consumed by FAB Board
Members in decision making.

12.5 Human Capacity Building

To implement the work outlined in Section 11 (Spectrum Outlook and Work Plan) it is necessary for
officers in PTA and FAB to have the knowledge and skillset to handle those tasks. The areas of expertise
required range from technical knowledge of different technologies and services; understanding of
economic issues and market dynamics; legal and regulatory framework; and strategic planning and
policies around wireless innovation.

The ITU has a few human capacity building initiatives. The Spectrum Management Training
Programme (SMTP) for instance, is developed by the ITU Academy to assist spectrum management
professionals to enhance their knowledge while working in this field. Trainees entering the SMTP may
be from different institutional levels, from technical to managerial, and from different background
(engineering, legal, economics, etc.). The development of this programme is being coordinated by the
Human Capacity Building division within the Projects Support and Knowledge Management
department of the ITU’s Telecommunications Development Bureau (BDT), in close collaboration with
BDT’s focal point for the Spectrum Management and Radiocommunication Bureau (BR), subject
matter experts, academia representatives and other stakeholders.

The ITU also has a Centres of Excellence (CoE) programme that supports capacity building in the field
of information and communications technologies (ICT). Designed to offer continuous education to ICT
professionals and executives in the public and private spheres through face-to-face or distance
learning programmes, the Centres serve as regional focal points for professional development,
research, and knowledge sharing, as well as provide specialist training services to external clients.
With the support from multilateral and regional organizations, CoE networks have been established
in a number of regions including Africa, the Americas, Arab States, Asia-Pacific, Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS) and Europe.

It is proposed that PTA and FAB consider leveraging the ITU Academy programmes to develop staff
capabilities on an on-going basis. This will help the two organisations to expose the spectrum
management specialists to international best practices and determine the best approaches for
Pakistan.

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Glossary

2G Second-generation mobile network or service. A general term for second-generation

networks, for example GSM.
3G Third-generation mobile network or service. Generic term of the next generation of
broadband digital mobile cellular systems, which will have expanded broadband
capabilities for mobile data applications. See IMT-2000
3GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project. A cooperation between regional standards bodies
to ensure global networking for 3G systems
4G Fourth-generation mobile network or service. Mobile broadband standard offering
both mobility and very high bandwidth.
5G Fifth-generation mobile network or service. Denotes the next major phase of mobile
telecommunications standards beyond the current 4G/IMT-Advanced standards. 5G
has speeds beyond what 4G can offer.
ACR Administrative Cost Recovery
AIP Administrative Incentive Pricing
AIS Automatic Identification Systems. An automatic tracking system used on ships and by
vessel traffic services for identifying and locating vessels by electronically exchanging
data with other nearby ships
APT Asia-Pacific Telecommunity. APT was founded on the joint initiatives of UNESCAP and
ITU to promote regional harmonisation of ICT programmes and activities in the
region.
ASAF Annual Spectrum Administrative Fee
ASO Analogue Switch-Off
Bluetooth A radio technology that enables the transmission of signals over short distances
between mobile phones, computers and other devices. It is typically used to replace
cable connections.
CAGR Compound Annual Growth Rate
DAB Digital Audio Broadcasting. A technology for broadcasting of audio using digital radio
transmission.
DSA Dynamic Spectrum Access. A technique that enables a radio device to operate in
spectrum that is not being used in a particular area, at a particular point in time
DSO Digital Switch-Over
DTMB Digital Terrestrial Multimedia Broadcast. A TV standard for mobile and fixed
terminals use mainly in China.
DTTB Digital Terrestrial TV Broadcasting
DVB Digital Video Broadcasting. An open standard for digital television maintained by the
DVB Project industry consortium.
eMMB Enhanced Mobile Broad Band
eMBMS Evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services. Point-to-multipoint transmission
delivered through an LTE (Long Term Evolution) network.
EIPRB Emergency position-indicating radio beacon station. A station in the mobile service
used in search and rescue operations.
FAB Frequency Allocation Board
FBB Fixed Broad Band

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FDD Frequency Division Duplex. A duplex technique where the traffic in each direction
carried on two way telecommunications link is carried on two different carriers
frequencies each dedicated to the traffic in one direction.
FWA Fixed Wireless Access. A wireless access application in which the location of the end
user terminal and network access point to connect to the end user are fixed.
GADSS Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System. A system to enhance search and
rescue services to timely determine that an aircraft is in distress, locate it and rescue
survivors in the event of an incident. GADSS entails aircraft tracking system,
autonomous distress tracking system and flight data recovery.
GoP Government of Pakistan
GMDSS Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. An internationally agreed-upon set of
safety procedures, types of equipment, and communication protocols used to
increase safety and make it easier to rescue distressed ships, boats and aircraft..
GSM Global System for Mobile Communications. Digital mobile standard developed in
Europe. It describes the protocols for 2G digital cellular networks used by mobile
phones, first deployed in Finland in July 1991.
IMT-2000 International Mobile Telecommunications-2000. Third-generation (3G) “family” of
mobile cellular standards approved by ITU.
IoT Internet of Things. A global infrastructure for the information society, enabling
advanced services by interconnecting (physical and virtual) things based on existing
and evolving, interoperable information and communication technologies.
ISP Internet Service Provider. ISPs provide end users access to the Internet. ISPs may offer
their own proprietary content and access to online services such as e-mail.
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization. A specialised agency of the United Nations
for civil aviation.
IMO International Maritime Organisation. A specialised agency of the United Nations for
maritime.
ITU International Telecommunication Union. The United Nations specialized agency for
telecommunication.
LTE Long-Term Evolution. Commonly marketed as 4G LTE, is a standard for wireless
communication of high-speed data for mobile phones and data terminals. It is based
on the GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA network technologies, increasing the capacity
and speed using a different radio interface together with core network
improvements. The standard is developed by the 3GPP.
LTE- LTE Advanced is a mobile communication standard and a major enhancement of the
Advanced Long-Term Evolution (LTE) standard. It was formally submitted as a candidate 4G
system to ITU-T in late 2009, as meeting the requirements of the IMT-Advanced
standard, and was standardised by the 3GPP in March 2011 as 3GPP Release 10.
LSA Licensed Spectrum Access. An individual licensed regime of a limited number of
licensees in a frequency band, already to one or more incumbent users, for which the
additional users are allowed to use the spectrum (or part of the spectrum) in
accordance with sharing rules included in the rights of use of spectrum granted to the
licensees, thereby allowing all the licensees to provide a certain level of QoS.
M2M Machine-to-machine. Information exchange between a subscriber station and a
server in the core network (through a base station) or between subscriber station,
which may be carried out without any human interaction.
MBB Mobile Broad Band
MIMO Multiple-Input Multiple-Output. A wireless technology that uses multiple transmitters
and receivers to transfer more data at the same time.
mMTC Massive Machine Type Communication
MoIB Ministry of Information Broadcasting and National Heritage, Pakistan.

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MoIT&T Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom, Pakistan.

MVNO Mobile Virtual Network Operator. A company that does not own a licensed frequency
spectrum, but resells wireless services under their own brand name, using the
network of another mobile phone operator.
OTT Over-the-Top. OTT designates the carriage of telecom services, such as voice
telephony, on top of a general purpose communication path, such as the Internet.
PEMRA Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority. Regulator for electronic media
services in Pakistan.
PPDR Public Protection and Disaster Relief. Public protection radiocommunication is used
by agencies and organisations dealing with the maintenance of law and order, the
protection of life and property with emergencies; and disaster relief
radiocommunication is used for dealing with serious disruptions to the functioning of
society that pose a significant and widespread threat to human life, health, property
or the environment, whether caused by accident, natural phenomena or human
activity, and whether developing suddenly or as a result of complex, long-term
processes.
PTA Pakistan Telecommunications Authority. The telecommunications regulator in
Pakistan.
PTV Pakistan Television. The state-owned broadcaster in Pakistan
QoS Quality of service. The overall performance of a telephony or computer network,
particularly the performance seen by the users of the network.
RCS Rich Communications Services. RCS include instant messaging, chat, live video and file
sharing – work across all networks and on any device, and mark a transition from
circuit switched technology to an all-IP world that is changing the way people
communicate.
RFID Radio-frequency identification. A system of radio tagging that provides identification
data for goods in order to make them traceable. Typically used by manufacturers to
make goods such as clothing items traceable without having to read bar code data for
individual items.
S/N Signal to Noise Ratio. A measure of signal strength relative to background noise. The
ratio is typically measure in decibels (dB).
SDR Software Defined Radio. A radio communication system which uses software for the
modulation and demodulation of radio signals.
SFN Single Frequency Network. S
SRD Short-range device. Radio transmitters which provide either unidirectional or
bidirectional communication and which have low capability of causing interference to
other radio equipment.
SUPARCO Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission.
TDD Time Division Duplex. A duplex technique where the traffic in each direction of a two-
way telecommunications link is carried on a single carrier radio frequency, in discrete
time intervals each dedicated to traffic in one direction.
TPC Transmit Power Control. A technical mechanism used within some networking
devices in order to prevent too much unwanted interference between different
wireless networks.
TVWS TV White Space. A portion of spectrum left unused by broadcasting, also referred to
as interleaved spectrum.
UAS Unmanned Aircraft Systems. An aircraft and its associated elements which are
operated with no pilot on board.
uRLLC Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication.

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UWB Ultra-Wide Band. Wireless communications technology that can currently transmit
data at speeds between 40 to 60 megabits per second and eventually up to 1 gigabit
per second. It uses ultra-low power radio signals.
VDES VHF Data Exchange System. A
VoLTE Voice over LTE which is based on the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network, with
specific profiles for control and media planes of voice service on LTE. VoLTE will
facilitate far richer, multi-media voice services, increasing the service quality (by
offering HD Voice) and interest delivered to consumers.
WAIC Wireless Avionics Intra-Communications. System intended for wireless
communications applications between points on a single aircraft impacting the safety
or regularity of flight.
Wi-Fi Wireless Fidelity. A mark of interoperability among devices adhering to the 802.11b
specification for wireless LANs from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE). However, the term Wi-Fi is sometimes mistakenly used as a generic
term for wireless LAN.
WiMAX Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access. Fixed wireless standard IEEE
802.16 that allows for long-range wireless communication at 70Mbps over 50
kilometres. It can be used as a backbone Internet connection to rural areas.
WLL Wireless Local Loop. Typically a phone network that relies on wireless technologies to
provide the last kilometre connection between the telecommunication central office
and the end-user.
WRC World Radiocommunication Conference. An ITU conference held every three to four
years. The role of WRC is to review, and, if necessary, revise the Radio Regulations,
the international treaty governing the use of the radio-frequency spectrum and the
geostationary satellite and non-geostationary satellite orbits.
ZigBee An IEEE 802.15.4 specification for a suite of high-level communication protocols used
to create personal area networks with small, low-power digital radios.

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