Telecommunications Spectrum Policy and Planning Regional Workshop on Efficiency of the Frequency Spectrum Use in the Arab Region 5 – 7 December 2011 Mohamed Mahmood Technical & Operations Director Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) mtayeb@tra.org.bh

Agenda 1 Telecommunications Spectrum Policy and Planning issued in June 2006 National Spectrum Planning and Allocation Policy issued in October 2008 Next steps 2 3

Designing guidelines for spectrum policy Drafting frequency policy 1 We developed the full spectrum policy over 9 months Aug ’05 start Nov ’05 consultation June ’06 publication Ongoing 1 2 3 4 Designing guidelines for spectrum policy Public Consultation Drafting frequency policy Execution of policy Existing allocation and procedures Future demand based on new users and technologies Key issues, constraints and spectrum conflicts Best practices in other markets Policy framework Consultation document drafting and publication High success and response rate from a variety of stakeholders from Bahrain and overseas: government, equipment manufacturers, telcos, ISPs etc Review of the responses Drafting and publication of national spectrum policy plan included number of licences by band, licensing award mechanism, new spectrum pricing etc New licences granted: Two licenses in the band 3.4 – 3.6 GHz Mobile licence to STC (VIVA) Process for introducing new technologies : One licence in the GSM 1800 Guard band New licensing regimes (light licensing) – 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz

Execution of the 2006 policy Execution of policy 1 Execution of the 2006 policy Execution of policy Spectrum bands 3.4 – 3.6 GHz 900, 1800, 2100 MHz 1785 – 1805 MHz 2.4 & 5 GHz 2 1 1 Zain Bahrain, BD 5.5 Million Mena Telecom, BD 5.5 Million (Auction in Dec 2006) VIVA Bahrain, BD 84 Million (Auction in March 2009) Bahrain Broadband BD 50,000 (Auction in July 2009) light licensing regime – free, available to all

2 National Spectrum Planning and Allocation Policy issued in October 2008 National Spectrum and Allocation Policy International Cooperation Spectrum Charges and Fees Monitoring, Enforcement and Control Radio communications Licensing Frequency Assignment Spectrum Engineering Planning and Allocation

Planning and Allocation 2 Creation of Spectrum Strategy and Coordination Committee (SSCC) An updated National Frequency Plan for the Kingdom of Bahrain in May 2009 Planning and Allocation Creation of International Panning Group under the SSCC (i.e. WRC) Initial positions of the Kingdom of Bahrain on WRC-12 agenda items International Cooperation

2 Responsible for providing views and advices on topics related to national, regional and international radio spectrum Has members from the TRA, security agencies, Civil Aviation Affairs, Sea Ports and Information Affairs Authority. Objectives of the SSCC

2 Creation of LTE Working Group under the SSCC, chaired by TRA Bahrain Review LTE requirements Determine the spectrum availability Review existing systems operating in the ‘preferred’ international LTE bands Review possible alternatives as well as the optimum means and time scale for migration Consider the development of LTE-Advanced systems Work on LTE

3 Next Steps: TRA issued a major spectrum management consultation document in December 2009 Dec ’09 Feb ’ 2010 1 2 3 4 Public Consultation 14 responses received Next steps Expected outcomes Current and future requirements Spectrum management Spectrum rights and licensing Migration Financial compensations Examples: Digital dividend 790 – 862 MHz 2.3 GHz 2.6 GHz Mobile operators in Bahrain Two international Satellite Operators International Trade Association National Association Manufacturing industry Review the responses Issue a report on the Reponses Draft “SPECTRUM RELEASE PLAN” will be prepared and then discussed at the SSCC level. MIGRATION and COMPENSATION regimes SPECTRUM RELEASE PLAN Frequency bands Timeframe Licensing mechanism

TRA Office Tel. 17 52 0000 Consumer Line 80088888 www. tra. org TRA Office Tel. 17 52 0000 Consumer Line 80088888 www.tra.org.bh mtayeb@tra.org.bh