Global Wireless Spectrum Issues: Market Opportunities and Implications

Digital Dividend, Frequency Harmonization, 2.6GHz, Mobile Liberalization, and 700MHz Spectrum in the US

This study provides a global perspective on all of the major spectrum initiatives currently under way, and their implications for vendors, regulators and operators. The report also addresses spectrum trading, mobile liberalization, technology neutrality and the latest developments in the satellite bands. It focuses on the UHF band which includes the 700MHz auction in the US and Digital Dividend in Europe, as well as the implications of collocating digital TV services and mobile broadband in Europe and the potential for new mobile operators to enter the US mobile broadband market. The research also examines 3G spectrum activities in India and China, as well as proposed WiMAX bands in Europe. The report covers the two major regions with major activities in the UHF band, the United States and Europe, and details the proposed usage of the UHF band, profiling key players and analyzing potential issues.

What Questions Does This Report Answer?

  • What are the major spectrum initiatives underway and what are their implications?
  • Who are the major players in each region?
  • Who are the major players in the 700 MHz auction?
  • What are the potential opportunities for the 700 MHz spectrum?
  • What are the roles of the regulators in each region?
  • What are the trends in frequency regulations?
  • Which frequency bands are being used in each region for which technologies?
  • What major spectrum harmonization activities are taking place globally?
  • What are the potential uses of the 700MHz spectrum in the United States?

Who Needs This Report?

  • Semiconductor vendors
  • Mobile infrastructure manufacturers
  • Mobile device manufacturers
  • Antenna and repeater manufacturers
  • Public safety operators
  • Public safety vendors
  • Frequency regulators
  • RF component manufacturers
  • National governments
  • Mobile operators
  • Backhaul infrastructure vendors
  • Content providers
  • Cable operators
  • Venture capitalists

Table of Contents


Section 1.
Executive Summary
1.1. Drivers for Spectrum Activities
1.2. The Major Frequency Activities in Europe
1.2.1. 3G License Is the Major Frequency Driver in Asia
1.3. Middle East and Africa: 3G and Fixed WiMAX Are Driving Spectrum Activities

Section 2.
Regional Activities and Development
2.1. Spectrum Policies and Activities in Europe
2.1.1. Ofcom
2.1.2. France
2.1.3. Italy
2.1.4. WiMAX Spectrum in Europe
2.1.5. Digital Dividend
2.1.6. Mobile Liberalization (Re-farming the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands for 3G Services)
2.1.7. The 2.6 GHz Band
2.2. World Radio Conference
2.2.1. Spectrum Trading
2.3. Spectrum Policies and Activities in Asia-Pacific
2.3.1. WiMAX and 3G Are the Primary Spectrum Drivers in Asia
2.3.2. Japan: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
2.3.2.1. Japan: Auctions Designed to Increase Competition, but Spectrum May Still Go to Incumbent Operators
2.3.3. India: Department of Telecommunications
2.3.3.1. India
2.3.4. Indonesia
2.3.5. China
2.4. Spectrum Policies and Activities in North America
2.4.1. North America
2.4.2. Spectrum Activities in the US Market
2.4.2.1. FCC and NTIA
2.4.3. Spectrum Activities in Canada: 2008 AWS Auction
2.4.3.1. Other Spectrum Activities in Canada
2.4.4. Satellite Activities
2.4.5. Australia’s Spectrum Activities
2.5. Spectrum Activities in Africa and the Middle East
2.5.1. Africa/ME
2.5.1.1. Nigeria
2.5.1.2. South Africa: Independent Communications Authority of South Africa
2.5.1.3. Kenya
2.6. Spectrum Activities in Latin America
2.6.1. Brazil
2.6.2. Mexico
2.6.3. Caribbean

Section 3.
Marketing Issues Related to 700 MHz Spectrum Activities
3.1. Everything 700 MHz
3.1.1. United States: 700 MHz Band Auction
3.1.2. Service Providers
3.1.3. Services for Previously Auctioned 700 MHz Spectrum
3.1.4. Use of 700 MHz Spectrum for WiMAX
3.1.5. LTE in the 700 MHz Spectrum
3.1.6. Rural Communities
3.1.7. Implications of Proposed Open Access
3.1.8. Cognitive Radios: White Space Spectrum Use
3.1.8.1. IEEE Developments for White Space
3.1.8.2. E2R Development for Use of White Space Spectrum
3.1.8.3. DARPA XG
3.2. Digital TV Spectrum

Section 4.
Market Trends and Opportunities
4.1. The Economics of Spectrum Auctions
4.1.1. 3G Bands
4.2. Harmonization of WiMAX Spectrum
4.3. National Emergency and Public Services Networks
4.3.1. Europe
4.3.2. United States
4.3.3. Public Safety in the United States
4.3.3.1. The Current Plan
4.3.3.2. First Responder: The New Plan
4.3.4. Use of the 700 MHz Spectrum: Redefining Homeland Security
4.4. Mobile TV Services
4.4.1. UHF Band: Digital Dividend (470 MHz to 862 MHz)

Section 5.
Technology Issues
5.1. Increasing Utilization of Existing Spectrum
5.1.1. Time Division Duplexing/Frequency Division Duplexing
5.1.2. Spectrum Efficiency
5.2. Spectral Mask
5.2.1. Implications of the Different Technologies
5.2.2. Guard Band Issues or Opportunities
5.2.3. EIRP and Maximum Transmit Power
5.3. Technical Implication of Digital TV Service
5.4. Broadcast/Multicast Service in 2 GHz and 3 GHz Bands

Section 6.
Competitive Landscape
6.1. International Organizations
6.1.1. International Telecommunications Organization
6.2. Key Players in the US Market
6.2.1. The FCC
6.2.2. The 4G Coalition
6.2.3. Google Has Cash but Lacks Deployment Know-how
6.2.3.1. Where Google Can Be Most Effective: The Google-T-Mobile JV (Level 3?)
6.2.3.2. Google Xohm JV: What Sprint’s Enterprising CEO Should Consider
6.2.3.3. Google: A Horizontal Player in the Fixed and Mobile Wireless Industry
6.2.3.4. Why Would Carriers Permit Google into Their Core Markets: Cellphone Development and Operation?
6.2.4. Motorola
6.2.5. Intel
6.2.6. Frontline
6.2.7. Pegasus Broadband
6.2.8. Access Spectrum
6.2.9. Qualcomm
6.3. Key Players in the European Market
6.3.1. Office of Communication in the United Kingdom (Ofcom)
6.3.2. Ericsson
6.4. Key Players in the Asia-Pacific Market
6.4.1. Japan: MIC
6.4.2. India: DoT
6.4.3. Samsung
6.4.4. KDDI
6.4.5. NTT DoCoMo

Section 7.
Future Spectrum Activities
7.1. New Spectrum by Region
7.2. North America
7.2.1. Future Auctions
7.3. Europe
7.3.1. Technology Deployments by Frequency Band
7.3.1.1. EDGE Networks: Global Trials and Commercial Deployments
7.3.1.2. WCDMA Frequency Bands
7.3.1.3. CDMA Frequency Bands

Section 8.
Recommendations
8.1. Operators: Dare to Be Different
8.2. Recommendation for Vendors
8.3. Recommendation for Regulators

Section 9.
Company List

Section 10.
Acronyms
Sources and Methodology
Notes
Average Spectrum Estimates by Operator



Tables
  • New Spectrum License, North America, Forecast: 2008
  • Spectrum Holdings by Asia-Pacific Operators, Asia-Pacific
  • Spectrum Holdings by North American Operators, North America
  • Globalstar Operating Frequencies
  • Thuraya Operating Frequencies
  • Iridium Operating Frequencies
  • WiMAX Deployments in Latin America
  • Spectrum Holdings by Latin American Operators
  • Spectrum Holdings by North American Operator, North America,
  • Spectrum Holdings by Operator, Asia-Pacific
  • Spectrum Holdings by Operator, Europe
  • Spectrum Holdings by Operator, Latin America
  • Spectrum Auctions: 2000 to 2007, North America: 2000 to 2007
  • Global Spectrum Allocation for WiMAX, World Market: 2006 to 2012
  • Technology Standards by Geographic Region
  • List of Fixed WiMAX Service Providers, Spectrum Band, and Status, World Market: 3Q 2007
  • Revenue from License Auction, North America: 2000 to 2007
  • Revenue from License Auction, Eastern Europe: 2006 to 2012
  • New Spectrum License, Europe, Forecast: 2006 to 2012
  • Spectrum Holdings per Band by Operator, North America: 2007
  • Spectrum Holdings per Band by Operator, APEC: 2007
  • Spectrum Holdings per Band by Operator, MEA: 2007
  • 700 MHZ: Key Players and Planned Activities, North America: 2008
  • 700 MHz: Auction Detail, 700 MHz - B Block (Cellular Market Area) CMA
  • 700 MHz: Auction Detail, 700 MHz - B Block (Cellular Market Area) CMA
  • 700 MHz: Auction Detail, 700 MHz - E Block (Economic Area) EA
  • 700 MHz: Auction Detail, 700 MHz - C Block (Regional Economic Area Grouping) REAG
  • Terrestrial Radio License in India, Key Players and Planned Usage
  • Terrestrial Radio License in United States, Key Players and Planned Usage
  • 700 MHz: Auction Detail: 2000 to 2001
  • Terrestrial Radio License in Japan, Key Players and Planned Usage

Charts
  • Eastern Europe: Base Station Deployment by Frequency Band: 2007 to 2012
  • Western Europe: Base Station Deployment by Frequency Band: 2007 to 2012
  • Asia-Pacific: Base Station Deployment by Frequency Band: 2007 to 2012
  • Africa: Base Station Deployment by Frequency Band: 2007 to 2012
  • Middle East: Base Station Deployment by Frequency Band: 2007 to 2012
  • North America: Base Station Deployment by Frequency Band: 2007 to 2012
  • South America: Base Station Deployment by Frequency Band: 2007 to 2012
  • Subscriber Base of Wireless Operators
  • Telkomsel Indonesia's License Holdings
  • Mobile Video Broadcast Handset Shipments by Region
  • Mobile Video Broadcast Subscription Revenue by Region
  • Mobile Broadband Subscribers by Air Interface
  • Unicast and Broadcast Mobile Video Subscribers by Region

Figures
  • Ofcom: The Spectrum Band: 470 MHz to 862 MHz
  • ITU 3G Interface Technologies
  • Revised 700 MHz Band Plan for Commercial Services
  • Pre-Reconfiguration Band Plan
  • Post-Reconfiguration Band Plan
  • 4G Coalition’s Proposed Adjustment to the Band