Experts hinge smooth ICT landscape on effective spectrum management

Experts in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector have said that effective spectrum management is the panacea for the smooth running of today’s technology landscape globally.

Gathered at a five-day online technical learning and knowledge upgrade for technocrats, who are custodians of spectrum management across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific and USA, organised by Tetconsult, it was submitted that spectrum remained very crucial to deploying reliable 5G networks.

The Chief Executive Officer of Tetconsult and immediate past Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization (CTO), Shola Taylor, who led the discussion, said: “Spectrum is the oxygen of the ICT world today and efficiency is the key for spectrum managers thus they need to be fully skilled to allocate the scarce resource efficiently.”

The virtual spectrum management master class, which was convened by Tetconsult, a consulting firm, had participants across government and the private sector discussing a variety of issues bordering on efficient utilization of spectrum for mobile, broadcast, military, space science, research for civilian applications, optimization of communications satellites, challenges in implementing digital switch over, recognition of C band investments & spectrum options for 5G, agenda items for WRC-23, among others.

The master class also focused on the fundamentals of spectrum management, ITU Radio Regulations and the potential revenue for governments.

According to Taylor, spectrum management is a big issue because of its dynamic nature. Therefore, its sharing and usage the world over must be regulated or controlled to maintain technical sanity, hence, the coordination roles of both the regional bodies such as: African Telecommunications Union (ATU), Conference of European Postal & Telecoms (CEPT), Asian Pacific Telecommunity (APT) as well as other international organisations such as IMSO and ITSO, cannot be overemphasised.

Taylor, a former chairman, ITU Radio Regulation Board, said it has become pertinent to have such a knowledge impact on the sector at a time like this when 5G spectrum licensing is around the corner.

His words, “auctions have increasingly become the most transparent method of awarding spectrum licences with benefits to consumers, governments, regulators and society at large.”

Speaking on the masterclass, a participant, Deputy Director, ICT at PURA, Gambia, Rodine S. Renner, said the training is the spectrum manager’s one stop shop training program.

Yet, another participant Mohammad M. Ayoub, Spectrum Manager at TRB Lebanon submitted that: “the topics addressed by the program are fundamental to frequency management and are presented in a detailed, smooth and enjoyable manner.”

For Kaltumi Giwa, an engineer at the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC Nigeria, “the training stairs up in the regulator/ spectrum manager the desire to efficiently manage RF spectrum, awakening the need to take the dynamic technological landscape into consideration.”