" ITREALMS: NCC kicks off discussion on 70/80 GHz band spectrum

Thursday, March 12, 2015

NCC kicks off discussion on 70/80 GHz band spectrum



 ITRealms
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Thursday, in Lagos reiterated its readiness to open up the 70/80 Gega Hertz Band spectrum for licensing with a discussion with stakeholders, reports ITRealms.

Welcoming participants to the forum, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, represented by a member of NCC a Commissioner, Alhaji Mohammed Bintubi, said the forum was an “explorative meeting, which is aimed at advancing and multiplying the potentials of a particular range of frequency band for the benefit of the industry, and Nigerian nation.”

He also stated, “the 70/80 GHz  spectrum band is yet to be fully explored and exploited in Nigeria” Juwah urged stakeholder’s to share their views and thoughts about how best to put this to use.

Juwah further stated that the most important thing is how to share these resources for the common good of the investor community, service provider community and consumer of services community.

ITRealms reports that EVCnoted the challenge on how to balance the interest of the stakeholders and yet deliver the values available or desirable from this scarce resource.

Among the aims for which the stakeholder’s forum was organized include addressing the growing demands by operators for data centric, high speed and high capacity links for the metropolitan environment, as it is a replica of fibre in the air; to further assist the commission’s drive for National Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) initiative.; Reduce the pressure and management challenges experienced with the traditional Microwave Frequency Bands; Ensure broadband services become more accessible and pervasive with quality that is desirable; Ensure operational flexibility and robustness that would enhance available infrastructure and resources in the industry, ITRealms gathered.

Juwah, told ITRealms that the commission will not relent in adopting global best practices in all its regulatory activities, especially in very technical areas like allocation and utilization. He said that is why the commission has developed various policies and guidelines that guide most of their processes including frequency allocation and pricing.

Engr. Austin Nwaulune, Director, Spectrum Administration, NCC, the discussion focused on the plans, licensing, proposed models and pricing.

Speaking to ITRealms, he said that the band otherwise known as the e-band has the range of spectrum of 71-76 on one leg and 81-86 on the other, totaling 5 Gega Hertz.

He equally said it is good for wireless service network, enterprises and campus connectivity and has the benefit of easing pressure on micro radio frequency programmes. 

He said that licensing is not an all comers affair, that it is regulated, stressing that licensing fee in USA is about 75 dollars while in UK, it is 50 pounds per link, in UAE and Berlin, it is full licensing while in Hong Kong it is free but in Nigeria it is going to go for N14,000 per link.

Among industry giants that graced the occasion were Mrs. Iyabo Sholaike, Director Finance Services, NCC; Ubali Maska, Executive Commissioner, Technical Standard, NCC; Engr. Lanre Ajai, President, Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria, Mr. Ken Spann, Managing Director, Wave Technical.

Cyriacus  Nnaji/GEE  
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