Kenyan Regulator Rejects Calls for 700Mhz Spectrum to Be Released for LTE Services

Published on: 20th Mar 2012

­Kenya's telecoms regulator, the CCK has dismissed calls for surrender of broadcasting spectrum in the 700MHz band for use in deployment of LTE services as ill-timed and impracticable.

Last week, the country's largest network operator, Safaricom said that it might consider withdrawing from a joint LTE network with the other networks if they are not able to use the 700Mhz spectrum.

CCK Ag. Director General Mr. Francis Wangusi said the 700MHz band would become available for re-assignment to other services after the country migrates from analogue to digital TV broadcasting.

He said though that it was premature to agitate for reallocation of spectrum that is not there in the first place.

In a press statement, Mr. Wangusi said immediate surrender of broadcasting frequencies in the 700MHz band for 4G services would result in disconnection of many Kenyans who are still dependent on analogue TV transmissions. Digital TV signal is only available in Nairobi at the moment, meaning the existing analogue transmissions cannot be switched off before national digital TV signal coverage is met.

The deadline for the switch off of analogue TV broadcasting in Africa, parts of Europe, Russia and the Middle East is June 17, 2015 in line with an agreement signed at the ITU in 2006. "As a member of the ITU, Kenya is bound by the provisions of this agreement," added Mr. Wangusi.

Kenya has set 2012 as the switch-over date to enable the country have flexibility and time to address any difficulties that may arise before the 2015 deadline. This deadline, the CCK Ag. Director General said, was not cast in stone but could be postponed in the event of compelling challenges.

He said spectrum that will be freed up as a result of the migration process shall be surrendered to CCK for re-planning and re-assignment. "The re-planning exercise shall involve deciding on the methodologies for re-assignment, including the use of spectrum auction," Mr. Wangusi added. Re-assignment shall consider various competing radiocommunication services that require access to this spectrum.

 

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