UK Spectrum Policy Forum – Andrew Stirling, Larkhill Consultancy - Long-term UHF Spectrum Policy

(c) Larkhill Consultancy Limited 2014

Dynamic Spectrum Access

Input for the UK Spectrum Forum26th March 2014


Agenda

• Scope of the sector• Contributions to social and economic value Current and recent past

status• Sector trends • Usage of technologies and spectrum • Expected changes to tech and spectrum • Longer-term (10-20 years) tech and spectrum needs and options


Scope of the sector

• Wireless communications – across applications of many types. These include ICT, energy, medical, automotive, emergency response and financial

• White spaces – are an unused resource, which could be made available for sharing and opportunistic access, without the need for a licence

• TV white spaces are the first step on the road to broader application of Dynamic Spectrum Access, across a growing portfolio of shareable bands

• What people, services and devices are concerned?• Consumers, professionals• Services

• Broadband – fixed, mobile, public, private, home, office, campuses, venues ….• Machine to Machine – including environment monitoring, CCTV, smart energy and

remote displays• What devices

• embedded, wearable, smartphones, tablets, TVs, table-tops ……

Enabling ubiquitous connection to the cloud


Contributions to social and economic value

• Innovations arising from dynamic spectrum access could make life more convenient and safer – as well as creating jobs in technology development• Filling gaps in coverage, so consumers can enjoy more

seamless and reliable connections• Extending internet access to more people• Enabling more sustainable and convenient urban living, with

more cost-effective services• Supporting critical, safety of life services, through enabling

bandwidth on demand and rapid deployment of ad-hoc networks


Development status

• TVWS opened in US in 2010, using a geo-location database to enable licence exemption

• UK TVWS trials in 2011-2012 established feasibility and strength of industry interest

• ETSI BRAN 301 598 standard and CEPT Report 159 provide a solid basis for a harmonised European market

• Interest is now growing rapidly, around the world, with trials in Africa, Singapore, Korea, Japan …

• Many of these are looking to Ofcom and the success of its UK Pilot

• Industry has formed the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance to help the development of policy and associated ecosystem, globally


Usage of technologies and spectrum

• Current focus is on the TV white spaces spectrum, because of favourable propagation• Licence exempt access, through DSA, will enable

some exciting innovation• LE will allow grass roots infrastructure investment

to help fill connectivity gaps


Expected changes to technology and spectrum

• Geolocation database technology has scope for further development and provides room for innovation in business models too• Sensing technology is likely to develop alongside to assist

coexistence between DSA networks• Intelligence may be distributed across the infrastructure –

between cloud and end-device to enable an adaptive connectivity• Technology-based coordination is the big prize allowing the

full benefits of new wireless technology to be enjoyed much sooner than with traditional human/paper-based systems


In the longer-term – dynamic sharing becomes the norm

• Technology-based dynamic coordination can replace licence-based static coordination• Distribution networks become

increasingly complex hybrids, with cloud-based management• Spectrum is just another piece of the

puzzle


Thank you

Andrew Stirling

Larkhill Consultancy [email protected]

www.larkhillconsult.co.uk

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.larkhillconsult.co.uk/


Further reading

• Microsoft dynamic spectrum research• Economic benefits from licence-exempt use of spectrum• Dynamic Spectrum Alliance• Centre for White Space Communications (University of Strathclyde)• PCAST report

http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/spectrum/

http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/spectrum/case-for-permissive-rule-based-dynamic-spectrum-access_thanki.pdf

http://www.dynamicspectrumalliance.org/

http://www.wirelesswhitespace.org/

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast_spectrum_report_final_july_20_2012.pdf


Appendix - Overview of required input


Wi-Fi’s growing impact

2002

alliance founded

2012

439Mhomes using a Wi-Fi router

2016

800Mhomes projected to deploy Wi-Fi

generates $46 to $87 billion of consumer surplus each year.

maintains 49 to 101 million fixed broadband subscriptions globally.

Currently 25% of all households worldwide use Wi-Fi

85% penetration in homes with fixed broadband

By making fixed broadband more valuable, Wi-Fi:

Source: Microsoft

UK Spectrum Policy Forum – Andrew Stirling, Larkhill Consultancy - Long-term UHF Spectrum Policy

Technology

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