The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) marked the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) by announcing plans to integrate the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU’s) World Radio Communication Conference (WRC) outcomes into Qatar’s national regulatory framework.
The outcomes were a result of comprehensive discussions during WRC-15 held in Geneva in November last year.
The WTISD is intended to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies.
It was formerly known as World Telecommunications Day.
Qatar is a signatory to the ITU Convention, which obliges the country to comply with the ITU’s Radio Regulations.
CRA president Mohamed Ali al-Mannai signed the Final Acts revising the Radio Regulations at WRC-15 on behalf of Qatar.
The CRA has developed a domestic spectrum management plan for these outcomes in preparation for bringing into force the latest version of the ITU’s Radio Regulations at the start of 2017.
Integrating the WRC-15 outcomes into Qatar’s national regulatory framework will be achieved predominantly through updates to Qatar’s National Frequency Allocation Plan.
“Updates to Qatar’s regulatory regime reflecting the revisions to the ITU’s Radio Regulations will spur long-term investment in Qatar’s ICT industry by improvements in a number of areas including broadband communications, air and road safety, and disaster relief,” said CRA spokesperson Faisal al-Shuaibi.
The WRC-15 outcomes identified as being of particular interest to Qatar are summarised below:
- Allocation of spectrum to facilitate new mobile broadband applications, a globally harmonised frequency range 694-894 MHz for Public Protection and Disaster Relief (public safety communications)
- A new resolution to allow development by the International Civil Aviation Organisation of worldwide standards for unmanned aircraft systems’ satellite communications in certain frequency bands, and international regulatory conditions that may be applied to these systems
- An allocation of 250 MHz in the frequency range 13.5-13.75 GHz and 14.5-14.75 GHz for downlink and uplink of the fixed satellite service (FSS)
- Mobility applications accessing FSS spectrum to receive a boost with 1.2m earth stations on vessels being approved beyond 330km of shore, and with the access to the Ka-bands 19.7-20.2 GHz and 29.5-30 GHz by earth stations in motion
- Improve the global tracking of aircraft anywhere in the world by satellite receivers of civilian aircraft using existing transmissions from aircraft. This is a high profile issue after the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 in March 2014
- Consider spectrum demand for on-board communication stations in the maritime mobile service, to enable possible new Automatic Identification System technology applications and possible applications to improve maritime radiocommunication
- Allocate 15 KHz spectrum in the frequency range 5250-5450 KHz for Amateur Radio Service, a global spectrum allocation for wireless avionics intra-communications to facilitate the transition to wireless within aeroplanes
A global allocation for short-range high-resolution automotive radar in the 79 GHz frequency band to improve road safety and efficiency in technology for driverless cars is also an outcome of the WRC-15.