UMTS 900 Regulatory Framework

MENA perspective
Wassim Chourbaji
Director, Government Affairs
Europe Middle East and North Africa
Europe,
wassim@qualcomm.com

Regulatory and Spectrum Framework to enable UMTS900

Operators license
allowing
g the
delivery of
3G services

Operators license
allowing
the use of WCDMA
technology in
the 900 MHz

Operators
interest & efforts
to drive
regulatory changes
UMTS 900

Fair competition
framework
a e o
between mobile
operators in terms
of spectrum
assignments

Operator is
assigned
ass
g ed sufficient
su c e t
&
contiguous
900 MHz
spectrum

Slide 2

MENA perspective
- Licensing Framework: Services & Technology
- Spectrum assignments
- 3G licensing
- Competition considerations
- Summary and Discussion

Slide 3

Licensing framework: Services & Technology

Licenses conditions differ across MENA countries and sometimes within a country

Technology specific mobile licenses (e.g. Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi
Arabia )
Arabia)
9 GSM technology in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz
g
in the 2.1 GHz
9 3G technologies
9 Operator should seek the modification of its license to deploy UMTS900

Technology neutral but service specific mobile licenses (e.g. Egypt, Morocco, Qatar,
S di A
Saudi
Arabia,
bi ))
9 Technology neutral while complying with ITU regulations
9 License obligations in terms of services and coverage (including coverage per technology)
9 The operator can deploy UMTS900 under its licensing rights and obligations

Future evolution towards technology and service neutral Licensing, e.g. :

9 Jordan (Government Policy for the sector, 2007)
9 Saudi Arabia (CITC Decision No.136/1427)

Slide 4

Spectrum assignments

Operators would need a minimum amount of contiguous 900 MHz spectrum to deploy
UMTS900:
9 Around 2 x 10 MHz for GSM900 and UMTS900 simultaneous operation
9 Around 2 x 5 MHz for UMTS900 sole operation

This is currentlyy achievable in most MENA countries:

9 2 x 35 MHz available in the 900 MHz band (GSM900 and E-GSM900)
9 2 or 3 mobile operators per country
9 Current average assignment per operator is 2 x 10 MHz
9 Operators 900 MHz spectrum assignment is contiguous

U lik th
Unlike
the spectrum
t
assignments
i
t iin some E
European countries;
ti
e.g. UK

Slide 5

3G licensing and UMTS900

Some MENA countries have not yet licensed 3G services (e.g. Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon,
Libya, Tunisia ). UMTS900 should be allowed as part of the mobile & 3G licensing
processes, as it enables to :
9 Extend rapidly 3G coverage in rural areas, smaller town and villages in an
economically efficient manner
9 Improve
I
indoor
i d
coverage iin allll areas, iincluding
l di cities
iti
9 Provide mobile broadband to rural areas, thus contributing significantly to the
countries digital inclusiveness
9 Have operators with nationwide and improved indoor coverage which further
enhances competitiveness and broadband development
9 Considerably
C
id bl iincrease th
the value
l off public
bli operators
t
subject
bj t tto ffuture
t
privatization
i ti ti

Slide 6

Competition considerations

The mobile licensing processes led to the existence of a fair competition framework in
terms of spectrum assignments in most MENA countries that have licensed 3G:
9 All 3G operators have 900 MHz spectrum (e.g.
(e g Bahrain
Bahrain, Egypt
Egypt, Kuwait
Kuwait, Morocco
Morocco, Oman
Oman, Qatar
Qatar,
Saudi Arabia )
9 New mobile entrants have been allocated 900 MHz in addition to 2.1 GHz spectrum (e.g. Bahrain,
Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia )
9 GSM incumbent operators have been granted 3G licenses and 2.1 GHz spectrum

In countries where the licenses are technology specific (i.e. only GSM technology is
allowed in the 900 MHz band), this framework would enable regulators to:
9 Move fast on the refarming of the 900 MHz spectrum to allow UMTS900
9 Respond positively to operators
operators request for change of their licenses conditions to allow WCDMA
in the 900 MHz in addition to the GSM
9 Avoid the delays which have incurred in some European countries (e.g. UK)

Slide 7

Summary and discussions

MENA mobile operators licenses conditions differ from one country to another and
sometimes within a country:
9 Some licensees are already allowed to deploy UMTS900
9 Others are not, as has been the case in most European countries and should seek the
modification of their licenses to deploy WCDMA in the 900 MHz

Operators interests & efforts are the drivers to achieve the required regulatory changes

MENA mobile operators have in average sufficient contiguous spectrum (2x10 MHz) in
p y UMTS900
the 900 MHz band to deploy

In most MENA countries which licensed 3G, the framework for spectrum assignments is
fair, thus enabling regulators to respond rapidly and positively to operators request

The current regulatory framework in most MENA countries which licensed 3G is more
favorable for a fast deployment of UMTS900 compared to the one which was in place in
some European countries 2 years ago and which has been reviewed

In countries which has not yet licensed 3G, UMTS900 should be allowed as part of the
mobile & 3G licensing processes, as it enables to increase 3G coverage rapidly and in an
economically efficient manner thus contributing significantly to the countries digital
inclusiveness

Slide 8

Thank You

Slide 9