Spectrum

Spectrum is the most important resource for the provisioning of advanced wireless services. 3G Americas takes a special interest in plans for the allocation of additional spectrum in the Americas and has presented its position to the Organization of American States (CITEL) in a document dated April 17-20, 2007. 3G Americas embraces the following general principles:

• 3G Americas, LLC supports a policy of free market choice for the allocation of spectrum, along with the freedom for operators to choose their preferred technologies in allocated bands by representing the best interests of consumers, service providers, manufacturers and the economy. It recognizes that the explosive growth of wireless services in the Americas has made significant contributions to national universal service goals, and that further contributions will depend on a supply of spectrum consistent with the constantly expanding demand for mobile wireless services.


• Governments and regulatory authorities in the Americas should follow a cohesive and transparent process in which an evaluation of the global competitive marketplace is carefully considered when additional spectrum is allocated for the mobile wireless industry. Considerations in this evaluation include the demand in growth of current commercial wireless services, transition to new wireless services, regional and global interoperability, economies of scale, interoperability, roaming and increased bandwidth requirements for new advanced communication services, such as IMT in both existing and planned new spectral bands.


• It is a critical time for the wireless industry in the Americas. A cohesive spectrum plan for all the Americas is vital for the overall economic health of the wireless industry as well as the economic development of the Americas region. It is important to understand that economic health and industry prosperity from an Americas spectrum plan will lead to increased wireless service and universal service in all countries.

In the position presented to CITEL in April 2007, 3G Americas made the following recommendations regarding spectrum:

• A spectrum plan for the Americas should not be fragmented, and as 3G Americas previously recommended to CITEL in 2002, 2003 and 2004, we advocated for the five main core bands for wireless services in the Americas which include 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz and 1710-1770 and 2110-2170 MHz bands. As a future consideration for IMT services, 3G Americas would recommend CITEL to consider including the 700 MHz band for the Americas. 700 MHz was recently approved by ITU at WRC 2007 as a global core band for advanced mobile wireless services. Frequency bands that are not harmonized for mobile services throughout the Americas may present difficulties, such as the availability of equipment and higher cost of infrastructure and handsets, as well as interoperability and roaming capabilities. It is desirable that frequency bands be common and consistent throughout the Americas to achieve economies of scale and to facilitate roaming. Such a designation will allow service providers, application developers and manufacturers to realize the highest economies of scale essential to the provision of the highest levels of cost-effective services to current and future wireless consumers at every socio-economic level.
  
  
  • 3G Americas is committed to assisting in the designation of common spectrum for IMT services and fully supports a harmonized spectrum plan for the Americas.
  
  
  • 3G Americas fully endorses the following options for common spectrum for IMT Services in the Americas:
    
    
    1. Spectrum Bands: Spectrum Bands 824-849; paired with 869-894
    
    
    2. Spectrum Bands: 1850-1910; paired with 1930-1990
    
    
    3. Spectrum Bands: 1710-1770; paired with 2110-2170
    
    
    4. Spectrum Band 700 MHz
    
    
  • Additionally, 3G Americas endorses Option 1920-1980; paired with 2110-2170 for those countries with PCS networks in the 1800 MHz bands only.
  
  
  • Allowing operators the opportunity to implement IMT services utilizing the common frequency bands endorsed above would be instrumental in achieving the goals of IMT within the Americas by facilitating global roaming while minimizing equipment costs and promoting economies of scale.
  
  
  In addition to the CITEL document submitted by 3G Americas, other global wireless associations such as the GSM Association and UMTS Forum have provided similar positions on spectrum issues. 3G Americas is largely in agreement with most points in those documents and they are provided for additional information.
  • 3G Americas' contribution to CITEL, April 2007
  
  
  • GSM Association’s Position on 900 MHz Band
  
  
  • UMTS Forum’s Views on ITU WRC-07 (PDF - 3MB)