by Roberto Young – GM, Engineering & Planning

Spectrum Harmonization of the 700 Mhz band for LTE

• Belize Telemedia Limited

• . Roadmap to LTE

• . LTE 700 Mhz Options

• . Regulatory Collaboration

• . Way Forward

BTL Background

• In the 1980s there existed two companies in the Telecommunications Industry

- Cable and Wireless PLC- Belize Telecommunications Authority (BTA)

• BTA was incorporated in April 1987 as the Belize Telecommunications Limited (BTL)

- Assets and Liabilities of BTA were vested into BTL.

BTL Background cont’d

• Cable and Wireless PLC license to provide the International Services was not renewed.

• The Belize Telecommunications Act of 1987 was established

• BTL was granted a 15 years exclusive License to provide the National and International Telecommunication Services

- Modernization of National Network- Modernization of the International Network

BTL Background cont’d

• The Belize Telecommunications Act, 2002- Advent of Competition- BTL obtains a 15 year license to continue to provide the National and International Telecommunication Services- BTL was not alone

• The Belize Telecommunications Vesting Act, 1987

- Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL)

Roadmap to LTE

• BTL was providing our Digicel Mobile Service using AMPS and GSM Edge technology.

• There was a need to expand the capacity of our existing network

• There was a need to expand the network to other unserved areas

• Our Customers were asking for an enhances experience on their mobile network

• BTL is the leader in this industry

Roadmap to LTE cont’d

• BTL and Ericsson entered into a contractual agreement for Ericsson to design, engineer and supply a Single Carrier, 850 Mhz WCDMA, HSPA+ 21 Mbps per Sector mobile network so that BTL can provide its enhanced Digicel Services.

• This meant that BTL required more 850 Mhz bandwidth as the WCDMA required a 5Mhz bandwidth carrier.

• A Frequency Spectrum Authorization Application was made for BTL providing a roadmap to LTE.

- 2. 5 Mhz bandwidth in the 850 Mhz Band- 18 Mhz bandwidth in the 700 Mhz Band

Roadmap to LTE cont’d

• BTL was operating an AMPS technology (obsolete)and a GSM technology in the 850 Mhz band

• With the HSPA+ requiring a 5 Mhz carrier in the 850 Mhz band a rollout plan was put in place.

• This then established our Roadmap to LTE in three Phases- Phase 1: GSM and AMPS co-existing in the 850 Mhz band- Phase 2: GSM and HSPA+ co-existing in the 850 Mhz band- Phase 3: GSM and HSPA+ co-existing in the 850 Mhz band with

LTE existing in the 700 Mhz band

Roadmap to LTE cont’d

• Phase 1

Source: BTL Frequency Spectrum Authorization Application, June 2011

Base Transmit

MHZ

869

870

880

890

891.5

894

B band

BTL GSM frequencies BTL AMPS frequencies

band

[1.5

MHz

] GSM

[2.5 MHz]

AMPS

[4.9 MHz]

GSM

[5 MHz]

A" A band A' B' band

band

[1 M

Hz] [10 MHz]

Roadmap to LTE cont’d

• Phase 2

Source: BTL Frequency Spectrum Authorization Application, June 2011

Phone Transmit

MHZ

824

825

835

845

846.5

849

B band

GSM

Base Transmit

MHZ

869

870

880

890

891.

5

894

B band

GSM

HSPA+ [5 MHz] Guard bands [<1 MHz]

A' and A'' for GSM [2.5 MHz]

GSM on existing bands [6.5 to 7.0 MHz]

GSM

[1.5

MH

z]

GSM

[2.5 MHz]

HSPA+

[ 4 - 4.5 MHz]

A" A band A' B' band

GSM

[1 M

Hz]

[10 MHz]

GSM

[1.5

MH

z]

GSM

[2.5 MHz]

HSPA+

[ 4 - 4.5 MHz] [5 MHz]GSM

[1 M

Hz]

[10 MHz]

A" A band A' B' band

[5 MHz]

Roadmap to LTE cont’d

• Phase 3

Source: BTL Frequency Spectrum Authorization Application, June 2011

Phone Transmit

MHZ

824

825

835

845

846.5

849

B band

GSM

Base Transmit

MHZ

869

870

880

890

891.

5

894

B band

GSM

HSPA+ [5 MHz] Guard bands [<1 MHz] GSM on existing bands [6.5 to 7 MHz]

[1 M

Hz]

[10 MHz]

[2.5 MHz]

A" A band A' B' band

band

HSPA+

[ 4 - 4.5 MHz] [5 MHz]

band

[1.5

MH

z]

GSM

[2.5 MHz]

band

[1.5

MH

z]

GSM

[ 4 - 4.5 MHz]

HSPA+

[5 MHz]

A" A band A' B' band

band

[1 M

Hz]

[10 MHz]

Roadmap to LTE cont’d

700 Mhz

Source: awt-global.com

Roadmap to LTE cont’d

• 700 Mhz

Source: awt-global.com

Roadmap to LTE cont’d

700 Mhz

Source: www.fcc.gov/rulemaking

LTE Options

• US 700 Mhz Band Plan- As identified in earlier slide 12

• APT (Aisa Pacific Telecommunity) 700 Mhz Band Plan

Source: Wikipedia

LTE Options cont’d

• Is there an ITU version that we should also be looking for that will be truly Global?

• How is the Caribbean Frequency Harmonization for the 700 Mhz proceeding?

LTE Options cont’d

• LTE- An enhanced experience using the HSPA+ has

caused customers to demand higher data download speeds for improved experience with various Apps.

- Data use has increased ten fold since the soft launch in December 2012 and we expect that it will continue to increase exponentially

- US TV channels portray the US Service Providers Networks allowing Mobile TV and Video Conferencing

- Belizeans in the US facilitating latest “Smartphone” devices

LTE Options cont’d

• Migration to LTE is inevitableThe Market plays a key role in this direction

but we will be able to take advantage that it comes with:

- Spectral efficiency- Major improvements in download speeds- Reduced latency

• Which Band Plan will BTL deploy?

Regulatory Collaboration

• Belize is on the Central American mainland and is surrounded

- by Mexico to the north- by Guatemala to the west and south- by the Caribbean Sea to the East

• Honduras is not far away to our South East• Jamaica is directly to the East of us

Regulatory Collaboration cont’d

• Belize

Source: www.belize.com

Regulatory Collaboration cont’

• BTL has chosen to deploy LTE in the 700 Mhz band- building penetration ability- 10 Mhz bandwidth allocations are supported

• Being surrounded by Mexico and Central American countries we must be aware of what they are using the 700 Mhz band due to our close proximity

• Jamaica on the other hand will not affect us due to the distance away

Regulatory Collaboration cont’d

• In general it was earlier understood that the Central and South American countries were leaning towards adopting the APT 700 Mhz Band Plan

• The 4G Americas white paper “The Benefits of Digital Dividend” – September 2012 indicates that

-the Mexican Regulator adopted the APT 700 Mhz Band Plan in 2012

- Guatemala is still using the band for TV- Honduras is still using the band for TV- Belize has no listing (but we know it is allocated for

TV presently)

Regulatory Collaboration cont’d

• Belize

Source: ambergriscaye.com

Regulatory Collaboration cont’d

• The PUC is encouraged to allocate the use of the 700 Mhz band of interest for Mobile Broadband Services

- technology neutrality• The PUC is further encouraged to not declare which

700 Mhz Band Plan will be adopted by Belize- Further engagement is necessary between the

regional regulators- Further engagement is necessary between the

mobile service providers

Regulatory Collaboration cont’d

- Further engagement is necessary between the regional regulators and the respective providers

Way forward

• As BTL progresses with its plan to deploy LTE in Belize there must be a coordinated effort between BTL and the PUC

• There will need to be a Cross Border Coordination between

- Belize and Mexico- Belize and Guatemala

• There will also need to be a Coordination between Belize and Honduras across the sea

THANK YOU!