Super Wi-Fi - What to do with White Spaces in SA

Super Wi-FiWhat to do with the Digital Dividend

Henk KleynhansWAPA

[email protected]

Sunday 10 April 2011

http://www.wapa.org.za

http://www.wapa.org.za

The Problem

• High Bandwidth Costs

• Low service penetration

• Need for ICT to become enabler of national competitiveness & economic growth

• Overall need to create employment opportunities


Solution?


In September 2010the FCC released

between 400 & 800 MHzof Sub-900MHz

TV White Spacesas Unlicenced Frequency

in the USA


The FCC chairmancalls it:


Super Wi-Fi


"Years ago, there was a band of low-quality spectrum that was lying fallow. Nobody could figure out what to do with this so-called “junk band,” so the FCC decided to free it up as unlicensed spectrum.

The result was a wave of new technologies – baby monitors, cordless phones, and eventually a real game changer: Wi-Fi.

Today, Wi-Fi is a multi-billion industry and an essential part of the mobile ecosystem."

Here’s what he said:


“Years ago, there was a band of

low-quality spectrumthat was

lying fallow.

Sunday 10 April 2011"Years ago, there was a band of low-quality spectrum that was lying fallow. Nobody could figure out what to do with this so-called “junk band,” so the FCC decided to free it up as unlicensed spectrum.

Nobody could figure out what to do withthis so called

“junk band”so the FCC decided to free it up as

unlicencedspectrum.

Sunday 10 April 2011"Years ago, there was a band of low-quality spectrum that was lying fallow. Nobody could figure out what to do with this so-called “junk band,” so the FCC decided to free it up as unlicensed spectrum.

The result was a

waveof new technologies -

baby monitors, cordless phones,and eventually a real game changer:

Wi-Fi

Sunday 10 April 2011The result was a wave of new technologies – baby monitors, cordless phones, and eventually a real game changer: Wi-Fi.

Today, Wi-Fi is a multi-billion dollar industry and an essential part of the mobile ecosystem."

Today, Wi-Fi is a multi-billion dollar industry

and an essential part of the

mobile ecosystem”

Sunday 10 April 2011The result was a wave of new technologies – baby monitors, cordless phones, and eventually a real game changer: Wi-Fi.

Today, Wi-Fi is a multi-billion dollar industry and an essential part of the mobile ecosystem."

He goes on to say:

Sunday 10 April 2011“One last point. Todayʼs Order is important not only for the innovation, investment and economic benefit it will unleash, but because of the competitive edge it will offer.

“One last point. Today’s Order isimportant not only for the

innovation,

investment and

economic benefit it will unleash,


but because of the competitive edge

it will offer.


U.S. companies have already invested in

research &development of

Super Wi-Fi technologies.

Sunday 10 April 2011U.S. companies have already invested in research and development of super Wi-Fi technologies. Now they can take this technology out of the labs and onto the market.

Now they can take this technologyout of the labs

andonto the market.

Sunday 10 April 2011U.S. companies have already invested in research and development of super Wi-Fi technologies. Now they can take this technology out of the labs and onto the market.

Other countrieshave been looking at

Super Wi-Fi.By giving the green light now,

the United Stateswill be the

first nationto deploy this technology

Sunday 10 April 2011Other countries have been looking at Super Wi-Fi. By giving the green light now, the United States will be the first nation to deploy this technology.

We can have the investment here,the intellectual property developed hereand the products launched here, and then

export our products globally

Sunday 10 April 2011We can have the investment here, the intellectual property developed here and the products launched here, and then export our products globally – all contributing to U.S. job creation and economic growth.”

all contributing to

U.S. job creationand

economic growth”

- Julius GenachowskiFCC Chairman

September 2010Sunday 10 April 2011We can have the investment here, the intellectual property developed here and the products launched here, and then export our products globally – all contributing to U.S. job creation and economic growth.”

Why is South Africa

not leading the way?


I amHenk



I’m here as the chairperson of ...


WAPA!

WAPA = Wireless AccessProvidersAssociation


WAPA stands for Wireless Access Providers Association

a collection ofindependent wireless operators

in South Africa.

(±100 members)


We’re the Wireless Pioneers


FounderCEO

01100100011010010110011101101001011101000110000101101100001000000110010001101001011101100110100101100100011001010110111001100100


We’re the ones moving bits of data across difficult, unknown and often treacherous terrain

• True National Reach (Mostly Rural)

• Strong Local Relationships

• Technical Skills

• ECNS & ECS licenced


We have...


Wireless Access is not just about internet access!

Community Owned Telecoms Networks(using Mesh Potatoes!)


Wireless pioneers build rural community telecommunications networks (see www.villagetelco.org)

Picture of long distance Link

Emergency Relief Networks


We connect people to each other and the world during times emergencies

Countless schools!


Countless schools have been connected to each other and the internet by WISPs. More affordable, higher speeds, free VoIP with each other...

Rugby Sevens Tournament


Computicket set up a temporary office to sell tickets to the Sevens Tournament in George. 3G too slow/unreliable and ADSL would take weeks to install.

Up the Creek Music Festival


Up the Creek Music festival, remote area, Wi-Fi the only way. Now, the festival goers might not need internet access, but there is media, band managers etc that are pretty dependent on it.

text

Billabong Pro Surfing World Contest


Billabong J-Bay Surf Contest was streamed across the world from a beach several kilometers from the nearest town.


One member set up a 20 km wireless link so that a terminally ill family member could attend the wedding via Skype!

text


Lake Smit Radiology Partners in Durban had to move CAT scans to consulting radiologists working remotely in under 10 minutes.

1 GB file in less than 2 minutes


With a Wi-Fi network, they could move it in under 2 minutes to any of a dozen locations, the furthest being 23 km apart.

But...


It’s gettingcrowded!


•Wi-Fi Hotspots•Long range Wi-Fi•Cordless phones•Baby Monitors• Cheap wireless

CCTV


Wi-Fi uses 2.4 GHz band, which is shared with other technologies that don’t adhere to the same rules or protocols.

Traditionally,2 types of

spectrum management


Licenced & Unlicenced


(Kind of) worked 50 years ago


grossly inefficient1

1Kolodzy(2002) - FCC Spectrum Policy Task Force


On the one hand...


Unlicenced, Unmanaged2.4 & 5.8 GHz


Spectrum Commons

(“tragedy of the commons”1)

1Garrett Hardin(1968)

Sunday 10 April 20112.4 & 5.8 ISM bands are completely unlicenced with little to no rules to prevent interference. Garrett Hardin talks about a “tragedy of the commons”. He asserts that even though the contribution of each "bad actor" may be minute, if summed over all bad actors the resource could be degraded to the point of uselessness

•Wi-Fi Hotspots•Long range Wi-Fi•Cordless phones•Baby Monitors• Cheap wireless

CCTV


And there are many “bad actors!”

On the other hand...


Spectrum Property Rights Model


A single company


A single company gets the nationwide, exclusive use of of a frequency band

Nationwide,Exclusive Use


A single company gets the nationwide, exclusive use of of a frequency band

The result?


Huh?


Complete underutilization and underserved areas. “So dry even the radio stations dry up”

“Is this some kind of joke?”

- FCC (in response to Ronald Coase, Nobel Economist)


When Ronald Coase first presented his vision (of auctioning off spectrum property rights) to the FCC,they asked:

FAQ 1:But what about

spectrum scarcity?


It’s artificial


ICASA audits


Huh?

450 - 470 MHz


Note that less than 1% of the 450 - 470 MHz band is used by licencees.

Huh?

790 - 862 MHz (Digital Dividend)


A small mistake here. The total % usage should be 480/34560 = 1.4%. (Note that this is in urban areas, expect it to be less in rural areas)

FAQ 2:But what about

“Use-it-or-lose-it” policies?


They will not work!


Example Requirement 1:“Must cover 50% of the population in 2 years”


From the 2.6 GHz ITA in 2010.

Example Requirement 2:“Must achieve 50% of all requirements”


Ahah! So I only need to achieve

50% goal of

50% coverage area=

25%


66% of Gauteng+

Cape Town+

Durban=

28% of population


“Use-it-or-lose-it” policiesonly exist because the

underlying systemis broken


What we know...

• Existing model is grossly inefficient

• Unlicenced (2.4, 5.8 GHz) frequencies are overcrowded

• Spectrum Scarcity is a ARTIFICIAL

• Stopgaps (Leasing, Universal Service Contributions, Use-it-or-lose-it policies) won’t work (but may help)


So what do we do?


Unlicenced

MANAGED!

Balanced Use

Unlicenced

Unmanaged

Overutilized

Licenced

Managed

Underutilized


But How?


LOTS of ways!

• Light Licencing

• Self-Regulation

• Light “touch” licencing

• 802.11y in the US

• etc


Many different ways are already being used around the world.

One model stands out:


FCC made TV White Spaces

availableon unlicenced basis...


But Managed,

Database Drivenbasis!


Sub 900 MHz


400 - 800 MHz available!


Really Beautiful Spectrum


“Super Wi-Fi”


How does it work?


1. AP checks online database


2. Must avoid1st adjacent channel


This is in the case of there being a TV broadcaster in that channel. TVWS devices could be able to share the same channels.

3. Registers locationin DB


50 channels available


This is NOT

1st come 1st serve


More like:“1st 50 come1st 50 serve!”


Possibly even more than 50, depending on the evolution of TVWS technology.

that’s just one hilltop!


Forget a “Use-it-or-lose-it”

policy

What Africa needs is a:


Walala Wasala!*policy

*You snooze you lose!Sunday 10 April 2011

The first providers to use these frequencies, should be the ones who benefit.

When?


Equipment alreadyavailable


9 Online TVWS Databases imminent(Google one of ‘em)


Why is this great?


It’s inclusive!

Incumbents &

Greenfields


10% broadband penetrationcorrelates

1.3% GDP growth*

*World Bank


We’re at 3%


Reference: World Wide Worx - “Internet Access in South Africa 2010”

Current Growth:4 years

to reach 10%

Growing at 40% paSunday 10 April 2011

Why are we playing

“catch up”

when we clearly should be leading the way?


We have 468 MHz available3


We have 500 licencees3


Is it enough for all?


Definitely YES!

but remember:


Walala Wasala!


In Conclusion


Managed, Unlicenced spectrum will give a major boost to Entrepreneurship,

Innovation &

tech skills development


This time for Africa!- Shakira


Henk Kleynhans

[email protected]


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

References

1. Economic Case for Dedicated Unlicensed Spectrum Below 3GHz - William Lehr, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2004)

2. Internet Access in South Africa - Arthur Goldstuck, World Wide Worx (2010)

3. A Broadside Analysis of Spectrum Requirements - Dumisa Ngwenya, ICASA (2011)


Add <World Bank Report><FCC Chairman statement>