Spectrum trading recommendations for a national regulator

The problem

Spectrum is a finite public resource and national spectrum management authorities are tasked with maximising the efficient allocation and use of radio spectrum to attain maximum economic and social benefit. Government policy in our client's country was to introduce spectrum trading to allow the transfer of all or part of a party's spectrum holdings to a second party for the duration of the spectrum licence. Our client commissioned Analysys Mason to identify any implementation issues associated with the introduction of a spectrum trading regime and, if the introduction of spectrum trading was identified as feasible, determine the design of the spectrum trading regime.

The solution

We worked in conjunction with a specialised economics consultancy (DotEcon) and a leading law firm (Allen & Overy) to support our client, a regulator in an Asia-Pacific country, in understanding the range of technical, commercial, economic and legal challenges associated with the introduction of spectrum trading.

Analysys Mason led the overall project and took specific responsibility for the aspects of the project related to technical issues (such as spectrum management tools and international co-ordination) and the interface between technical and economic issues (such as likely demand for trading in different spectrum bands and barriers to trading).

The first stage of the assignment was to identify potential challenges that could arise during the implementation of spectrum trading through a review of the existing situation and regulatory and legal frameworks in our client's market, combined with a review of international approaches to spectrum trading.

Following this, we presented our conclusions to an industry workshop comprising key stakeholders to gather feedback and reviewed our conclusions based on this feedback.

Subsequently, we designed a spectrum trading regime which considered the changes in the roles and responsibilities of different government departments, the phasing of the introduction of spectrum trading by band, the procedures for transfer and approval of spectrum, the approach to managing interference and disputes, the approach to establishing and maintaining spectrum registers, and the legal modifications required to existing licences and the legal instrument to be used for enacting spectrum trading.

The result

At the close of the assignment, the client was delivered a comprehensive document setting out the preferred approach to spectrum trading in its market and the procedures and steps required to implement a spectrum trading regime. We presented our results and recommendations to senior members of the regulator, including the Director General and Deputy Director General.

The team

Analysys Mason worked in conjunction with a specialised economics consultancy and a leading law firm to provide our client with the comprehensive expertise needed to successfully complete the assignment. The Analysys Mason team members were spectrum and regulatory experts from our offices in the UK, the Middle East and Asia, enabling us to tap into the specialised expertise within the organisation to meet our client's needs efficiently and effectively.