19th Review Meeting

19TH FACSMAB Review Meeting

MALAYSIA HOSTED THE 19TH FACSMAB REVIEW MEETING

The 19th FACSMAB Review Meeting was hosted by Malaysia on 26th April 2018 at Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Penang, Malaysia. The meeting was chaired by YBhg Tan Sri Dr. Halim Shafie, Chairman of Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and was attended by members from Regulatory Authorities from Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Singapore. The Singaporean delegation was led by Ms Aileen Chia, Director-General (Telecoms & Post)/ Deputy Chief Executive (Policy, Regulation and Competition Development) of IMDA and the Brunei delegation was led by Pengiran Hj Mohd Zain, Chief Executive of AITI.

During the meeting, three new work items have been confirmed. They are (i) 5G Technology and Developments; (ii) Feasibility Study on Band Segmentation for IMT and Satellite Services in 3.5 GHz Band; and (iii) Harmonisation of 24.25GHz to 43.5GHz Frequency Bands for 5G and Beyond.

5G Technology and Developments

5G technology is seen as a comprehensive wireless-access solution with the capacity to address the demands and requirements of mobile communication beyond 2020. The three primary 5G use cases include enhanced mobile broadband, massive machine-type communications and ultra-reliable and low-latency communications. With its capability to deliver fibre-like user experience of up to 10Gbps, latency of less than 1 millisecond and massive connection capacity of up to 1,000,000 devices per km2, 5G is envisaged to support a wide range of applications and services with heterogeneous performance requirements.

Administrations world-wide are making efforts to identify additional spectrum for 5G. Based on the services and associated key parameters for 5G, it is expected that a mix of low frequency as well as high frequency spectrum is required to more effectively support this technology. Some industry players had indicated that frequencies within the following ranges would be necessary to fulfil the different aspects of 5G:

< 1GHz (“sub-1GHz”) will substantially be used for massive IoT;
1 – 6GHz for wider bandwidths for enhanced mobile broadband and mission control; and
> 6GHz (i.e. mmWave bands) for dense networks requiring large bandwidths and where the shorter range access is not a problem.

FACSMAB will study and understand the possible 5G technologies, prioritise 5G spectrum bands and the potential spectrum sharing mechanism to encourage the efficient use of spectrum.To monitor ITU activities and identify spectrum allocations to support 5G requirements within the global framework provided by the ITU Radio Regulations (“RR”).

Feasibility Study on Band Segmentation for IMT and Satellite Services in 3.5 GHz Band

IMT in the 3.5 GHz has already been the subject of discussion since WRC-07 and WRC-12. Over time, ITU has produced study reports and provisions in ITU Radio Regulations’ foot notes, to ensure coexistence with existing services in the country and facilitate cross-border coordination with neighbouring countries, in order to mitigate interference.

For example, IMT services in urban areas able to occupy the same bands as other services (e.g. Fixed Satellite Service) which operate in different geographical areas when suitable interference mitigation methods and segmentation plan are in place. This could also simplify cross-border coordination, where neighbouring countries can use the same frequency range for different services.

FACSMAB will study the segmentation frequency bands arrangements in C-band including extended C-Band taking into consideration IMT services and existing services. To monitor ITU activities and studies related to best practice and sharing criteria between different services.

Harmonisation of 24.25GHz to 43.5GHz Frequency Bands for 5G and Beyond

The World Radiocommunication Conference in 2015 instructed ITU-R Study Group 5 to study on possible identification of frequency bands in the range of 24.25GHz-86GHz for International Mobile Telecommunications 2020 (IMT-2020)/5G. In view of the above, it is relevant for FACSMAB members to study on harmonisation of frequency bands for 5G and beyond in the range of 24.25GHz to 43.5GHz bands.

FACSMAB plans to work towards harmonising allocation of frequency bands in the range of 24.25GHz to 43.5GHz for 5G and beyond. Continue to monitor studies by ITU-R Study Group 5 on frequency bands for 5G and beyond and share views on possible harmonisation at FACSMAB meetings and continue to monitor the latest 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) developments on standards for 5G including chipset readiness.

Note: With effect from 1 October 2016, IDA is known as IMDA