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Ofcom Press Release on Spectrum Audit Report
Professor Martin Cave yesterday set out a framework for improving radio
spectrum management in the public sector, delivering the final report
of his Independent Audit of Spectrum Holdings to the Chancellor of the
Exchequer.
The report makes over 50 recommendations and focuses primarily on public
sector holdings, which account for about half of the total spectrum in
the bands that the Audit has investigated.
The conclusions both analyse specific bands for their potential to be
released or shared, and make recommendations for the establishment of
a market-based spectrum management regime for public sector spectrum.
Professor Martin Cave said: “Spectrum demand is forecast to exceed
supply in the medium term. This report recommends a flexible, responsive,
market-based approach to meeting these needs through giving incentives
to public sector spectrum users to make more efficient use of their holdings,
by extending spectrum pricing, spectrum trading and admitting new sharers
into public sector bands”.
Key recommendations include:
· The introduction of market mechanisms into spectrum management
in the public sector. Public sector spectrum should be made tradable where
possible, and public sector bodies should be able to gain financial benefit
from commercial spectrum activity. Recognised Spectrum Access (RSA) should
be introduced to formally recognise the spectrum usage of Crown bodies
where it has previously been undefined, enabling trading. In the future
the public sector should meet new spectrum demands through market mechanisms
in all but exceptional cases, and such exceptions would have to meet specific
criteria.
· Changes to the structure and scope of Administered Incentive
Pricing (AIP) as applied to the public sector. Pricing should be introduced
for the valuable radar bands, and some other aeronautical spectrum uses.
A more comprehensive application of AIP across the public sector is recommended,
for example extending to previously uncharged for bands used by the Ministry
of Defence. AIP levels, intended to reflect the opportunity cost of spectrum
use, should be revised to ensure that the charges are more consistent
and better reflect the value of use.
· Proposals to encourage more and more effective bandsharing, including
by incentivising the bodies managing the bands to admit more sharers and
examining new technology-based opportunities for enabling sharing.
· Better information on public sector spectrum is needed. The UK
Spectrum Strategy Committee should produce a Forward Look document covering
current and future spectrum usage
· Just over twenty specific bands managed by the Civil Aviation
Authority and the Ministry of Defence have been analysed, and given a
traffic light marking representing the Audit’s view of the likely
scope for either releasing spectrum to alternative use or admitting new
sharers. In the majority of bands the Audit’s judgement is that
there is such scope.
As set out in the Pre-Budget Report, the Government has welcomed the conclusions
of the audit. The Government will work alongside Ofcom to implement the
Audit's recommendations and the transition to the new approach.
Spectrum Audit Report released
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