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National Spectrum Plan (2020-2023) (ECS 02/2020)

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Press Release

National Spectrum Plan (2020-2023) (ECS 02/2020)

For Immediate Release

The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) has today published the National Spectrum Plan.  This document:

  1. establishes a framework for implementing the requirements of the Comms Act; and
  2. outlines the principles that URCA shall adhere to when:
  3. relying on voluntary or industry standards instead of regulations; and
  4. taking enforcement action to ensure adequate protection of licensed radio spectrum bands from interference.

What is the National Spectrum Plan, and whom does it impact?

The National Spectrum Plan (NSP) pertains to the use of all wireless communication systems and devices in The Bahamas.  The plan addresses the regulatory, technical, financial and geographical elements that must be taken into consideration to effectively allocate, plan, price, authorize, and monitor and enforce the use of radio spectrum in The Bahamas per the policy objectives of the Comms Act.   Therefore, the NSP will impact both providers and users of wireless communication networks and services in The Bahamas.

Why Is the Plan Necessary?

Without adequate planning or management, radio signals from different users and services would interfere with each other, and the affected wireless communication service could become useless as a means of communication. Also, ineffective planning can contribute to suboptimal spectrum utilization and a shortage of resources for use by current and emerging technologies.  Further, since radio waves do not conveniently stop at a country’s borders, there is a need for international planning and coordination of radio spectrum usage between countries.

What are the changes?

The National Spectrum Plan 2014-2017 addressed recommendations ratified at the World Radio Conference (WRC) of 1995, 1997, 2003, 2007 and 2012, held by the ITU’s Radiocommunications Bureau (ITU-R).   This National Spectrum Plan 2020-2023 will extend those provisions to include recommendations ratified at the World Radio Conference (WRC) of 2015 and 2019.  In this NSP, URCA’s primary objective is to make available the spectrum needed to drive the evolution of legacy technologies and the emerging technologies as defined in the ITU’s IMT-2020[1].  

How will the changes impact the ECS?  

The changes aim to promote harmonized spectrum access conditions which enable interoperability and economies of scale for wireless communications equipment and improve the availability of information and communications technologies throughout The Bahamas. 

The National Spectrum Plan (2020-2023) can be found here https://urcabahamas.bs on our website.

Media contact:

Mavis Johnson Collie

Corporate & Consumer Relations Manager

Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority

Frederick House, Frederick Street

P. O. Box N-4860

Tel. (242) 393-0234 (Main)

Tel. (242) 396-5201 (Direct)

Facsimile: (242) 393-0153

Web: www.urcabahamas.bs

mjcollie@urcabahamas.bs


[1] International Telecommunications Union. (2018). ITU Toward IMT for 2020 and beyond. Retrieved from  https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/study-groups/rsg5/rwp5d/imt-2020/Pages/default.aspx.