9th Sub Sahara Spectrum Management Conference

Huge efforts have been made over the last decade or more by different industry stakeholders across Africa to ensure that they have access to sufficient spectrum to meet their growing needs. With decisions now taken on the future of many key bands, this session will provide an opportunity to look at the bigger picture of how the spectrum that has been allocated to both IMT and other users is currently being used, and at the next steps at the strategies going forward to ensure the value of bandwidth that is available is maximised. The discussion will assess the status of key bands in the Sub-Saharan region, examining the emerging plans from industry groups, governments, and policymakers to ensure that spectrum is used effectively for fulfilling Africa’s diverse needs. What impact can spectrum have on some of the issues facing African stakeholders today, and what challenges are ahead.
 

• What should the overall spectrum goals be for Africa? How can the power of the available bandwidth be maximised and to what extent is this being seen today?
• What role can regulators and other stakeholders play in ensuring that unused and underused spectrum is put to use as quickly and efficiently as possible? What do we want to achieve with spectrum, and how can we ensure that we get there?
• What future strategies are emerging from IMT operators and other users on how to best use the frequencies that they have been awarded, and how are they planning to optimise the spectrum to best serve Africa and meet regional needs?
• What regulatory, technical and structural obstacles exist across different bands which are stopping the available bandwidth from being used to its maximum value?
• What role can regulators and other stakeholders play in ensuring that unused and underused spectrum is put to use as quickly and efficiently as possible? Are there regulatory frameworks in place to control the efficient use of spectrum?

During each of the previous editions of this conference, a session has been held to discuss the progress, challenges, and opportunities as Sub-Saharan Africa plans for the implementation of 5G. This session will be a continuation of this. It will look at the progress towards the goals that continue to be seen and the impact that WRC-23 can have on driving forward 5G rollout in the region. With infrastructure now starting to become more widespread across the region, as well as looking at rollout, it will also look at the next steps towards increasing service adoption across the region. What needs to be done to deliver on the goals of a harmonised regional strategy for 5G and how to fully utilise its potential.
 

• What progress has been seen in the past year, regarding the rollout and expansion of 5G networks across Africa?
• To what extent can outcomes from WRC-23 help the Sub-Saharan region speed up the roll-out and implementation of 5G services?
• With 5G infrastructure now becoming more widespread across the region, how can we move to the next-step of increasing the uptake of 5G services amongst both consumers and businesses?
• To what extent are prominent 5G use cases starting to emerge, and in what areas?
• How can 5G feed into the work that is taking place into finding the best mechanisms and models to meet the connectivity needs of vertical users and use cases?
• What best practices can be learnt from the experiences in African countries or elsewhere for the introduction of 5G services and the allocation and award of 5G spectrum, and how can they contribute to forming a unified regional approach for 5G deployment in the region and at a national level?
• What combination of technologies and solutions will best serve Africa’s 5G future, and how can we ensure that both the infrastructure and spectrum are in place to achieve this?
• How are regulators balancing the goal to continue the process of bringing 3G and 4G networks online and give citizens access to basic online services with 5G ambitions?
• How can regulators ensure that the allocation of 5G spectrum does not exacerbate existing digital divides, but rather promotes equitable access to advanced connectivity to all users?
• What role can AI and other emerging technologies play in smoothing the path towards the future 5G ecosystem? What impact could it have on the way spectrum is managed, allocated, and optimised, and ultimately on the efficiency and costs of network rollout and operation?

Efficient allocation and management of spectrum is vital for fostering connectivity and driving technological advancements across African countries. A wide range of different approaches and licencing regimes are being seen from regulators across the region as they look to deliver this. From innovative next generation regimes designed to encourage sharing and flexibility, to models involving wholesale network and single-access network approaches, this session will explore some of the different policy frameworks that are being seen, and at the different ways in which regulators are looking to ensure spectrum best contributes to their countries broader goals. It will look at the key impact that award and pricing strategies play in ensuring the success of overall licencing regimes, and at the different approaches that are being put forward in order to best maximise the value that spectrum can deliver.
 

• What different spectrum licensing regimes are currently being implemented across Sub-Saharan Africa, and what impact can these have on the overall usage and value that can be delivered?
• How can regulatory frameworks best be designed to support diverse spectrum licensing regimes and promote innovation in spectrum management in the Sub-Saharan region?
• What can countries in the region learn from international best practices in spectrum licensing and management, and how can these be adapted to the local context?
• How do challenges and opportunities across different countries in the region differ, and how can regulators balance the need to consider these national differences alongside the benefits of regional coordination when considering the best approach?
• What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of different approaches such as wholesale or single-access network models, and how can these impact overall connectivity landscapes?
• What are the challenges at a regulatory and administrative level of implementing flexible licensing regimes with streamlined processes?
  How do spectrum award and pricing strategies feed into overall licencing regimes, and what examples of best practice are seen in this area across the region?

Over the past decade and more, a huge amount of resources and funding have been put into closing the digital divide in Africa. Despite this, however, a recent study claimed that approximately 74% of the continent’s population remains unconnected. Against this backdrop, this session will discuss whether current strategies to tackle the digital divide are working, or whether there is a need for a rethink. It will look at the different factors that are contributing to this huge connectivity gap (lack of infrastructure, geographical challenges, lack of investment from private stakeholders, cost/affordability, lack of literacy and digital skills etc.), and at the progress that has been made in tackling these. Is the pace of progress that is being seen in tackling the digital divide acceptable, and if not, how can new technologies, new policy thinking and new ways of managing spectrum be utilised to deliver tangible progress of bringing unconnected societies across Africa online.
 

• What is the current status of connectivity in Sub-Saharan Africa, what countries are leading the way towards closing the digital divide?
• Is the pace of progress that is being seen acceptable, or is there a need for a rethink?
• What are the specific challenges that are holding up progress in unserved and underserved areas, and how can these be overcome?
• How can emerging new technologies and policy thinking be harnessed as part of future strategies? What innovative examples of this are already being seen both in Africa and elsewhere and what lessons can be taken from these?
• What specific spectrum bands are particularly important in order to tackle coverage gaps and improve network capacity in the Sub-Saharan region? To what extent is the potential of these bands being utilised to maximise efficiency?
• What incentives, such as tax breaks, subsidies, or favourable spectrum licensing terms, can be offered to encourage private companies to invest in expanding connectivity in Africa? How can these incentives be structured to ensure sustainable and impactful investments?
• To what degree can regulators encourage infrastructure sharing or cooperative arrangements among operators to enhance coverage and capacity?
• How can spectrum allocation policies be optimised to support a diverse mix of technologies to increase regional coverage? What approaches and technologies have been most successful in addressing both the connectivity and usage gaps?
• Where can we realistically be by 2030, and how can we get there?

Vertical industries, such as agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation and energy each have distinct connectivity requirements driven by unique use cases. Meeting these requirements often requires tailored spectrum solutions, with demand for localised private networks growing as an option to deliver the dedicated, secure, and customizable connectivity solutions that are required. This session will explore the different technologies, models and spectrum bands that are emerging across the region in order to facilitate the growth of private networks. It will outline a path forward that ensures Africa’s key industries are equipped to meet current and future connectivity demands.
 

• What are the principle use cases for private networks across the region?
• What research is being seen across the region when it comes to finding the best mechanisms and models to meet the connectivity needs of these vertical users and use cases?
• What approaches are starting to emerge across different countries and what spectrum bands are being used and proposed?
• How can spectrum allocation policies be optimized to support the deployment and growth of private networks across key vertical industries in Africa?
• What are the main regulatory challenges facing the deployment of private networks in Africa, and how can governments and industry stakeholders collaborate to address these challenges?
• What role are different connectivity providers playing, and what is likely to be the mix of different technologies and mechanisms that will make up the vertical connectivity ecosystem in the future?

The rapid evolution of innovative technologies and business models in the space and satellite industry presents opportunities and regulatory challenges for the Sub-Saharan region and the rest of the world. This session aims to discuss these opportunities, challenges, and regulatory considerations, focusing on maximising the value of spectrum allocated to satellite services and how these services can increase connectivity across African countries. It will consider the various options available to regulators for licensing NGSOs to provide broadband services, different decision-making approaches, and meeting the connectivity requirements of new non-terrestrial use cases. Furthermore, it will explore the potential of non-terrestrial connectivity for African states and communities, as well as strategies for managing spectrum policy to maximise its benefits.
 

• What is the current state of the satellite sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, and how are NGSO and GSO technologies being deployed?
• What exciting innovations are being seen within the satellite sector, and what potential benefits could these innovations offer for African states?
• What can be done to establish a framework to help them achieve their objectives?
• What regulatory and policy measures are needed to facilitate the coexistence of NGSO and GSO satellites in the region? How can spectrum for satellite communications be managed to maximise efficiency and minimise interference among different satellite systems?
• What are the challenges faced by service providers regarding spectrum licensing and authorisation regimes for satellite systems, and how can a framework be ensured that encourages new entrants and competition while protecting the rights of incumbent users?
• What specific strategies can be implemented to maximise the value of spectrum allocated to satellite services in the region?
• What regulations and licensing models currently oversee access to spectrum for satellite systems in the African region, and how are these changing due to the substantial growth of low-orbit satellite constellations?
• How can regulators and policymakers support innovation and investment in satellite technology to meet evolving connectivity needs and, at the same time, provide affordable services for end users in the Sub-Sahara?
• With more satellites in space, how can effective coordination and regulation be ensured at both national and international levels?

As we have just seen, the global space and satellite sector is evolving massively with a large number of innovative new technologies, services and business models emerging. One specific area that is seeing significant interest is in direct-to-device connectivity and the introduction of hybrid networks involving non-terrestrial connectivity supplementing existing mobile services. This offers huge potential to help to connect unserved and underserved areas, especially in regions with extensive remote areas like Africa, but also poses several regulatory, technical and financial challenges in terms of how these services can be delivered that will be usable by the end user. This session will explore the different approaches that are being considered to meet the connectivity needs of these networks and the challenges related to providing the required spectrum in a way which protects against interference. It will focus on the potential that both direct-to-device and HIBS offer in supplementing terrestrial connectivity, and the work that is now being done on studying the best spectrum bands and methods of assignment to maximise the potential of these hybrid networks.
 

• What potential benefits can the emergence of hybrid satellite-terrestrial networks (including HIBS and HAPS) and direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity offer countries and consumers across Africa? How can African countries best position themselves to take advantage of hybrid network connectivity?
• What business models and different use cases are emerging? Where does its long-term future lie for the region?
• To what extent can these new technologies contribute to tackling the digital divide and help to connect people and communities in unserved rural and remote areas of the Sub-Saharan region? With many of the unconnected areas across Africa also amongst the poorest in the region, how can the issue of affordability also be addressed to ensure that connectivity and handsets are provided at a price point that makes them accessible for individuals and communities?
• What are the regulatory and technical challenges in deploying these networks in Africa, and how can they be addressed?
• How can the connectivity requirements of these hybrid networks be met, and what spectrum bands are set to play a part in this? What are the technical and regulatory challenges of using either MNO’s existing spectrum or spectrum that has been specifically allocated to Mobile Satellite Services?
• What work is set to be taking place in the build-up to WRC-27 in order to study the different approaches to deliver the required connectivity?
• Are we moving towards technology/network-neutral spectrum licences in the medium/long term?
• How can spectrum be effectively allocated to support these hybrid network infrastructures while minimising interference and maximising coverage?
• To what extent is there a need for harmonisation of regulatory frameworks across Sub-Saharan countries to permit innovative service providers to rapidly deploy equipment and services to facilitate hybrid network connectivity?
• How can regulators and policymakers foster innovation and investment in hybrid network technologies to meet evolving connectivity needs in Sub-Saharan Africa?

UHF frequencies are seen by IMT operators as a crucial part of the spectrum mix required to achieve digital equality and expand affordable connectivity, particularly in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, these frequencies provide the core bands for DTT broadcast services and audio Programme Making and Special Events (PMSE). At WRC-23 a decision was taken to protect broadcast services as the exclusive primary user in the 600MHz band for the foreseeable future, whilst adding a secondary allocation for the mobile services. This means that the future of the 600MHz, 700MHz and 800MHz bands has now been decided and, against this backdrop, this session will explore the current and future shape of services across these three key bands and the wider UHF ecosystem. With Sub-Saharan African countries gradually, though slowly, transitioning to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), it will look at the progress that has been made here, the challenges that are still faced and the strategies that are proposed to expedite the transition and the likely timeframe ahead for the full value of the 700MHz and 800MHz bands to be realised. It will also analyse what the decision on the 600MHz band means for the long-term shape of the UHF frequencies more broadly, and whether the right balance has been found to guarantee that all key users of these bands have enough spectrum to meet their long-term needs.
 

• Given the decisions taken regarding the 600MHz band at WRC-23, what is the shape of the UHF ecosystem and the users in it?
• What could be the impact of the country footnote that was included, allocating the band to mobile services on a secondary basis with conditions in eight African countries?
• With allocation of the 600MHz band following previous decisions that have been taken to make the 700MHz and 800MHz bands available for IMT, has the right balance now been found that ensures fair access to low-band frequencies for all users, including broadcasters, mobile operators, Programme Making and Special Events (PMSE), and new entrants?
• What is the status of broadcast migration and UHF spectrum use in Sub-Saharan countries? How far along are countries in the process of transitioning from analogue to digital broadcasting, and in re-allocating the digital dividend spectrum to mobile operators?
• What are the primary reasons for delays that are being seen, and how do these factors vary across different countries?
• What best practices from other regions or countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, and others that have already finished the DSO can be applied to accelerate the analogue switch-off in other Sub-Saharan countries?

Spectrum in the mid-band frequencies has been hotly contested over the past decade or more, with key users jostling for access to what has been described as the spectrum ‘sweet-spot’. Following key decisions at WRC-23 on (amongst others) the 3.3 – 3.4 GHz, 3.6 – 3.8 GHz, 4.8 – 4.99 GHz and 6.425–7.125 GHz bands, there is now a clearer perspective of identified spectrum for IMT across Sub-Saharan Africa and region 1. With the post WRC-23 mid-band ecosystem now starting to become clearer, this session will look at the shape of the spectrum landscape that has developed, the balance of different technologies that have access to frequencies and the access models that are used to provide this. It will explore the extent to which key technologies now have access to sufficient mid-band frequencies to meet their future requirements, and whether the correct balance has been achieved when it comes to making spectrum available on a licensed, unlicensed, and shared basis. Are these key bands being allocated in a balanced manner that meets all stakeholder needs, and crucially ensures that the potential of these key frequencies is realised?
 

• What is the shape of the overall spectrum landscape across the 1GHz – 6GHz mid-band frequencies, and how much bandwidth is available to different users?
• To what extent do key users like IMT, satellite, WiFi, and others have adequate access to sufficient mid-band spectrum to meet their current and future requirements?
• How have the WRC-23 decisions in key mid-band frequencies impacted the planning and implementation of services by these different users?
• What lessons can Sub-Saharan countries learn from other regions or countries in the allocation and award of mid-band frequencies, and how can these best practices be adapted to local contexts?
• How are spectrum licensing and award processes being managed in the region to ensure fair and efficient allocation of mid-band spectrum for the different technologies? What now need to be the next steps to ensure that the spectrum is allocated as quickly and efficiently as possible?
• What are the main technical and regulatory challenges faced in ensuring the interference-free allocation and utilisation of mid-band spectrum amongst different users and services, and how can these challenges be addressed?
• How crucial is the definition of guard bands in achieving interference-free mid-band frequencies?

It has been nearly a year since WRC-23, where pivotal agenda items were addressed on a number of key bands. Almost immediately, attention has now switched towards the next steps – implementing the decisions that were taken, and importantly, starting to plan and strategise for the next cycle towards WRC-27. With initial preparatory meetings for WRC-27 having now begun in Africa, across region 1 and globally, this session will analyse the expected key topics and agenda items over the next four years for the Sub-Saharan region and beyond. We will review the outcomes of the 1st African Preparatory Meeting for WRC-27 (APM27-1) held in Maseru, Lesotho, in August 2024. Additionally, we will explore the specific priorities of various industry players and consider how regional countries can collaborate to ensure WRC-27 results in an enhanced and beneficial spectrum policy at both national and regional levels.
 

• What were the common positions that the ATU agreed on and proposed regarding the key agenda items in WRC-23?
• What were the key outcomes and conclusions from APM27-1 and what roadmap is being planned towards WRC-27 for Sub-Saharan countries?
• From the results of WRC-23, what challenges remain to be overcome, and what will be the key focus of discussion at the next regional preparatory meetings?
• What should be the key regional objectives for Africa for WRC-27, and how can countries and stakeholders come together to ensure that these are achieved? How can the experiences and lessons learned help to shape the strategic planning and negotiations leading up to WRC-27?
• What role can regional harmonisation of spectrum policies play in achieving a more efficient and unified approach to spectrum management?
• What initiatives or mechanisms can be implemented to promote transparency and inclusivity in the decision-making processes leading up to WRC-27, ensuring that the perspectives of all relevant stakeholders, including governments, industry players, and civil society along the whole Sub-Saharan region, are adequately represented and considered?
• The key IMT-related agenda item at WRC-27 focuses on the study of potential bands for 6G. Considering that the adoption of 6G is still quite some way off for this region, to what extent will Sub-Saharan spectrum authorities participate in these studies, and what approach should be taken with regards to this agenda item?