Spectrum Award Policies to Expand Mobile Connectivity
Start: Wednesday 4 November 2020 10:00
End: Wednesday 4 November 2020 11:45
Venue: Online Webinar
Coinciding with the launch of GSMA’s new report on spectrum availability and pricing for Africa, this 1 hour 45 minute event discussed evolving spectrum best practice to drive investment in high quality, affordable, mobile broadband services.
Hosted by the GSMA’s Spectrum Programme, with participants from across the continent of Africa, our webinar was divided into two sessions.
- Session One explored spectrum licensing best practice, international case studies, and GSMA’s latest research on spectrum pricing in Africa markets and its implication on cost, coverage and quality of service.
- Session Two debated the regulatory framework required for a pro-investment environment, and include inputs from regulators, inter-government agencies, investment communities and mobile ecosystem players.
The GSMA Spectrum collated the best approaches to make spectrum available aiming mobile broadband access growth globally. This presentation will bring best practice and international successful use cases on general spectrum licensing.
Highlights from GSMA Intelligence’s latest research on the spectrum price for Africa compared to other markets (developed and developing). This presentation will show how this has a direct impact on the cost as well as coverage and quality of services offered to consumers and businesses.
To deliver affordable, widespread and high-quality mobile broadband services, mobile operators require affordable and predictable access to sufficient radio spectrum. Setting price on spectrum is intended to encourage efficient usage of a very scarce resource, however it is also often driven by short-term public revenue maximisation objectives. This can have a negative influence on consumer outcomes, including more expensive mobile services and reduced network investment
This panel will examine what factors influence investments in the mobile sector and what policy makers can do and are doing to enable a thriving digital economy.
Panellists:
- John Omo, Secretary General of ATU
- Tom Olwero, Director of Spectrum, Communications Authority of Kenya
- Anne Rita Ssemboga, Program Officer, Regional Office for Africa, ITU
- Bertus Ehmke, Group General Manager, Technical Regulation, MTN
- Shiletsi Makhofane, Head of Government and Industry Relations, Ericsson