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Track: Telecommunications
Michael Whittaker
PO Box 78
Belconnen, AC 2617
AUSTRALIA
Telephone: 61 6 256 5210
Fax: 61 6 256 5231
E-mail: mwhittak@sma.gov.au
Helen Yang
Managing Spectrum Usage and Spectrum Licensing in Australia
Defining Issue: Australia is leading the world by implementing a new form of radio communications licensing called spectrum licensing. Under spectrum licensing, licensees are provided with access to a defined parcel of spectrum space through an auction process. After the auction, licensees may trade spectrum space at a fine level in both frequency and area dimensions. The space of each license is managed by maintaining emission buffer zones along the frequency and area boundaries of a license to keep the space free of encroachment by neighboring licensees and ensure that devices operated under a license only use the spectrum space that the licensee owns. Quality assurance of industry operatives who certify the operation of devices must also be managed. GIS Solution: ArcInfo-based Spectrum Licensing software has been designed and implemented to provide visualization of spectrum licensing management activities and calculate the extent of spectrum use by devices in the VHF, UHF, and microwave
bands. Methodology: A spectrum map grid layer covering the whole of Australia has been derived. The size of the grid cells in the layer were established by considering the population distribution. Based on the map grid layer, the user can define the boundaries of auction and licensing areas. The boundaries of spectrum space used by a transmitter may be calculated from predefined algorithms for different frequency bands by considering radiated power in a number of radial directions, the device's antenna height, and surrounding topography. Spectrum space used by a receiver may also be calculated according to its level of protection. Any violations in the device technical specifications can be detected by visually comparing the device space boundaries with the licensed area. Interfaces to other computer systems that manage the basic data have also been included. Software: The application was written in AML and C language. Note: This paper introduces the principle of spectrum licensing methodology.
It emphasizes the integration of spectrum licensing with existing GIS technology. The advantage in using spatial analysis tools and the challenges in adapting the tools to spectrum management are also described.
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