Regulatory Policy on Spectrum Management

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Regulatory Policy on Spectrum Management
Lim Yuk Min Deputy Director (Operations) Telecommu
nications Authority of Singapore TAG Asia 99 20
Oct 1999 Raffles City Convention Centre
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Update of TAS

• TAS NCB will merged to form a new statutory
  board under MCIT by end of 1999
• Merger is in recognition of
• Convergence of IT, communication technologies and
  businesses
• Need for integrated perspective to promote,
  develop and regulate
• TAS NCB I.D.A. Singapore

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Functions of TAS

• Ensure consumer welfare
• Stimulate competition placing competition
  safeguard
• Develop infrastructure and network
• Promote telecommunication postal industries

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Our Goals

• Among others
• To have a wide range of quality infocommunication
  services available at competitive prices which
  readily meets the needs of business and consumers
• To achieve rapid adoption and widespread use of
  infocommunication services

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Licensing Issues

• Exemption Regulations
• Low power radiocommunication equipment
• Localised on site or in building usage
• Operate on pre-assigned frequency
• Generally lt 100 mW ERP
• Users exempted from licensing
• Dealers need to seek type approval

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• Radio equipment operating on any of these
  frequencies are exempted from licensing

• All spurious emissions ? 32 dBc

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Class Licensing

• Bulletin Board Services
• Audiotex Services
• Dealers Licence for selling type approved
  telecommunication equipment
• Radio equipment connected to public
  telecommunication operators

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Network Licensing

• Previously
• All portable/mobile radio communication station
  are individually licensed at 50 per station, and
  base/repeater station at 100 per station

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Network Licensing

• Since January 1999
• Localised Private Networks (lt5W)

• Wide-area Private Network

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Network Licensing

• Public mobile networks
• Multi tier licence fee structure to replace
  previously flat annual fee of 100 per base
  station

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Equipment Type Approval

• Type approval process has been simplified on 6
  November 1998
• General Approval Scheme
• Manufacturer Declaration of Conformity
• Cost saving and convenience to dealers
• Faster time to market products

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General Approval Scheme

• Based on self Declaration of Conformity
• Apply to single line terminal equipment which
• comply with TASs current standards and
  specifications
• is able to interwork compatibly with the
  public network
• Affix Conformity Marking

Complies with TAS Standards DA123456
Complies with TAS Standards DB654321
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Single Line Terminal Equipment and Applicable
Standards Under The General Approval Scheme
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Manufacturer Declaration of Conformity (MDC)
Procedure

• Previously
• Sample units must be submitted for testing
• Since 6 November 1998
• Only need to submit MDC form, attaching test
  reports and technical document

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Type Approval Fees under MDC
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Promotion of R D

• To promote RD, TAS provides funding to many
  projects though industry DGS and various MOUs

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Development Grant Scheme (April 1997)

• Under this scheme, TAS assists companies by
  co-funding up to 50 of investment costs
• Projects must have significant technological
  development and potential for commercial
  application locally, regionally or globally

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DGS..2

• Objectives
• Encourage local telecommunication industry to
  upgrade their network infrastructure with latest
  technology
• Encourage RD in advanced telecommunications
• Encourage development of advanced
  infocommunication capabilities and innovative
  services

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DGS..3

• Some projects funded
• -A low cost ATM billing software by Keppel
  Communications
• -A middleware platform to support new
  multimedia services on heterogeneous mobile
  networks by Kent Ridge Digital Labs
• -A virtual post office by SingPost

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RBnet_at_Home MOU(26 June 1999)

• Technology alliance to conduct focused RD and
  commercialisation of home networking solutions
  using infra-red and Bluetooth technologies
• TAS will nurture and support the RD activities
  of the alliance
• Alliance include
• -Kent Ridge Digital Labs -School of EEE(NTU)
• -Centre for Signal Processing -Parallax
  Research
• -Institute of Microelectronics -NSTB

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APEC Tel MRA(Endorsed on June 1998)

• APEC Tel MRA is worlds first multilateral MRA
  covering telecommunication equipment
• Agreement among APEC member economies for mutual
  recognition of conformity assessment of
  telecommunication equipment
• Reduce technical barrier to trade by allowing
  equipment to be tested in exporting economy in
  accordance with importing economys requirements

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APEC Tel MRA

• Equipment can then be accepted in importing
  economy with minimal further regulatory action
• Simplified procedures will reduce costs and
  shorten the time for suppliers to market their
  telecommunication products

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TAS-PSB Collaboration

• TAS will appoint PSB as a Conformity Assessment
  Body
• PSB as testing house for telecommunication
  equipment for local and overseas markets

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Conclusion

• TAS will continue to review
• To exempt more telecommunication products
• To open up more frequency bands for low power
  devices
• To improve business operation, productivity and
  quality of life of general public

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To find out more about TAS, please visit our
website at www.tas.gov.sg
Thank You
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