Roadmap for C-band spectrum in ASEAN August 2019 Copyright © 2019 GSM Association The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators About Plum worldwide, uniting more than 750 operators with over 350 Plum is an independent consulting firm, focused on the companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including telecommunications, media, technology, and adjacent handset and device makers, software companies, equipment sectors. We apply extensive industry knowledge, consulting providers and internet companies, as well as organisations experience, and rigorous analysis to address challenges and in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces the opportunities across regulatory, radio spectrum, economic, industry-leading MWC events held annually in Barcelona, commercial, and technology domains. Los Angeles and Shanghai, as well as the Mobile 360 Series of regional conferences. For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com and spectrum website at www.gsma.com/spectrum To view the GSMA’s related resources online, visit www.gsma.com/spectrum About WPC Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA and Windsor Place Consulting is internationally recognised @GSMAPolicy as an outstanding provider of advice to the information industries especially in Asia. The firm works extensively in telecommunications, media, and IT, both in the development of commercial strategies for the private sector and the formulation of national policy and legislative settings for public sector clients. About this study This is a study for GSMA to assess the current use of the C-band (3.3-4.2 GHz) in the ASEAN region and to identify the roadmap and strategy to make available spectrum to support the deployment of 5G services while ensuring coexistence with other users in the band. CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 Why 3.5 GHz? 3 Current uses in the C-band 3 Options to release 3.5 GHz spectrum 5 The ASEAN roadmap for 3.5 GHz 6 1. THE IMPORTANCE OF 3.5 GHz FOR 5G 8 1.1 Progress in ASEAN so far 10 2. CURRENT USES IN THE C-BAND 12 2.1 Frequency allocations in the 3.3 – 4.2 GHz band 12 2.2 Services in the 3.3 – 4.2 GHz band 13 2.3 Licensing approaches by service and implications for refarming 14 2.4 Current status in ASEAN 15 3. OPTIONS TO RELEASE SPECTRUM 17 3.1 How will 3.5 GHz spectrum be used for 5G? 17 3.2 Is sharing feasible with incumbent services using mitigation? 18 3.3 What measures are feasible? 19 3.4 Clearance of incumbents 21 3.5 Cross border considerations 22 4. THE ASEAN ROADMAP FOR 3.5 GHz 23 4.1 Current plans for 3.5 GHz band 23 4.2 Recommendations for release of 3.5 GHz 28 4.3 Implications on spectrum award 31 4.4 Conclusion 33 APPENDIX A ASEAN MEMBER STATES 35 A.1 Brunei Darussalam 35 A.2 Kingdom of Cambodia 36 A.3 Republic of Indonesia 37 A.4 Lao PDR 37 A.5 Malaysia 38 A.6 Republic of the Union of Myanmar 38 A.7 Republic of the Philippines 39 A.8 Republic of Singapore 40 A.9 Kingdom of Thailand 41 A.10 Socialist Republic of Vietnam 42 APPENDIX B INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDIES 45 B.1 Australia 50 B.2 Brazil 48 B.3 Hong Kong 50 B.4 UK 53 B.5 Europe 56 B.6 US 56 B.7 Taiwan 57 APPENDIX C SHARING STUDIES 61 C.1 ITU 61 C.2 CEPT / ECC 66 C.3 Qualcomm submission to APT 68 APPENDIX D SYNCHRONISATION BETWEEN MOBILE NETWORKS 71 D.1 Frame Structure 73 APPENDIX E ASEAN C-BAND NATIONAL SATELLITE USE 74 APPENDIX F GLOSSARY 76 1 ROADMAP FOR C-BAND SPECTRUM IN ASEAN 2 ROADMAP FOR C-BAND SPECTRUM IN ASEAN Executive summary Why 3.5 GHz? The 3.5 GHz band (3.3 – 3.8 GHz) is a core spectrum In ASEAN, the 3.5 GHz band is used by different band for 5G deployment. Over the last 24 months, satellite and fixed services and its availability is less many national regulators globally have either clear. Aside from the Philippines which has already assigned this spectrum for mobile or have started assigned parts of the band for IMT, other countries preparations to do so. There is also a rapidly in the region are looking into the release of 3.5 GHz growing ecosystem of devices, setting the stage to support 5G rollouts, with other frequency bands for successful rollouts. also being considered. To deliver on the promise of 5G and take advantage of its many benefits, it is Due to its propagation characteristics and the important for the region’s regulators to develop a potential for large contiguous bandwidths, the 3.5 roadmap for the release of as much as possible of the GHz band is an ideal frequency band for 5G as it is 3.5 GHz band. At the same time, the specific needs able to provide both capacity (the amount of data of current users in the band should be taken into traffic it can support) and coverage (the distance the consideration. radio signals travel). High-speed enhanced mobile broadband services need to be capable of delivering This report discusses the current use of the C-band peak download speeds of at least 20 Gbps, a reliable in ASEAN, the different options to release the band 100 Mbps user experience data rate in urban areas, for mobile use, and the factors that need to be and 4 ms latency. The 3.5 GHz band will be key for taken into account in deciding on the appropriate delivering eMBB and to enable good 5G service way forward. Recommendations for developing the performance, 80 – 100 MHz of 3.5 GHz spectrum per roadmap to release the 3.5 GHz band in ASEAN are mobile network operator is preferred. then provided. Current uses in the C-band The current use of the C-band (3.3 – 4.2 GHz) band • VSATs, which are small two-way satellite systems, varies across the ASEAN region and by country. primarily used by businesses, but also for military The main use is for fixed satellite service (space-to- and government applications. Earth), although there is also use in parts of the band for radiolocation and fixed service (mainly point to • Satellite Master Antenna Television (SMATV), a multipoint or wireless broadband services). Figure 1 system that uses multiple satellite and broadcast provides a summary of the current status. signals to create a single integrated cable signal for distribution to a cabling network within a building The fixed satellite service (FSS) applications in the (e.g. apartment block, hospital etc.). 3.4 GHz – 4.2 GHz range include: • TV receive-only (TVRO), used for reception of • Large satellite earth stations which serve as a broadcast signals such as free-to-air television. gateway that carry trunk or network traffic (feeder links) to and from satellite space stations • Telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) stations used for communication between spacecraft and the ground. 3 ROADMAP FOR C-BAND SPECTRUM IN ASEAN Figure 1 Current status of 3.3 – 4.2 GHz in ASEAN countries (as of July 2019) aav 3400 MHz MHz 3500 3600 MHz MHz 3700 3800 MHz MHz 3900 4000 MHz MHz 4100 4200 MHz Myanmar Lao PDR Vietnam Cambodia Thailand Malaysia Singapore Indonesia Brunei Darussalem Philippines Fixed Satellite Service Fixed Service Radar & radiolocation Wireless Broadband Mobile/IMT Not yet assigned Source: Plum-WPC analysis based on information from national regulators. 4 ROADMAP FOR C-BAND SPECTRUM IN ASEAN Options to release 3.5 GHz spectrum There are two general approaches to release the The potential to share between IMT and incumbent spectrum for mobile use, namely users depends on the services themselves, the extent of their deployment and the type of sharing 1. Accommodate both mobile and existing users envisioned (co- or adjacent-channel) as shown in through sharing. Figure 2. 2. Clear the band (or parts of it) by migrating existing users to alternative bands or technologies. Figure 2 Coexistence potential between IMT and incumbent services in 3300 – 4200 MHz band Incumbent service Co-channel Adjacent channel FSS (Limited FSS earth station Yes, with detailed coordination / Yes, with detailed coordination / deployment) mitigation measures mitigation measures FSS (Ubiquitous FSS deployment, e.g. No Yes, with suitable guard band TVROs and VSATs) FS (Limited FS deployment of point to Yes, with detailed coordination / Yes, with detailed coordination / point links) mitigation measures mitigation measures FS (Ubiquitous FS deployment of point No Yes, with suitable guard band to point links) Yes, with mitigation measures e.g. FS (FS point to multipoint / BWA) Yes synchronisation Radiolocation / Radars Possibly, with detailed coordination Probably, with detailed coordination There is no one ‘correct’ way to address potential • IMT base station location limits interference issues. Instead, the solution is likely to be dependent on local conditions around the extent • Reduced base station transmitter power and nature of FSS usage in each country. A number of studies have been undertaken with different • Detailed coordination conclusions on the necessary guard band between the services, ranging from 20 MHz up to 100 MHz. A cost-benefit analysis should be undertaken to assess the optimum approach for the release of 3.5 GHz In addition to guard bands, other possible measures for 5G. It should include the cost of implementing to ensure coexistence between IMT and FSS coexistence measures or a band clearance. In some include; cases, a hybrid of the two approaches may be appropriate. For example, in its plans for releasing the • Earth station site shielding 3575-3700 MHz band, the Australian regulator ACMA decided to clear existing FSS and FS users in metro and • Restriction zones to protect FSS regional areas over a transition period of up to seven years while specifying coexistence measures to protect • Improved FSS receivers incumbent users during this period.