[kictanet] Community frequencies

Thu Dec 5 16:30:12 EAT 2013

"whenever a frequency is not being used in a specific area by the concession holder, that the ministry has the right and duty to assign that frequency for social coverage purposes"

Now how can we get this line added to the CCK regulations?

Robert Yawe
KAY System Technologies Ltd
Phoenix House, 6th Floor
P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
Kenya

Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

On Thursday, 5 December 2013, 12:56, "Song, Stephen" <stephen.song at gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all,
It is always helpful to have information from the horses mouth and I was fortunate to share a panel yesterday with Peter Bloom, one of the founders of Rhizomatica, at an event here in Cape Town.  I had the opportunity to ask him a bit more detail about the technology and spectrum they are using.

They are mostly using Fairwaves/OpenBSC technology and have found it scales pretty well.  They are not using ISM bands but rather the same GSM (850MHz) band that is the standard in North America, which means that anyone can use a standard handset.  They currently serve roughly 1000 customers.

They managed to get access to a small amount of spectrum that wasn't currently licensed by any of the existing MNOs.  Peter had this to say about gaining access to the spectrum.

"The spectrum being available made it easier for them to meet our demands for spectrum which were based on two things. First, the constitution which says that an indigenous community has the right to own and operate its own media infrastructure. And second, on the Telecom law which has an article that states that whenever a frequency is not being used in a specific area by the concession holder, that the ministry has the right and duty to assign that frequency for social coverage purposes, or find other available and relevant spectrum. So we went to the regulator with a letter signed by 30+ indigenous communities demanding spectrum and were asked to submit a formal technical proposal for an experimentallicense to use the un-assigned block of frequencies in the 850mhz band (8mhz total)."

Regards... Steve

On 4 December 2013 16:28, robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

@James,
>
>
>Yet again my faith in the tech community in Kenya has been re-enforced all because of your comprehensive contribution without the requirement for a per de em.
>
>
>When fax machines were introduced in the country one needed to apply for a special fax line and the reasons put forward were similar to those mentioned in your contribution.  
>
>
>
>Later it was found out that the whole objective was to allow the security apparatus to know who owned which fax line so as to make snooping easier which seems like the same case here.
>
>
>I believe that if the government through the regulator had a genuine need to see the masses connected they would put in place the mechanism to make it possible.
>
>
>Today I can go to China and purchase 100 satellite phones and bring them in for use in any clandestine activity alternatively all we need is to setup a soft switch somewhere online and install a SIP client on smart phones creating a private and reasonably secure network.  How different is this from me putting up an antennae to provide communication over a 20 km radius?
>
>
>I believe you say the map I shared earlier that shows the penetration of the GSM network in the country and from it it is clear that a majority of the country is un-served.  
>
>
>In the same way that SACCOs came up to meet a need for those deemed unprofitable to the large retail and commercial banks I feel that implementing the same model in communications will provide a similar impetus to better services for all.
>
>
>I am looking at a situation where a tea factory in Tharaaka can set-up a GSM network for use by its members in communicating with each other, this would result in a better standard of living and increased security in the region.
>
>
>Know that James has outlined the requirements as per the status quo can someone take it up from there and map a coherent way forward?
>
>
>Regards
>
>
>PS.  James, I had no intention of trying to proof that I can contribute as much as you did.
>
> 
>Robert Yawe
>KAY System Technologies Ltd
>Phoenix House, 6th Floor
>P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
>Kenya
>
>
>
>Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>
>
>
>On Wednesday, 4 December 2013, 10:58, James Kulubi <jkulubi at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> 
>Thank you for the nice diagram that shows how to provide backhaul for voice, data and internet on Open BTS.
>From a policy perspective the key concerns with
community-owned Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) as correctly mentioned by
Robert will start with (a) frequencies but there are also issues of  (b) cost  (c) security.  I will try to
discuss each of them briefly below.
>(a)    Frequencies: The traditional unlicensed frequencies used to serve the public in
telecommunications and broadcasting  have
been the Citizen band and the ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) Band. Citizen
band is a short-wave communication band consisting of 40 channels in the 26-28
MHz frequency range. In Kenya, the ISM band is as follows: 433.050-434.790MHz
(Subject to approval), 2.400-2.500 MHz; 5.725-5.875 GHz, 24.000-24.250 GHz. Both
citizen and ISM  bands were established
long before the major developments that have revolutionized telecommunications
leading to convergence and more recently 3G and 4G technology. In this regard, Island
BTS may use the ISM band with while conforming to other existing CCK guidelines
like transmitted power.
>(b)   Cost:
Open BTS appears has very low start-up cost. In a way it appears as cheap as setting
up a PBX system in a small organization. However, a public communication system
tends to have some characteristics that are different from those of a PBX.
First, the demand for services grows rapidly after the system is installed.
This requires frequent upgrades both at the mobile-BTS (Um Interface) and at the backhaul end. Secondly the number of
customers served can radically increase for instance when there is a baraza or
market day, the population can more than double in a remote rural area. So you
require a system that can be increased dynamically and yet retain the same
functionality. Classical GSM scores higher here since cells can be added with ease
to one BTS but island systems like Open BTS may require replacing the whole system
including mobile terminals in order to just double capacity.
>(c)    Security:Generally classical GSM are designed to
fit in the national security and emergency preparedness plan as follows: calls and
SMS are logged; cells can be remotely enabled or disabled; all conversations in
GSM systems are encrypted; call tracing is inbuilt, community specific
communication is possible through cell-broadcasting covering any number of
cells – just to name a few. Island systems like Open BTS will require manual
intervention by operators to, for instance, log calls. The small size of the
Open BTS systems accompanied by their ease of deployment also means that criminal
groups and enemy forces can easily set up communication systems. It is partly
because of this that the law requires each communication system entering the
county to be type-approved and frequencies to be assigned to operators and
reviewed on annual basis.
> 
>Lastly, the issue of universal access
is a problem in many countries including developed countries like USA. The
usual solution is to set up a universal service fund. The Kenya Information and
Communications Act of  2008 set up this
fund as follows:
>84J. (1)There is hereby established a fund to be
known as the Universal Service Fund which shall be managed and administered by
the Commission. (2) The object and
the purpose of the Fund shall be to support widespread access to, support
capacity building and promote innovation in information and communications
technology services. (3) There shall
be a universal service levy (in this Part referred to as the “levy”) that shall
be charged by the Commission on the licensees under this Act for purposes of
the Universal Service Fund.
> 
>The objectives of the fund have
further been clarified in a CCK framework as:
> 
>a)Promote communications infrastructure
and services rollout in rural, remote and under-served areas; b) Ensure
availability of communication services to Persons with Disabilities, women and
other vulnerable groups; c) Support the development of capacity building
in ICTs and technological innovation; d) Support expansion of
communication services to schools, health facilities and other organizations
serving public needs; and e) Facilitate development of and access to a
wide range of local and relevant content.
>The fund has been operationalized
this year.  
>Listers may wish to comment on why we should go ahead to give free
community Open BTS telecommunication frequencies after operationalizing the USF
fund.
>Prof. James Kulubi
>
>
>
>On Monday, 2 December 2013, 10:45, Anthony Kiarie <kiarietony at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>Good morning
>The concept of Openbts has been under development and discussion for some time;
>http://openbts.org/
>
>
>
>http://rangenetworks.com/solutions/technology
>
>One would still need transmission backhaul though
>
>
>
>
>
>On Wed, Nov 27, 2013 at 8:55 AM, robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>Hi Listers,
>>
>>I recently met a group of Russian developers who have a GSM base station that sells at a tenth of the mainstream ones as it is based on open source technology.
>>
>>The product could have a massive impact on many of Kenya's far-flung communities as it would allow them to set up community based communication networks especially where the ARPU is too low for the commercial operators to venture.
>>
>>For this to work we need to provide a license free GSM frequency such as the 2.5 ghz that is used for data networks, do you know if there is such a provision in the CCK regulations?
>>
>>Regards
>>
>>
>>
>> 
>>Robert Yawe
>>KAY System Technologies Ltd
>>Phoenix House, 6th Floor
>>P O Box 55806 Nairobi,
 00200
>>Kenya
>>
>>
>>
>>Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
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>The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
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-- 
Steve Song
+1 902 529 0046
http://manypossibilities.net
http://villagetelco.org

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