With ICASA's recent action against Broadlink and iBurst, the issue of illegal spectrum usage and licensing has once again come into the spotlight. "As with any popular technology, point-to-point wireless offers opportunities for consumers and providers alike. While wireless is the most practical and convenient way to enable connectivity, there is a reason for the use of licensing and spectrum allocation, and many users don't know the difference between the two, or the reasons why licensing is important," says Mitchell Barker, CEO of www.whichvoip.co.za.
In simple terms, all wireless technologies use the airwaves to transmit and receive information. In order for many different technologies to use the airwaves simultaneously, wireless spectrum is carved up into chunks called frequency bands. Licensing these frequencies is a way of ensuring wireless operators do not interfere with each other's transmissions.
"Without licensing, interference would cause problems on the transmissions on both sides," explains Barker. "It's a good way to ensure that every provider knows where the others' signal is and to ensure that users get the best quality because there is a dedicated frequency for their use. The downside of the unlicensed frequencies or bands is that anyone else can use the same frequency ranges, which can cause interference, so when using an unlicensed technology like WiFi, users may have to make adjustments to avoid this interference."
Barker adds that the impression that unlicensed spectrum is like the Wild West and people can do as they like is incorrect. "Regulations exist around these bands, so using unlicensed radio bands is not a free-for-all. The big difference between licensed and unlicensed bands is that the licensed bands are allowed to be used only by the company that licensed them, whereas the unlicensed bands are used by anyone who wants to use them."
The current licensing approach is based on the system that was established a century ago to regulate radio use, and in many countries, there is a growing consensus among industry participants, academics, and policy-makers that traditional models for managing spectrum are outdated. However, the growth of wireless applications for business and home use has set the stage for a possible bandwidth shortage. As bandwidth demand explodes, the answer to this challenge is to add licensed spectrum.
"Spectrum is a powerful resource that we can leverage as the industry develops. It is more important than ever. The world has gone mobile, and as the demand for wireless services increases, our dependence on spectrum will only grow greater. As things stand, the licensing model limits our ability to grow our use of wireless broadband, so the differences between licensed and unlicensed spectrum, and the way this is approached, will become increasingly important," says Barker.
In keeping with the Web site's mission to provide South African businesses with as much information about the industry as possible, www.whichvoip.co.za will be expanding its coverage to include wireless connectivity providers. This free, at-a-glance service will allow users to quickly and easily gain information on the technology, follow relevant industry news, and compare the offerings of various VOIP, hosted PBX and now connectivity providers - all in one place. The connectivity section will be active towards the middle of the year.
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