Experts Urge NCC, NFMC to Enable TV White Space for Broadband Penetration

Telecommunications experts have urged Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and National Frequency Management Council (NFMC) to expedite action in the licensing of TV White Space frequency for increased broadband penetration even as the commission is targeting 30 percent by the end of the year.

Ahmed Adesanya, Connectivity consultant, and owner of a patented invention on TV White Space with MDM Solution describe the application as the unused TV channels between the active ones in the UHF and VHF spectrum.

“These are typically referred to as the buffer channels. It has since been research and proven that this unused spectrum can be used to provide broadband internet access while operating harmoniously with surrounding TV channels.”

He explained that TV white space has a better coverage than the traditional Wi-Fi router with a relatively limited range, around 100  meters under perfect conditions and can be blocked by walls or other environmental barriers, While TV white (802.11af Wi-Fi) can cover an expanse of about 10- 12 kilometers.

Engr. Olusola Teniola, president, Association of Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ATCON), said that TV white space is an experimental application to try out in areas of congestion or scarcity of radio frequency.

“In Nigeria, the regulator NCC in collaboration with National Frequency Management Council (NFMC) have oversight function on this spectrum, and they have not defined how, where and what application to deploy using these free slots- a free space in spectrum.

“TV white space is being used to try and test viability of broadband using those slots until NCC has approved and issue licenses for its usage.

“It is one of the several ways of broadband type application. Others are spectrum 2.6GHZ, 800MHZ among others. These spectrums should be made available in timely manner by NCC at affordable prize so that in addition to TV white space operators both large and small can have wide options choices for broadband network rollout to communication in Nigeria.

“In fact, TV white space is very good choice and option for networks been built by communities because of low cost slots in it,” he noted.

Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), said that TV white space is a high speed internet application which can help in increasing broadband penetration in the country but added that presently, there has been no framework or guideline on how it can work in the country by NCC.

“For broadband applications such as TV white space to work well, you need a robust national broadband infrastructure on which these applications run. Today, we don’t have robust broadband infrastructure such as terrestrial fibre network and Fibre- To –Home initiatives. Other services outside of TV white space that have been licensed are yet to be deployed because operators are constrained by none availability of national broadband infrastructure.

“This situation is made worst by high cost of ‘Right of Way’ approval which accounts for 70 percent of the cost of deploying such infrastructure in the country,” he added.