FCC Technical Assistance to Jamaica: Wireless Services Spectrum
Occupancy Study A prelude to competition
As part of the Chairman’s Development Initiative, the FCC worked with the
Government of Jamaica’s Ministry of Commerce and Technology to provide technical
to advance reform of Jamaica’s telecommunications sector that is currently
underway.
The FCC’s International and Enforcement Bureaus responded to a request
from the Jamaican MCT to conduct a spectrum occupancy study in portions
of the 800 and 900 MHz and 2 GHz bands. The study was conducted in advance
of a spectrum auction that will produce competition in wireless services
for the first time in Jamaica. The study results helped the Government
of Jamaica ensure that the 800, 900, 800 and 1900 MHz frequencies were
free and clear of all communications traffic.
Funding for the study was provided by the U.S. Agency for International
Development. Two engineers from the Enforcement Bureau’s field offices
conducted the study.
Jamaica is one of four countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that
are participating in the Initiative, which targets achievement of universal
access/service through implementing of the goals of the WTO Basic Telecommunications
Services Agreement: promoting competition, liberalizing telecom markets,
and adopting transparent, pro-competitive regulatory policies. Jamaica
is a WTO member that has made telecommunications services commitments.
|
Equipment and Methodology:
FCC engineers Robert Bradley and Reuben Jusino assisted the Jamaican
MCT in selecting 10 monitoring sites representing the major spectrum
centers on the island. The team of FCC and MCT engineers established
a monitoring position at each site, taking into consideration good
radio horizons overlooking the population centers.
Initial monitoring used a dual frequency whip antenna (Magnetic
Mount 3 dB gain dual band cellular and PCS Antenna Specialist) connected
through a 20 dB gain preamplifier (Japan Information Medium Model
M-75 radio frequency low noise preamplifiers) to an Advantest Model
No. U3641 spectrum analyzer. The team checked each of the four bands
(890-915, 935-960, 1850-1910, 1930-1990 MHz) for radio activity.
Whenever the team detected a signal on the spectrum analyzer, it
tuned the receiver (Rohde & Schwarz Model No. EB-200) to this
frequency to determine the emission, bandwidth, and message content.
The team took directional bearings to determine the approximate
location of any unknown signals. In the PCS bands, the team used
a higher gain EMCO Model No. 3115 Directional Horn Antenna (8 dB
gain) in addition to the Larson YA6 800 Directional Yagi Antenna
(6 dB gain).
|
Click on image to enlarge.
|
