Manama: Mohammed Ali Al Qaed, Chief Executive, Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA), chaired the 2nd meeting of the Spectrum Strategy and Coordination Committee, which was held remotely and attended by representatives of nine entities.
Despite the current challenging circumstances, the Committee has continued to meet and work towards streamlining frequency spectrum-related services, developing policies for planning and distributing resources to better serve the Government Action Plan.
Al Qaed welcomed the committee members and advised to make use of the current challenges to be able to turn them into opportunities.
The National Frequency Plan, based on the findings of the World Radio Conference (WRC-19) and the needs of the telecommunications and information sector in the Kingdom, was approved by the committee. Organized frequency distributions allow for greater flexibility in assignment of frequencies, keeping pace with rapid development within the sector and meeting current and future needs. The Kingdom of Bahrain is one of the first Arab countries to adopt a four-year plan in line with global and local requirements. National plans such as these contain essential spectrum management guidelines required for the sector to thrive.
The committee also approved new maritime radio service regulations better aligned with recent global radiocommunications and maritime radio navigation developments. The protection of maritime radiocommunication frequencies and radio navigation is ensured through provisions in the Radio Regulations (RR) of the International Telecommunication Union. Accordingly, it is necessary for governments to issue regulations on the use and interoperability of marine equipment.
The two documents will offer a clear and transparent guide for radiocommunication sector manufacturers and investors, with guidelines aimed at regulating the sector and supporting the national economy.
The committee also discussed national telecommunications services regulatory frameworks and related legislation, in addition to machine-to-machine applications and Internet of Things – IoT within the frequency bands used for terrestrial and satellite services, noting the importance of studying emerging technologies and working on a national strategy that contributes to the creation of a regulatory framework that meets the requirements of all stakeholders.
