A CRASH COURSE IN RADIO FREQUENCY AND FREQUENCY MANAGEMENT Think of a wave as something that goes up and down continuously,

repeating in cycles. The height difference between the highest point and the lowest point is a measure of the amplitude of the wave. How many times the something repeats in a second is measured by the number of Hertz. [See Note 3]. Therefore, for example, roughly in ascending magnitude of frequency: alternating current repeats at 50 Hertz (50 cycles per second) in the US and 60 Hertz in Nigeria; AM Radio receives in the 535 KHz to 1.7 MHz band; Short wave radio bands from 5.9 MHz to 26.1 MHz; Citizens band (CB) radio in 26.96 to 27.41 MHz ; garage door openers and alarms operate around 40 MHz, Television stations channels 2 through 6 are at 54 to 88 megahertz, FM radio between 88 to 108 MHz ; Television stations Channels 7 through 13 are 174 to 220 MHz; analog mobile phones operate at 800 MHz; Air traffic control radar is between 960 to 1,215 MHz; GSM (digital mobile) in Nigeria and Europe operates at 900 MHz and 1,800 MHz (at 1,900 MHz in the US), Global Positioning System between 1,227 and 1,575 MHz; microwave oven typically operate at 2.5 GHz, C-band satellite transmission is in the 4 6 GHz range; the recently licensed FWA licensed frequency in Nigeria is at 3.5GHz AND 10.5 GHz (even though only the former has been exercised), Ku-band satellite transmission is in the 12 14 GHz range; Ka satellite band is in the 33 GHz 36 GHz range; red color is a wave at 430 trillion Hz (430 THz) and violet is 750 THz, while gamma rays are 3 billion billion Hz! Radio waves are those with a few KHz to several GHz., while microwaves are a subset of radiowaves roughly between 890 MHz and 20 GHz (sometimes considered between 1 GHz and 30 GHz.), the rest just being part of the electromagnetic spectrum. I must admit that I have mixed up all types of signals here electrical, sound, light, etc., but you get the point that very many telecommunications and nontelecommunications equipment transmit and receive waves at various frequencies, some of them overlapping in the same frequency range. Whenever different waves of same or very nearly similar frequency overlap each other within the same geographical area maybe in a room, a campus or even a city - there is greater tendency to either cancel each other out (that is, amplitude becomes zero when the up of one wave occurs at the same time as the down of two completely out-ofphase waves of the same amplitude), or enhance each others amplitude in a manner that was not originally intended. So such interference is to be avoided, and both international as well as local regulation might be necessary to limit that interference severely. The overwhelming amount of non-telecommunication equipments can be categorized into industrial, scientific and medicinal (ISM) types, hence it is convenient to classify wave transmit/receive equipments into two broad classes: telecommunications and ISM equipment. Since ISM equipment are NOT telecommunications equipment, there is no need for them to send their waves very long distances, nor is it necessary for them to be receiving such waves from a long distance. Whether any equipment transmits its waves FAR what is far is relative depends on its transmitting POWER, measured in EIRP (effective Isotropic radiated power). A microwave oven, as it heats say rice within its chambers, only needs its waves to be confined to within the chamber, so it need not emit waves that will extend to beyond the walls of the oven ie it need only be fitted with a wave emitter whose power limits the waves reach. However,

the transmitter in a base station of a GSM cell may need to transmit/receive radially up to 3 miles or even 15 miles, and it must have a receiver/transmitter (the mobile handset) with matching frequency but and with less power. Note that even if two equipments emit at the same frequency, if they are not within the same geographical zone or better yet if they are far apart - they do not interfere appreciably with each other. The whole purpose of frequency management, therefore, is to assign frequencies to different equipment, and to ensure that they are used in such a manner that interference between them is at a minimum. In fact, as elaborated in the following response to Frequently Asked Question about Notification, some of the ISM bands are SPECIFIC to various countries: QUOTE http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/terrestrial/pub-reg/faq/#g013 G013. What is meant by ISM applications and how are the related frequencies used? The term "unregulated frequencies" is not used within ITU texts. What is often meant by the term "unregulated frequencies" is the frequency bands for industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) applications. The international Table of Frequency Allocations, which is contained in Article 5 of the Radio Regulations (Volume 1), specifies some frequency bands that may be made available for ISM applications (see RR Nos. 5.138 and 5.150 reproduced below): 5.138 The following bands: 6765-6795 kHz (centre frequency 6780 kHz), 433.05-434.79 MHz (centre frequency 433.92 MHz) in Region 1 except in the countries mentioned in RR No. 5.280, 61-61.5 GHz (centre frequency 61.25 GHz), 122-123 GHz (centre frequency 122.5 GHz), and 244-246 GHz (centre frequency 245 GHz) are designated for industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) applications. The use of these frequency bands for ISM applications shall be subject to special authorization by the administration concerned, in agreement with other administrations whose radio communication services might be affected. In applying this provision, administrations shall have due regard to the latest relevant ITU-R Recommendations. 5.150 The following bands: 13553-13567 kHz (centre frequency 13560 kHz), 26957-27283 kHz (centre frequency 27120 kHz), 40.66-40.70 MHz (centre frequency 40.68 MHz), 902-928 MHz in Region 2 (centre frequency 915 MHz), 2400-2500 MHz (centre frequency 2450 MHz), 5725-5875 MHz (centre frequency 5800 MHz), and 24-24.25 GHz (centre frequency 24.125 GHz) are also designated for industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) applications. Radio communication services operating within these bands must accept harmful interference, which may be caused by these applications. ISM equipment operating in these bands is subject to the provisions of RR No. 15.13.

G014. What should the frequency spectrum management authority of each country take into account when assigning frequencies? Using the international Table of Frequency Allocations as a starting point, the frequency spectrum management authority of each country normally selects appropriate frequencies with a view to their assigning to stations of a given service. Before taking the final decision to assign a frequency to a station in a given radio communication service in a given frequency band and to issue an appropriate license, the authority concerned should be aware of all other conditions that are regulating the use of frequencies in the concerned band, e.g.: Are there other mandatory Radio Regulations provisions that are governing the use of frequencies (mandatory channeling arrangement, power limits)? Is the band concerned subject to a pre-established international assignment or allotment plan; are the characteristics of the assignment in accordance with the appropriate entry in the plan; is there a need to apply the plan modification procedure prior to issuing a license? Is there a need for effecting the coordination procedure prior to notification of the concerned assignment to the Radio communication Bureau or prior to its bringing into use, is the procedure mandatory or voluntary, is the procedure specified in the Radio Regulations or in a special agreement? Is there a need to notify the frequency assignment to the Radio communication Bureau, when such notification should be made, which characteristics are to be notified, what action should be foreseen after the recording or otherwise of the frequency assignment concerned?

UNQUOTE THE ITU REGULATIONS AND NCCS LOGIC Examples of ISM equipment include ultrasonic cleaners at 15-30 kHz, surgical diathermy and RF arc-stabilized welders at 1 10 MHz; medical diathermy at 27 Mhz; Magnetic resonance imaging at 10 100 Mhz; and domestic and commercial microwave ovens as well as rubber vulcanizers at 2.4 Ghz which is the current ISM band in question in Nigeria [See Table 1 below.] The ITU-designated bands themselves and range of measured field strengths are given in Table 2. The irony of the matter is that it is the power of ISM equipment that ITU intended to regulate, not that of telecommunications. The idea is as follows: we shall not license designated ISM frequencies so that manufacturers of ISM equipment useful to mankind do not have to pay to use those frequencies. But we dont mind if telecommunications equipment manufacturers also use those frequencies, but they must realize that it is UP to them to avoid interferences, and one way to do that is to limit their own power of transmittal. But ISM equipment manufacturers MUST also limit their power of transmittal.

These notions were properly spelt out in ITU Recommendation Rec. ITU-R SM.1056 of 1994 (see an excerpt in Appendix I below), another section of which actually reads as follows: QUOTE Rec. ITU-R SM.1056 of 1994 (Pp 5-6) 3. Radiation levels inside the bands designated for ISM applications 3.1. Rationale There are at least five reasons for setting in-band limits for ISM equipment, which are: to control bio-effects; to minimize out-of-band emissions for the protection of radio services; to minimize in-band emissions for the protection of radio services operating in the ISM bands; to minimize radio emissions for the protection of adjacent band radio services; to minimize radio emissions to protect electronic or radio services operated in the immediate vicinity of ISM equipment. The limits and methods of measurement and methods employed for bioeffects compliance are outside the scope of the ITU and the CISPR and therefore bio-effect could not be used for setting in-band limits. However, it has been observed that, in many cases, compliance with the biological effects limits has not substantially reduced radiation levels at CISPR measuring distances. It should be noted reducing in-band radiation does not necessarily reduce out-of-band radiation, and that the out-of-band radiation can increase through suppression of in-band signals. In-band limits to protect in-band radio services have not been considered because the services to be protected have not been specified. Furthermore, the setting of restrictive limits will decrease the usefulness of the ISM bands for industrial purposes. The result of this would be to encourage the use of ISM equipment in frequency ranges more suitable to their processes, but detrimental to radio services. The use of in-band limits to protect radio services adjacent to the ISM bands or to protect electronic or radio equipment in the vicinity of ISM operations is more properly dealt with as an equipment immunity issue. Therefore, this is best resolved by ensuring necessary distance separation or by incorporating adequate immunity characteristics in potential victim equipment. However, the calculation and realization

of immunity is practical only if the field strengths to be encountered in practice are known. For this reason, the following table of measured levels of radiation based on measurements in a number of different countries is supplied. UNQUOTE NCCs regulation therefore BANNING 2.4 GHz use in Nigeria unnecessarily restricts telecommunications which in fact it should seek to promote over ISM equipments in a manner which must be quite curious to its international regulator colleagues. The ITU rules are to restrict ISM equipment, not to restrict telecommunications equipments. Virtually nowhere in the world except perhaps Hungary are ISM bands banned for use of telecommunications equipment. In fact, it is the other way around: ISM equipments are RESTRICTED from using bands that would interfere with telecommunications equipments! But one might ask: why would NCC impose the ban in the first instance? My guesses are two-fold:

1. wrong reading of the original intent of the ITU regulation as stated above 2. a seeming need to ensure that recently-licensed FWA operators (in the 3.5
GHz) who have paid large sums of money can reap the rewards of a migration from the present ISM/ISP users, and hence recoup their money quicker. One would like to know whether this assurance of banning the 2.4 GHz was part of the deal The question one might ask is the following: why pay for a 3.5 GHz license when 2.4 GHz is free? The answer has to do with BANDWIDTH the transmission highway is WIDER at 3.5 GHz than at 2.4 GHz, so that you can drive faster and push more data in the licensed frequency than in the unlicensed one. People are willing to pay for and use a 6-lane highway rather than a two-way road. But if all you have is a Volkswagen, a 2-way lane maybe enough for you, while those with a Ferrari may pine for a 6-way lane. Such analogies exist in the information superhighway in this case between 2.4 GHz and 3.5 GHz. The other problem with the latter issue is that equipment (modems, switches, coders, decoders, etc.) in the 3.5 GHz range are far fewer than in the 2.4 GHz they are manufactured in larger quantities in the world - and hence they are more expensive. For example, the exciting world of 802.11 Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) is being deployed in the 2.4 GHz band. Thus, a developing country like Nigeria with no manufacturing base for these equipments and no crowding whatsoever in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz band is being asked to dump 2.4Ghz equipment that the ISPs have been using all of these years for more expensive 3.5 GHz due to an unusual regulation that is not applied anywhere else in the world. That is not fair or proper, and it is one of those times when it is good to leave well enough alone. Despite major strides, we are still far from universal access to telecommunications, and that should be priority of the nation. Thus as a Christmas and New Year present, NCC should lift the ban and let the ISPs be.

I rest my case.

NOTES Note 1: Broadband digital speeds greater than 264 kilobits per second (264 kbps) are generally considered broadband. Speeds as high as 11 Megabits per second (11 Mbps) are possible. See Table 3 for some broadband technologies and related speeds. Note 2: The ITU is an intergovernmental organization which is established by Member States Parties to the Constitution of the International Telecommunication Union - and whose membership is composed of Member States and Sector Members, with rights and obligations that are well defined in its Constitution and its Convention. [For more details of the ITU and its roles, see Reference 1.] Note 3: 1 GHz = 1,000 MHz = 1,000,000 KHz = 1,000,000,000 Hz That is 1 GHz = 10^3 MHz = 10^6 KHz = 10^9 Hz Note 4: ADSL Asymmeric Digital Subscriber Lane; SHDSL Single-pair High-bitrate digital subscriber line; VDSL Very high-data-rate Digital Subscriber Line; IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. REFERENCE

1. ITU: Frequently Asked Questions Related to Notification http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/terrestrial/pub-reg/faq/; BIBLIOGRAPHY ITU Internet Reports: Birth of Broadband [Executive Summary] September 2003, International Communication Union (ITU) http://www.jidaw.com/itsolutions/telecomm2.html The ISM Frequency Band and Internet Service in Nigeria Chineme Obuba http://libra.unitbv.ro/internet/technologies/802_11.htm Emerging Technology: Wireless Lan Standards

Andy Dornan; Network Magazine; 02/06/02 http://www.usg.edu/conferences/networking/wlan.pdf Wireless LAN Technolog http://www.kwenu.com/publications/aluko/resolving_interconnectivity.htm SUNDAY MUSINGS: Resolving the interconnectivity battle in Nigeria Some suggestions Mobolaji Aluko, November 16, 200

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlukoArchives/message/129 MID-WEEK ESSAY: The Arithmetics of PMB, PSB and Interconnectivity Telecommunications Charges in Nigeria; Mobolaji E. Aluko; December 11, 20 TABLE 1

ISM equipment in current use

Frequency (MHz)

Major applications

RF power (typical)

Estimated No. in use

Below 0.15

Industrial induction heating (welding and melting of metals) Ultrasonic cleaning (15-30 kHz) Medical applications (ultrasonic diagnostic imaging)

10 kW-10 MW 20-1 000 W 100-1 000 W

> 100 000 > 100 000 > 10 000

0.15-1

Induction heating (heat treating, package sealing, welding and melting of metals) Ultrasonic medical diagnostics Surgical diathermy (1-10 MHz dampened wave oscillator)

1 kW-1 MW 100-1 000 W

> 100 000 > 100 000

1-10

100-1 000 W

> 100 000

Wood gluing and wood curing (3.2 and 6.5 MHz) Valve induction generators production of semi-conductor material RF arc stabilized welding (1-10 MHz dampened wave oscillator) Dielectric heating (the majority operate on frequencies in the ISM bands at 13.56, 27.12 and 40.68 MHz, but many also operate on frequencies outside the ISM bands) ceramics foundry core drying textile drying business products (books, paper, gluing and drying) food (post baking, meat and fish thawing) solvent drying wood drying and gluing (veneer and lumber drying) -- general dielectric drying -- plastic heating (die sealing and plastic embossing)

10 kW-1.5 MW 1-200 kW 2-10 kW

> 1 000 > 10 000

10-100

15-300 kW 15-300 kW 15-200 kW 5-25 kW 10-100 kW 5-400 kW 5-1 000 kW 1-50 kW (most < 5 kW)

< 1 000 < 1 000 > 1 000 > 1 000 < 1 000 > 10 000 > 100 000 > 10 000

> 1 000

100-1 000 W Medical applications medical diathermy (27 MHz) magnetic resonance imaging (10-100

MHz in large shielded rooms)

100-1 000

Food processing (915 MHz) Medical applications (433 MHz) RF plasma generators Rubber vulcanization (915 MHz)

< 200 kW

< 1 000

< 1 000

Above 1 000

RF plasma generators Domestic microwave ovens (2 450 MHz) Commercial microwave ovens (2 450 MHz) Rubber vulcanization (2 450 MHz) RF excited ultraviolet curing 600-1 500 W 1.5-200 kW 6-100 kW < 1 000 > 200 million

Source: Rec. ITU-R SM.1056 of 1994

TABLE 2 Range of measured levels of field strength from ISM equipment in the ITU-designated ISM bands

Range of measured field Centre Frequency band frequency strengths (dB(mV/m))(1)

6.765-6.795 MHz 13.553-13.567 MHz 26.957-27.283 MHz 40.66-40.70 MHz 433.05-434.79 MHz 902-928 MHz(2) 2,400-2,500 MHz 5.725-5.825 GHz 24.00-24.25 GHz 61.00-61.50 GHz 122-123 GHz 244-246 GHz

6.78 MHz 13.567 MHz 27.12 MHz 40.68 MHz 433.92 MHz 915 MHz 2,450 MHz 5.8 GHz 24.125 GHz 61.25 GHz 122.5 GHz 245 GHz

80-100 80-120 70-120 60-120 60-120 60-120 30-120 No information No information No information No information No information

10

(1) The field strength is that existing at a distance of 30 m from the boundary of the building in which the ISM equipment is situated. Therefore the actual distance between the ISM equipment and the measuring point is not known. (db = decibels; mV/m is micro-volts per meter) (2) 896 MHz in the United Kingdom. Source: Rec. ITU-R SM.1056 of 1994

11

Table 3 Various broadband technologies, summary (Source: ITU)

12

Technology

(Max) Speed Mbit/s

Frequency Range

Distance Range

Notes

Wired*

ADSL (G.dmt) ADSL (G.lite) SHDSL ADSL2 ADSL2Plus VDSL Cable Fibre

8 1.5 4.6 8 16 52 30 1000

NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium Short Long Long

Guaranteed bandwidth, uses splitter Longer distances, slower Symmetric, fast No split, improved ADSL Increased bandwidth of ADSL2 High speed, short distances Fast, shares capacity among users Very high speed, optical

Wireless

IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi) IEEE 802.11a IEEE 802.11g IEEE 802.11e IEEE 802.16a (WiMax) RadioLAN HomeRF HomeRF2 HiperLAN2 HiperMAN BlueTooth Infrared LAN

11 54 54 54 70 10 1 10 54 NA 1 4

2.4 GHz 5 GHz 2.4 GHz

100 m 50 m 100 m NA

2 - 11 GHz 5 GHz 2.4 GHz 2.4 GHz 5 GHz 2 11 GHz 2.4 GHz

50 km 35 m 50 m 100 m 150 m 50 km 10 m 20 m

Most popular and widespread Newer, faster, higher frequency Fast, backwards compatible with Wi-Fi Adds QoS not present in a,b,or g. QoS, Very long distance, Metro net Specializes in wireless bridges Replaced by HomeRF2 QoS, better encryption, not widespread European standard, QoS, for voice/video European, compatible with 802.16a Personal area network [not WLAN] Same room only 13

* See Note 4

14