Spectrum Management

Radio frequency spectrum is one of country’s key natural scarce resources of great economic value as a result of its direct application in telecommunications (including fixed and mobile services), broadcasting, military, and scientific research in addition to a range of other socio economic activities such as social services, law enforcement, education, healthcare and transportation.

Spectrum Management is the combination of administrative, scientific and technical processes and procedures necessary to ensure efficient use of radio frequency spectrum without causing harmful interference.

The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) is mandated to manage the national radio frequency spectrum in the United Republic of Tanzania.

TCRA uses Electronic and Postal Communications Act CAP 306, (“EPOCA”) and its regulations such as Electronics and Postal Communications (Radio Communication and Frequency Spectrum) Regulation to perform this duty.

This Act together with its regulations gives TCRA mandate to allocate, assign, issue, distribute, retrieve, suspend, cancel or otherwise modify distribution among users or licensees of any radio communication frequencies or frequencies channels.

How does TCRA manage Radio Frequency Spectrum?

In performing its duty, TCRA in collaboration with ITU and other Communications Regional groups such as ATU, EACO and CRASA) manages the spectrum through Planning and Allocation, Licensing and Assignment and Monitoring and Enforcement.

• Planning and Allocation

Planning and allocation is done in line with ITU Radio Regulations. TCRA plan of radio frequency use is detailed in the National Frequency Allocation Table

• Licensing and Assignment

TCRA issue licenses of radio frequency spectrum to users that demonstrate the requirement. The licensing process can be done through administrative or competitive methods based on the demand and availability of the spectrum.

Highly demanded spectrum is assigned based on the approach that will be stipulated by the Authority at the time. Recently highly demanded spectrum was assigned via auction process.

Spectrum that are available on first come first served basis can be obtained by applying via Tanzanite portal

• Monitoring and Enforcement.

TCRA uses specialized equipment and tools to detect radio signals or transmission in various radio frequency spectrum band. This is accompanied by assessing compliance with frequency channel assignment, observe frequency band and frequency channel occupancy, detect radio interference, localization and identification of illegal transmitters so as to ensure effective utilization of the spectrum.

Coordination of radio frequency usage at international, regional and sub-regional levels.

Radio frequency spectrum does not recognize the geographical boundary; therefore, it has to be managed in collaboration with other countries.

TCRA conduct bilateral and multilateral coordination with all neighboring countries to ensure interference-free operation of the existing and planned terrestrial network systems of these administrations across the borders.

For space (satellite) services, coordination is done at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) level. ITU administers the procedures and provisions that have been set out in the ITU Radio Regulations (RR) on efficient use of spectrum and orbits by the ITU Member States.

For a company to operate satellite network in Tanzania it must request appropriate position in satellite orbit to ITU through TCRA. For a satellite network to receive due regulatory protection under the ITU RR, it must be registered into the ITU Master International Frequency Register (MIFR) through relevant ITU procedure.