The UAE has successfully registered over 19,000 terrestrial radiocommunication stations at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which is the UN’s specialised agency for ICTs.
This achievement represents an international recognition of the frequencies allocated to the UAE and the ability to protect radiocommunication stations from harmful international interference, which greatly affects the quality of services provided to the public, said the Telecommunications and Digital Regulatory Authority (TDRA).
Commenting on this accomplishment, Eng Tariq Al Awadhi, Executive Director of Spectrum Affairs at TDRA, said: “The spectrum is a natural resource, and the UAE is keen to use it adequately to ensure providing optimal communication and broadcasting services. To this end, TDRA has been developing plans and strategies to manage spectrum resource and accelerate the deployment of radiocommunication stations, in cooperation with service providers.
Limiting harmful interference
“Further, TDRA held regular meetings and signed agreements with the competent authorities in sister and neighbouring countries to limit harmful interference that may occur on radiocommunication services. These efforts by TDRA reflect its key role in protecting terrestrial and space radiocommunication stations from harmful interference that may be caused by other countries.”
Al Awadhi added: “TDRA is keen to cooperate and coordinate with the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf – (GCC), through the Technical Committee of the GCC Technical Office for Telecommunications and to participate in the meetings that discuss important technical matters, in the field of telecommunications and frequency spectrum in the GCC.
“The most important of which was studying the technical and organisational aspects of a number of modern and emerging technologies, such as the 5G, coordinating the use of mobile networks and radio channels in the border areas among the GCC, and limit harmful interference impacting some radiocommunication services, coordinating the use of frequency bands for the GCC rail network, and other subjects of interest for the member states.”
Continuously upgrading
TDRA pointed out that it is continuously upgrading the frequency spectrum management system with the aim to reach the latest version used in spectrum management at the regional and global levels and to provide the users in the UAE safe frequencies that are free from harmful interference.
TDRA is the entity responsible for managing and regulating the radio spectrum in the UAE as per the Federal Law by Decree No 3 of 2003 Regarding the Organisation of Telecommunications Sector, as amended. Regulations of the radio spectrum include: Allocating and assigning spectrum for all radio services, coordinating the spectrum and applying enforcement on spectrum, representing the UAE in all international and regional forums related to the telecommunications sector.
