“Technology Drive: Spectrum Access from Land to Sea"
Rajendra Singh, Senior Regulatory Specialist, the World Bank

More and more the penetration of wireless services and the promotion of competition in the wireless market demands that the finite resource called “Spectrum” is made accessible to all those who are serious players in the market. The present system of spectrum management is not very efficient, with reports such as those sponsored by the US National Science Foundation indicating that in busy hours and in very high traffic density areas like Manhattan, the allotted spectrum utilization of an operator is below 20%. As a result, the need to support high speed wireless applications is placing increased pressure on wireless technology providers to develop methods that enhance the traffic carrying capacity of a channel.

There are better solutions - “Spectrum Sharing” should be possible and encouraged so that cost of telecom services is reduced and spectrum utilization efficiency is increased. To achieve this, we have to completely reform our spectrum management process. Currently, the allocation of spectrum to different operators thru methods like auctions, beauty contests, etc. makes spectrum like a piece of “land” which gives an exclusive right of its use to a landlord (the operators). Let us deliberate on how technology can make spectrum it like an “ocean” so that different shipping companies (the wireless users and operators) big or small may use this finite resource efficiently and in a needs-based manner. This keynote will explore this model, and show how, through technology, it would lower the cost of telecom services and promote innovation.

Biography
Rajendra Singh has been a Senior Regulatory Specialist with the World Bank in Washington DC since 2006. His primary responsibility is dealing with various policy and regulatory issues in MENA, SA and EAP regions, and he is currently leading an analytical work on policy and regulatory issues of convergence. Prior to accepting this position with the World Bank, Mr. Singh worked as Secretary for the Telecom Regulatory Authority Of India (TRAI). In this role he amassed 7 years of telecom regulation experience as head of Mobile Network, Engineering and Administration divisions in TRAI. And handled various regulatory issues including unified licensing, rural telecom and USO, spectrum management, interconnection including Mobile Termination Charges, Quality Of Service and liberalization of telecom sector in India. In addition, Mr. Singh represented TRAI in various ITU and APT forums and completed various ITU assignments in Mangolia, Bhutan and Afghanistan. Before joining TRAI in 1999, Mr. Singh worked in Telecom department of Indian Railways for 17years.

Mr. Singh has lectured in various international seminars including as an invited speaker in Columbia University, U.S.A., and Tsinghua University, China. He has taught a course in telecom regulation at post graduate level  at I.I.T. Delhi. He has published more than 50 technical papers in various international journals and conferences including IEEE Transactions  on Vehicular Technology. He is Sr. Member  IEEE, a Fellow of IET and a Fellow IETE. He received and M.B.A from the University Of  Delhi, a M.Tech and B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering from I.I.T Roorkee and I.I.T Delhi respectively.