Harmonized Caribbean Spectrum Planning and Management Project

This project was implemented over the period 2013 to 2016 and was coordinated by the CTU Secretariat with technical cooperation funding from the Inter-American Development Bank and Compete Caribbean. This funding made it possible to sponsor the participation of fourteen^[1] Caribbean and CTU member countries while also including other Caribbean countries in the work of the project.

The objective of the project was to deepen the harmonization of spectrum planning and management policies and practices across the Caribbean Region, including in areas such as white spaces and frequency reutilization.

Specific activities of the project, which were all successfully concluded, included:

• Reconstitution of the Caribbean Spectrum Management Steering Committee and Task Force comprised of representatives from governments (policy and law makers), telecommunications regulatory bodies and from the private sector (including telecommunications providers, business associations and other spectrum users)
• Design of mechanisms to provide sustainability to the governing bodies
• Frequency band analysis and proposal, involving analysis and development of the National Frequency Allocation Table (NFAT) for each country, through the carrying out of surveys and the collection and collation of frequency usage information and development of a Regional Frequency Allocation Table (RFAT) for the Caribbean, thus facilitating the adoption of common frequencies and relevant international protocols for disaster management and emergency communications.
• Development of a harmonised regional spectrum management plan with regionally harmonized recommendations including: (i) a framework to minimize cross border interference between beneficiary countries; (ii) harmonized technical and policy approaches for the switchover to digital broadcasting; (iii) a proposal for white spaces management and regulation; and (iv) an assessment of common pricing principles and methods for determining pricing values.

As a result of this Project, beneficiary countries agreed on a harmonised framework and strategic plan for spectrum planning and management policies and practices across the Caribbean Region. The subsequent regulatory and procedural changes will ultimately result in cost reductions for mobile broadband services, thereby promoting the population’s adoption and usage of broadband and the Region’s advancement in the digital economy.