Will Lebanon Redistribute the Frequency Spectrum to Boost the Internet?

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority held a consultative workshop at its headquarters in the Ministry of Communications building, as part of the public consultations it launched on the draft "Redistribution of the Frequency Spectrum within the Framework of Broadband Services." The workshop was attended by members of the Authority's management and its team, and participants included data transmission service providers, internet service providers, mobile network operators, in addition to a number of entities concerned with the use of the frequency spectrum and frequencies.

The head of the Authority, Jenny Jumayyil, opened the workshop with a speech in which she affirmed that "the draft consultation constitutes an open framework for a professional and transparent discussion on the management of the frequency spectrum as a strategic national resource," stressing "the importance of reaching balanced solutions that take into account the public interest, the continuity of services, encouraging investment, and promoting fair competition, based on best international practices and the specificity of the Lebanese market."

During the workshop, a member of the Authority's management and head of the Communications Technologies Unit, Engineer Muhammad Ayoub, presented the main axes of the draft consultation, which address the reorganization and use of the frequency spectrum in a way that contributes to improving the efficiency of using this rare national resource, accelerating the deployment of broadband internet services via fixed wireless access, regulating existing uses within a clear legal framework, in addition to preparing for a licensing environment more ready for modern technologies, including the fifth generation and fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks.

Following the presentation, a discussion session was held that allowed the relevant parties to raise their inquiries and share their observations and concerns regarding the technical, regulatory, and operational aspects related to the path of redistributing the frequency spectrum.

At the conclusion of the session, the Authority indicated that "the draft consultation does not constitute a final decision, but rather a framework put forward for discussion with the aim of gathering the opinions of stakeholders and data and observations based on practical experience in the market," affirming that "the interventions received from the relevant parties will be carefully studied and taken into consideration before formulating any subsequent regulatory steps, to ensure that the final decisions are based on professional, technical, and objective foundations, and take into account market requirements and the public interest."