Agenda

Morning

09:00 – 10:30

Session 1: From strategic planning to implementation - What next for spectrum policy in Europe?

The adoption of the new ‘Electronic Communications Code’ in June last year marked the conclusion of an extensive period of work from European Policymakers to update the EU telecoms framework. The objective has been to put a strategy in place to promote the rollout of 5G and ease the transition towards a European gigabit society. As we now move onto the implementation stage of the European Communications Code, and as 5G also moves from concept to reality, what are the next steps for spectrum policy in Europe and globally?

09:00 – 09:45

Fireside Chat – Delivering the future: The changing shape of global spectrum policy thinking

Putting Europe in the global context, this session will look at how spectrum and regulatory frameworks around the world are developing in preparation for 5G and the future networked society.

• How are regulators around the world preparing for 5G roll-out, and how are regulatory frameworks evolving?
• What work is being done to co-ordinate this on a global level?
• How does the new emerging telecoms regulatory framework in the EU compare to those that are seen elsewhere in the world (particularly North America and Asia)?


Moderator: Graham Louth, Partner, Aetha Consulting

Andreas Geiss, Head of Spectrum Policy Unit, European Commission
Ira Keltz, Deputy Chief, OET, FCC
James Cameron, Authority Member, ACMA Australia

Moderator: Veronica Bocarova, Principal Analyst, Cullen International

09:45 – 10:30

Fireside Chat – Delivering the future: Meeting the ECC deadlines for releasing new frequency bands for 5G

One of the key objectives of the Electronic Communications Code was to deliver harmonised decisions and common deadlines for the release of spectrum for 5G. As part of this, member states have been set the deadline of December 2020 to open up spectrum in both the 3.5 GHz and 700 MHz bands for 5G. In addition to this, at least 1 GHz of spectrum in the 26 GHz band must also be made available, provided there is clear evidence of market demand and no significant constraints from existing users.

This session will look at how member states are facing up to the challenge of making this spectrum available, and the best way forward to ensure the 2020 deadline is met.

• What are the major challenges faced by member states looking to meet the 2020 deadline to make the required spectrum for 5G available?
• What approaches are being seen, and what is the current status in countries across Europe?
• Where does the balance lie between ensuring a co-ordinated approach between member states, and also providing flexibility to allow for national differences?

Moderator: Graham Louth, Partner, Aetha Consulting

Jeremy Godfrey, Commissioner, ComReg, & Chairperson, BEREC
Jonas Wessel, Chair, RSPG
Andy Hudson, Head of Policy, GSMA

10:30 – 10:55

Morning Coffee & Refreshments

10:55 – 11:20

Keynote Presentation

Roberto Viola, Director General, DG Connect European Commission

11:20 – 11:55

Session 2: Towards WRC-19 and beyond

With WRC-19 now only a few months away, positions on the key agenda items are now becoming finalised both in Europe and around the rest of the world. This session will provide an update from some of the key players on where we currently are and at what the positions are in Europe, and will then look beyond WRC-19, to the key agenda items and candidate bands that are to be set for WRC-23.

Moderator: Björn Thegeby, Senior Expert, Spectrum Policy, European Commission

11:20 – 11:35

Presentation

Philippe Aubineau, Counsellor, Radiocommunication Bureau (BR), ITU

11:35 – 11:55

Presentation

Alexander Kühn, Chairman, CPG-19, CEPT

11:55 – 13:00

‘State your Case’:‘ State your Case’: Key objectives and priorities for WRC-19

The final Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) for WRC-19 was held in Geneva earlier this year, providing a detailed report designed to guide delegates on key agenda items. The report is widely thought of as the most complex ever produced, and there As the final preparations for WRC-19 begin and regional positions are fixed, this session will invite key industry representatives to ‘state their case’ and provide an overview of their key priorities, aims and objectives for Sharm El Sheik.

Moderator: Björn Thegeby, Senior Expert, Spectrum Policy, European Commission

Jayne Stancavage, Global Executive Director of Communications Policy, Intel
Andy Hudson, Head of Policy, GSMA
Lars Backlund, Secretary General, Broadcast Network Europe
Wladimir Bocquet, Director Spectrum Management & Policy, Eutelsat

Afternoon

13:00 – 14:00

Lunch

14:00 – 15:10

Session 3: A roadmap for the future – Delivering an efficient, forward-looking mobile spectrum landscape

One of the major drivers of spectrum policy over the past decade and more has been to identify additional bandwidth to meet growing demand for mobile broadband. This has led to more than 1200MHz of spectrum under 6GHz now harmonised in Europe for mobile usage. This session will look at the shape of the current mobile landscape, and at whether the spectrum that has been allocated is now being used to its full capacity. Going forward it will explore the extent to which refarming and increased efficiency can help to meet future demands for 5G and future network technologies, and at where additional spectrum assignments may still be necessary.

• What is the current shape of the mobile spectrum landscape under 6Ghz, and which bands and frequencies are harmonised across Europe for mobile services?
• To what extent is this spectrum being used to its full capacity? What options may be available to regulators and to operators to increase its efficiency?
• How can regulators and operators reshuffle spectrum currently used for 2G, 3G and 4G, and ‘refarm’ this to help meet the demands of 5G technologies?
• To what extent will the assignment of new spectrum be required alongside this refarming to meet future mobile needs?
• Which bands can offer the best options for this?
• To what extent are either the L-band (1400MHz) or 700 SDL band going to become important in Europe? Following the 2300MHz auctions in the UK, are other countries likely to follow suit?

14:00 – 15:10

Panel Discussion

Moderator: Stefan Zehle, CEO, Coleago

Branimir Stantchev, Head of Sector, Spectrum for Wireless Broadband, European Commission
Richard Womersley, Director of Spectrum Consulting, LS telcom
Phillip Marnick, Group Director, Spectrum , Ofcom
Catherine Bohill, Director Spectrum Strategy, Telefonica
Jozef Svrcek, Director, Martes Specure International

15:10 – 15:30

Thinking point: What role can technologies, such as AI, play in creating more efficient spectrum management systems?

Jakob Blaavand, Director of Mathematics, Smith Institute

15:30 – 15:50

Thinking point: Increasing spectrum efficiency through Dynamic Spectrum Leasing

Jennifer McCarthy, VP, Legal Advocacy, Federated Wireless

15:50 – 16:10

Afternoon Coffee & Refreshments

16:10 – 17:45

Session 4 - Breakout Sessions

Attendees will have the option of attending one of the following two parallel breakout sessions.

Breakout 1: Spectrum awards and auction design - Lessons learnt from early awards of 5G spectrum
Breakout 2: Building the ‘network of networks’ - The role of non-cellular technologies in the 5G future

16:10 – 17:45

Breakout 1: Spectrum awards and auction design - Lessons learnt from early awards of 5G spectrum

5G is months away from commercial availability and in preparation, regulators all across Europe have been bringing the required spectrum to market in a number of different bands. This session will provide an update on some of the key auctions and awards that have taken place to date, the mechanisms that have been used and the results that have been seen. It will then move on to focus on the issue of coverage obligations and the extent to which these should be included in auction design and linked to spectrum licences.

Moderator: Stefan Zehle, CEO, Coleago

James Bono, Vice President, Economists Incorporated
René Dönni Kuoni, Vice-Director & Head of Telecoms Services, Ofcom Switzerland
Stephen Pentland, Group Public Policy Head of Spectrum, Vodafone Group
David Salant, Senior Managing Director, FTI Consulting
Jonas Wessel, Director, Spectrum Department, Swedish Post and Telecom Authority

16:10 – 17:45

Breakout 2: Building the ‘network of networks’ - The role of non-cellular technologies in the 5G future

Delivering the 5G ecosystem is not something that can simply be achieved by mobile broadband. To deliver the ubiquitous coverage that is required by 5G, and also fully meet the future fronthaul and backhaul requirements in terms of capacity, reliability and resilience is going to need a mix of different technologies. A network of networks. This session will look at the role that different sectors such as satellite, WiFi and HAPS are going to play in delivering the 5G future, and at how each of these are innovating and preparing for this. Against the backdrop of the continual push for additional spectrum for mobile broadband, it will look at how the spectrum requirements for these key players can be met now and in the future.

• Beside mobile, which other technologies are going to play a role in delivering the 5G ecosystem, and in which areas are they going to be most important?
• What impact will new satellite innovations (for example Very High Throughput Satellites (VHTS), non-geostationary (NGSO) constellations and NanoSats / CubeSats) have on helping to drive the sector’s integration into 5G?
• How is the role of WiFi going to change in a 5G world? Should it be considered as part of the 5G ecosystem or as a separate domain?
• To what extent will there be an increased reliance on ‘WiFi offloading’, and is there a need to find more spectrum for WiFi to cope with this?
• If so then how much? Can the 6GHz band be an option to provide this, similarly to the approach that is being seen in the US?
• What new challenges are faced when developing backhaul networks for 5G (as opposed to 4G backhaul), and what mix of existing and emerging technology can help to provide the ultra-high capacity wireless backhaul that will be required?
• What co-ordination and collaboration is being seen between the different technologies and connectivity providers in order to deliver the ‘network of networks’?
• What are the spectrum requirements of the various connectivity providers, and how can it be ensured that they are met both now and in the future?

Moderator: Veronica Bocarova, Principal Analyst, Cullen International

Amar Saïdani, Expert, Department of Regulatory and Spectrum Resources,, ANFR
Alexander Geurtz, VP 5G Solutions, SES
Aurelie Bladocha Coelho, Director, Communications & Public Affairs , FTTH Council Europe
Antonio Arcidiacono, Director of Technology & Innovation, EBU
Johan Keetelaar, Director Public Policy, Facebook

Morning

09:00 – 10:15

Session 5: Time to share? The role of spectrum sharing in meeting the needs of an evolving ecosystem

The emergence of 5G is seeing many new market players emerging, and across Europe, regulators are working to deliver a flexible licencing model that promotes innovation and competition and also ensures the most efficient use possible of the available bandwidth. Spectrum sharing is one method that can help deliver this. Concepts such as Licensed Shared Access (LSA) and the three-tiered Citizens Band Radio Service (CBRS) model are gaining quite a bit of traction, and after many years of failing to live up to the hype, this session will look at whether finally it is time for spectrum sharing to deliver. It will look to identify the barriers that have held back sharing models in the past, and with the emergence today of more sophisticated technology and innovative new authorisation approaches, look at the scope for spectrum sharing going forward.

• What models for spectrum sharing are being proposed across Europe, and in which countries? What work is being done at a member state and European level to encourage and incentivise sharing and develop a pro sharing authorisation environment?
• What data is available on spectrum use, demand and supply across Europe, and how can regulators and industry work together to identify sharing opportunities?
• What new technologies and solutions offer the best opportunity to reduce the complexity and cost of spectrum sharing, and deliver more efficient sharing models?
• Is there a need to identify new specific ‘shared spectrum’ bands, and if so where can these be found? Or should the focus be on opening up access to bands currently licenced on an exclusive-use basis, and under what conditions can this be done?
• To what extent is spectrum likely to facilitate a shift to local licences, and the possible emergence of new localised ‘micro operators’?
• Could a similar approach to the CBRS model work in Europe, and in which bands could it provide an option?
• How can spectrum sharing help to increase the efficiency of Government spectrum?

Moderator: Janette Stewart, Principal, Analysys Mason

09:00 – 09:10

Introduction from moderator

Moderator: Janette Stewart, Principal, Analysys Mason

09:10 – 10:20

Panel Discussion

Chris Woolford, Director of International Policy, Ofcom
Rüdiger Martin, Policy Officer Spectrum Management, European Commission
Eric Fournier, Director for Spectrum Planning and International Affairs, ANFR
Päivi Ruuska, Spectrum Manager, Telia Company
Mark Gibson, Chief Regulatory Officer, Wireless Innovation Forum

10:20 – 11:20

Session 6: Going local - What commercial case is there for granting direct spectrum access to vertical users?

One of the groups set to benefit from the increased focus on spectrum sharing discussed above are vertical users, with many countries looking at how sharing models can allow them to offer ‘local’ spectrum licences directly to vertical industries. The spectrum that is being considered for this is often part of highly valuable and sought after bands (for example the 3.7Ghz – 3.8Ghz band), and this session will look at the commercial case for doing this, and at the extent to which can vertical users demonstrate sufficient value to society to justify access to this spectrum in this way.

• How are vertical sectors planning to use any spectrum that they are granted access to and what business models are being developed?
• Given the value of the bands being considered, to what extent can a commercial case be justified?
• What benefits are there in providing access to spectrum in this way as opposed to the traditional method of using networks provided by traditional MNOs?
• With spectrum valuation models traditionally based around engineering value, economic value and strategic value from the mobile network operator (MNO) viewpoint, how will these need to be altered with the possible emergence of local, privately run 5G networks?

Moderator: Gérard Pogorel, Professor of Economics and Management-Emeritus, Telecom Paris Tech

10:20 – 10:30

Presentation

Peter Stuckmann, Head of Unit, Future Connectivity Systems, DG Connect , European Commission

10:30 – 10:40

Presentation

Sander Rotmensen, Head of Product Management Industrial Wireless & Security Components, Siemens

10:40 – 10:50

Presentation

Stéphane Ros, Spectrum Director, SNCF

10:50 – 11:00

Presentation

Lasse Wieweg, Global Coordinator, GSA Spectrum Group

11:00 – 11:20

Room Wide Discussion

11:20 – 11:35

Morning Coffee & Refreshments

11:35 – 13:00

Session 7: Delivering capacity and enabling innovation in the mmWave bands: Developing a forward-looking authorisation regime

mmWave spectrum offers very high data capacity and speeds but with a limited range, which means that the traditional authorisation approach of simply allocating national licences and dedicated spectrum is unlikely to deliver optimal use of spectrum and meet the requirements of a diverse set of users. Regulators need to take a more innovative and forward-looking approach. With awards across Europe now started in the 26GHz band (the band prioritised across Europe as the first of the mmWave frequencies to deliver 5G) this session will look at the current situation with this. It will examine the authorisation mechanisms that are being used, as well as looking forward to the next steps, and key frequencies and technologies going forward. By looking at the requirements that different stakeholders have for spectrum in the 26GHz and wider mmWave frequency bands, it will examine how can regulators look to plan their authorisation and licencing frameworks to fully meet the requirements of all the various services and deployment models.

• What awards have taken place in Europe so far, and which ones are planned for the near future?
• What authorisation mechanisms are being seen, and which offers the best approach to support innovation and competition?
• Beyond the 26GHz, what are expected to be the key mmWave frequencies in Europe in the mid-long term?
• How can these best be allocated to meet the requirements of all the different technologies and users?
• How can regulators be planning now to deliver the wider mmWave landscape?
• What potential does spectrum above 100GHz offer for fixed services in the longer term?

Moderator: Tony Lavender, Partner & CEO, Plum Consulting

11:35 – 11:45

Introduction from moderator

Moderator: Tony Lavender, Partner & CEO, Plum Consulting

11:45 – 13:00

Panel Discussion

Jonas Wessel, Chair, RSPG
Ira Keltz, Deputy Chief, OET, FCC
Luigi Ardito, Senior Director of Government Affairs, Qualcomm
Aarti Holla, Secretary General, ESOA
Per Beming, Head Of Standards & Industry Initiatives , Ericsson

Afternoon

13:00 – 13:50

Lunch

13:50 – 15:05

Session 8: Overcoming the economic hurdles - Reducing the rollout costs of 5G

Amongst all the excitement and hype around 5G, the high cost of rolling out future networks is seen by many as the elephant in the room. A huge amount of investment is required and the current biggest barrier to roll-out is almost certainly economic. Looking at the whole end-to-end deployment process from initial spectrum acquisition to infrastructure deployment (providing the densification and coverage that is required) and final commercial roll-out, this session will look at innovative and forward-thinking solutions for operators, regulators and network providers to work together to minimize risk and reduce overall deployment costs.

• What are the estimated costs of full roll-out of 5G networks in countries across Europe?
• What tools are available to regulators and operators to help reduce these costs?
• What prices are being seen for the acquisition of 5G spectrum licences, and are these fair? To what extent can high costs of spectrum reduce the capital available for network deployment and act as a potential barrier to 5G rollout?
• How can regulators make it easier and cheaper to deploy mobile infrastructure and support investment in the required network densification and extension?
• To what extent can shared infrastructure and networks be an option for mobile operators to help reduce costs of 5G deployment?
• Could the approach of setting-up a single national wholesale network (such as that seen in Mexico) even be an option?

13:50 – 15:00

Panel Discussion

Moderator: Martin Sims, Managing Director, Policy Tracker

Janja Varšek, head of Spectrum Management , AKOS
Daniel Kitscha, Deputy Head of Unit, Investments in High Capacity Networks, European Commission
Ulrich Loewer, Director, TMT Strategy , EY
Stephen Pentland, Group Public Policy Head of Spectrum, Vodafone Group

15:00 – 15:45

Session 9: Head-to-head discussion - “This house believes that it is time to ditch spectrum auctions”

When awarding new spectrum licences and allocating new bandwidth, the default approach across Europe for the last 30 years has been to use Spectrum Auctions. As we learnt in the last session however, one major downside of the auction is the extraction of revenue from the industry, which potentially leads to a reduction in the investment ‘pot’ for network deployment. In a recent article on PolicyTracker, William Webb cited this factor (amongst others) as a reason to question whether the auction is still the best mechanism for spectrum award, and instead putting forward the argument that an alternative approach could be to simply distribute spectrum equally across existing mobile operators.

In this session, 2 speakers on each side of the debate argue for and against the motion that “it is time to ditch spectrum auctions”, with audience members giving their opinion and thoughts via interactive voting pads.


Moderator: Tim Miller, Partner, Plum Consulting

William Webb, CEO, Webb Search
Jan-Hendrik Jochum, Spectrum Policy & Projects, Deutsche Telekom AG
Soren Sorensen, Associate Director, NERA Economic Consulting
David Salant, Senior Managing Director, FTI Consulting

15:45 – 16:00

Afternoon Coffee & Refreshments

16:00 – 17:15

Session 10: C-Band for all - defining the long-term shape of the 3.4-4.2Ghz mid-range frequencies

The C-band is one of the modern-day spectrum ‘battlegrounds’, offering some of the most sought after frequency ranges. The 3.4-3.8 GHz lower portion of the band has been identified as primary 5G spectrum in Europe, and member states are now working to defragment the band to deliver the large contiguous blocks of spectrum that is required for 5G. The 3.8-4.2 GHz upper portion of the band meanwhile, is intensively used by satellite services, with their usage rights protected. In the US, satellite operators have agreed to sell some of their spectrum in this band to mobile operators, but they stress that they see this a US specific situation and not feasible in other regions. This session will focus on the long-term future of the band as a whole, and how it can be used most efficiently and used to meet the needs of all the key users in the band.

• What progress has been made across Europe with regards to the defragmentation of the 3.4-3.8GHz lower C-Band?
• What is the best approach to deliver the large contiguous blocks that are best suited for 5G roll-out and ensure that the efficiency of this band is maximised?
• To what extent can a 'defragmented' and efficient 3.4-3.8GHz band plan fully meet the connectivity requirements for 5G in the C-Band, or is there still a need for additional bandwidth to be identified?
• What are the specific factors that have led to satellite operators agreeing to sell spectrum in the 3.8-4.2GHz band to mobile operators in the US, and why wouldn't this be an option for them in Europe?
• With advancing technologies and innovative authorisation models, to what extent could co-existence of satellite and mobile services in the 3.8-4.2GHz band be a feasible option in the mid to long-term?
• How important is it that Europe takes a co-ordinated approach across the entire C-Band and what work is being done to provide the required input and guidance to deliver this? What role can the RSPG ‘peer review’ assist in delivering this co-ordination?

16:00 – 17:15

Panel Discussion

Moderator: Janette Stewart, Principal, Analysys Mason

James Cameron, Authority Member, ACMA Australia
Hazem Moakkit, Global Spectrum & Policy Regulator, ESOA
Alessandro Casagni, Director, Wireless Regulatory Policy EMEA, Huawei
Dr. Tassos Lyratzis, Co-Rapporteur for the Working Group 5G, RSPG