Spectrum Survey and Coexistence Studies in the TV, WLAN, ISM and Radar Bands for Wireless Broadband Services

Abstract

The proliferation of smartphones usage necessitates the increase of mobile data traffic volumes. Thus, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have to expand their network infrastructure in terms of coverage and capacity. However, the limited attributes of the electromagnetic spectrum, endlessly, pose challenges in meeting these demands. Recently, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) identified TV (694-790 MHz), L-band (1.427-1.518 GHz) and lower part of C-band (3.4 -3.6 GHz) for possible mobile broadband services. In this paper, a comprehensive spectrum survey in the recommended bands is provided. Spectrum occupancy measurements were conducted at the dense urban areas of University of Ilorin, Kwara state, Nigeria. Energy Detection (ED) technique and Duty Cycle (DC) model were used for measurement evaluation analysis. Findings from this work revealed that Radar L band is fairly occupied with duty cycle of 17.19%. The C band is completely free and unoccupied by neither fixed satellite nor radar systems as only about 1% of the spectrum is presumably occupied. The occupancies in the Television (TV) and Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) and Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), bands are 9.54% and 15.09% respectively. Findings show that huge amount of bandwidth is available for wireless broadband in the 2.4 GHz and C bands but not in the proposed TV and L bands.