Internet capacity review- new World Economic Forum analysis

The COVID crisis has given rise to an increased usage of digital technologies, including a surge in videoconferencing, cloud-services, and content streaming. This has put telecommunication networks under intense pressure to handle the exponential growth in demand. The US FCC was the latest to announce they were releasing additional capacity. Around the globe, regulators and governments also have released additional bandwidth.

Examples of countries increasing in capacity:

• The United States Federal Communications Commission has granted short-term access to available mobile spectrum in coverage bands (600 MHz) and capacity bands (1.7 -2.2 GHz) to provide additional mobile broadband capacity
• The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) in Ireland is temporarily releasing extra radio spectrum in the 700 MHz and 2.6 GHz bands to provide additional capacity for mobile phone and broadband provision and liberalizing the use of 2.1 GHz so that it can be used for 4G and other technologies, rather than just for 3G.
• Jordan is releasing available spectrum to MNOs in capacity bands, sub-1 GHz and fixed wireless access on a short-term basis
• Saudi Arabia is releasing available spectrum to MNOs in capacity bands, sub-1 GHz on a short-term basis (700MHz band)
• Tunisia is making all IMT spectrum tech-neutral on a short-term basis
• In Panama, the Regulator (​Autoridad Nacional de los Servicios Públicos) will grant temporary spectrum licenses to MNOs for additional capacity upon request
• An agreement between MNOs and Anatel in Brazil shows the agency will take any regulatory action necessary, including with spectrum, to make sure all services remain intact
• ICASA in South Africa is working with MNOs on “spectrum relief” to increase capacity in the face of huge demand for data

Going forward, governments should work closely with telecoms operators on strategies to maintain network resiliency, especially in areas most impacted by COVID-19, so as to best support hospitals and other emergency services. Video streaming is a high bandwidth application and services around the world are reporting large increases in use. Content providers have started to help alleviate press on networks by adopting lower bit rates and defaulting to standard-definition videos.

―CT Bureau