The Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) hereby notifies the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector and the general public in Lesotho that the use of Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) frequency band for broadband wireless mesh networks is henceforth allowed. The decision to allow the wider use of the ISM band is made to enable wider diffusion of broadband in the country.
In its sitting of the 24th July 2014, the LCA Board adopted new Radio Frequency Spectrum Management Policy of 2014 which replaced the Radio Frequency Spectrum Policy of 2008. The new policy opens the avenue for the application and deployment of innovative technological developments especially those that enable and extend broadband uptake in Lesotho. In this respect, the Board has extended the use of ISM frequencies beyond just wireless Local Area Networks (LANs) and hotspots but to incorporate wireless mesh networks.
The old 2008 policy, restricted the use of ISM Bands to wireless hot-spots and Local Area Networks (LANs) within own premises only. For example, ISM band LANs were not legally allowed to transverse public roads. This was in strict compliance with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Radio Regulation Nos. 5.150 and 15.13. The application of these radio regulations meant that use of the ISM band could not be extended to innovative technologies such as wireless Mesh Networks which utilize the ISM band for wireless broadband. Unfortunately, this has in turn resulted in slow national wireless broadband deployment and wider diffusion even though wireless Mesh broadband networks are far cheaper and faster to rollout than any wireless broadband technology in the market.
The goal of the new LCA Radio Frequency Spectrum Management Policy 2014 is to correct this anomaly and thus to enable wider diffusion and deployment of broadband in Lesotho using proven, less costly and reliable wireless broadband networks that are also quick to rollout.
The Radio Frequency Spectrum Management Policy of 2014 document is available from the LCA website at www.lca.org.ls.
- TSIU
PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER