General Specifications
- With AFMS, the key spectrum management processes such as allocation, assignment and licensing are now automated, this shall ensure an efficient processing of the different tasks including, but not limited to, the following:
- Maintenance of the national frequency allocation plan and channeling/block plans
- Technical frequency assignment
- Coordination and notification in accordance with ITU and bi/mulit-lateral agreements with neighbors
- Determining accurate frequency assignments, (and specifying in which radio services)
- Issuing, renewing, modifying, cancelling all frequency licenses and authorizations (as per the regime in force) of different radiocommunication services and applications
- Automatically calculating license fees, issuing invoices and tracking payment, as well as calculating refunds where appropriate for cancelled licenses
- AFMS reduces the processing time of frequency assignments and licenses hence handling of much more spectrum requests than manual processing which results in increasing revenues as well as managing RF spectrum efficiently and effectively.
- The system will greatly benefit spectrum users, improve the spectrum management capabilities of CRA’s Spectrum Management Department, enhance the transparency of the spectrum management processes and provide easy accessibility regarding key information to the spectrum users.
Key Features:
AFMS has following key features:
- End-to-End Process Automation
- Spectrum users request is made online through a web portal
- Automatic Frequency Assignment and Coordination
- Ability to pay spectrum fees online
- Automation of around 180 different workflows have been done to ensure the implementation of the updated spectrum licensing framework and spectrum fee policy which was put in place in July 2015 and are in line with international and regional regulatory frameworks.
- Detailed coverage and interference analysis before assignment of frequencies relating to various types of spectrum uses i.e. aeronautical, amateur, maritime, fixed, PMR, PMSE, satellite etc.
- Efficient assignment and management of scarce radio identities i.e. frequency channels, Amateur/ ship/coastal station/aircrafts/..etc. Call signs and MMSIs.
- Detailed coordination checks and ability to automated submission of notifications to ITU.
- Automated Interface with Radio Monitoring Systems.
Structure:
- AFMS is highly modular and flexible system that has different modules and tools professionally designed to perform all needed tasks as well as the capability to interface with the other existing and future spectrum/ finance/ administrative tools wherever possible.
- AFMS module and tools covers, inter alia, the following areas:
- Administrative modules: for capture of license application data, examination of license applications and supporting documents, fees processing, fees collection, processing of new/modify/renew/cancel of frequency license, generating different type of reports and forms,..etc.
- Spectrum planning module: to create and maintain ITU allocations, national frequency allocation plan and table, different channeling/block arrangements for many radiocommunication services,..etc.
- EMC Analysis module: wizard workflows to perform the necessary EMC analysis, coverage analysis, interference analysis, ..etc. before assignment of proper frequencies to the user and this will Rationalize and optimize the use and geographic re-use of the RF spectrum
- RF planning tool of fixed point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, FM/TV broadcasting, DVB & T-DAB services,..etc.
- Database module: central database of all frequency assignments, frequency allocations, frequency licenses,..etc. for all spectrum users in the State of Qatar.
- Interface module with the Automated Spectrum Monitoring System: to perform administration and analysis of monitoring measurements to check spectrum occupancy, interference sources, detection of violation from unauthorized transmitters,..etc.
- Web modules: internal (for internal users who are managing the system) and external (for external users) which is a web portal called “e-Spectrum Services Portal”.
e-Spectrum Services Portal:
- This portal is the interface between all spectrum users and the AFMS system which is run by CRA authorized staff.
- Every user wants to own and operate a radio station (like ship, aircraft, PMR, amateur radio stations,..etc.) needs to create an account on this portal, the portal link is
https://e-spectrum.cra.gov.qa , in order to be able to submit different types of spectrum license requests (like new ship radio station license), he can also apply to modify or cancel an existing license as well as track his submitted applications.
- One of the most interesting features through this portal is that the user can make online payment of the applicable radio spectrum fees before obtaining the frequency license.
