The 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships recently hosted in Qatar has shaped guidance to the strategy approach of the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) in dealing with spectrum management and monitoring during the major events to be hosted in Qatar in the coming years, such as the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Hosting the event has contributed to the development of the key features that CRA will follow in developing its high-level spectrum plan for the World Cup, which is expected to be initiated in co-ordination with the concerned entities and stakeholders in Qatar.
Earlier this year, the CRA has started co-ordination with the Organising Committee of the World Athletics Championship, Qatar Olympic Committee, representatives of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), and representatives of the IAAF Productions.
The CRA has drawn their attention to the followed regulations and procedures with respect to the use of spectrum, variety of radio applications, and a substantial number of radio equipment expected to be aggregated within a limited area, as well as the followed procedures for spectrum monitoring in Qatar.
Noof Ahmed al-Naama, Public Relations and Communications specialist at CRA, said: “The CRA has played a key supporting role in this championship that comes in line with CRA’s keenness to enable people around the world to watch the championship through the latest technologies in the field of information and communications technology and broadcasting field.
The CRA seeks to contribute within its mandate to the success of the world-class events hosted in Qatar and will continue to support all future events, like 2022 FIFA World Cup.”
The CRA initiated the co-ordination process with concerned parties three months prior to the championship and was able to secure the access to the additional spectrum demand to meet the spectrum needs of the organising committee with its associated entities, in addition to the spectrum needs of the international media and broadcasting agencies.
The CRA has assigned more than 740 frequencies to be used during the championship by the different concerned parties that included more than 40 broadcasting agencies and more than 60 media and press agencies.
The CRA also facilitated the issuance of customs clearance approvals of 130 shipments that contain a large number of radio applications, radio equipment, broadcasting equipment, microphones, wireless tracking and controlling systems, wireless cameras, and radio local area networks.
In addition, the CRA has conducted a comprehensive test on all frequency bands that were planned to be assigned to the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships to ensure interference-free operation.
Moreover, the CRA has located one of its spectrum monitoring stations near to Khalifa International Stadium and Corniche area to respond to any case of interference that might occur during the event.
Source:gulf-times.com
