To create a pro-consumer and pro-business infocomm environment, IDA formulates infocomm-related policies, standards, codes of practice and advisory guidelines aimed at leveling the playing field for infocomm service providers and empowering consumers and businesses with more choices.

IDA plays an active role in developing Singapore’s pool of globally-competitive infocomm talent and an infocomm-savvy workforce. We are also focused on driving consumer education initiatives, ensuring digital inclusion and supporting the effective use of infocomm in community outreach efforts.

Overview

IDA drives the growth, competitiveness and innovation of Singapore’s infocomm industry by nurturing local infocomm enterprises and supporting them in their internationalisation efforts. We also seek to inject greater vibrancy into the infocomm ecosystem by attracting world-class global infocomm MNCs and startups to hub in Singapore.

Spectrum Planning

Spectrum planning processes establishes the direction and cohesion for policy formulation, supporting future steps to achieve optimal spectrum use and creating a conducive regulatory environment. With the increasing demand for spectrum, spectrum planning is required to chart the major trends and technological developments to forecast the needs of current and future uses of spectrum in Singapore. Through spectrum planning, our programmes are conceived to harness and promote technologies that will support IDA strategic thrusts.

White Space Initiative Through Spectrum (“WITS”)

With the increasing demand for spectrum, white space technology has the ability to free up more spectrum by utilising the unused spectrum of the TV VHF/UHF bands to deliver wireless services. This untapped source of spectrum, known as "white spaces", is well placed to increase the capacity of mobile bandwidth and provide high-speed wireless connectivity to deliver applications such as Machine-to-Machine communications and "Super Wi-Fi".

In 2010, IDA had developed a preliminary regulatory framework for white space trial purposes and conducted the regulatory trials in March 2011. Since then, there has been increasing interest from the industry to explore the use of TV white spaces to deliver wireless services and applications. As part of the process to finalise the regulations for white space technology, IDA will be initiating a consultation to seek views and comments from the industry and members of the public by 1H 2013. In this consultation, IDA will also be consulting on the approach and requirements to implement the geolocation database method. For more information, please contact Mr Henry Foo or Ms Michelle Ho .
World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15)

The World Radiocommunication Conferences (“WRCs”) are held approximately every four years, under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Sector (“ITU-R”). At WRCs, administrations will review the Radio Regulations (“RR”) to arrive at international consensus on the allocation of radio frequency spectrum and enhancement of the existing regulations governing the use of this spectrum. The forthcoming WRC-15 will be held from 2 – 27 November 2015, with the intent to review and revise the RR that will assist administrations in spectrum management activities for the next three to four years.