The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), as a Spectrum Management Service Provider per the classification of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), provides full support to the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021™, which is hosted by the State of Qatar from November 30, 2021 – December 18, 2021. The CRA supports the event in all the matters that fall under its mandate, consequently contributing to the FAC 2021 success.
The CRA’s main role is managing, assigning, licensing, and monitoring the use of radio spectrum to ensure that stakeholders use and operate various radiocommunications stations during the FAC 2021 in the required manner with high-quality, without interruption as a result of radio interferences or other technical matters related to operation and may affect their operational or organizational procedures, or on the event’s media coverage. The CRA works diligently in this regard with a variety of key stakeholders including FIFA, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC (Q22), Host Broadcast Service (HBS) providers, media and broadcasters, including Media Rights Licensees (MRLs), telecom service providers, ceremonies companies, and infotainment providers.
CRA supports the event from various aspects; it has developed and published Spectrum Plan for the FAC 2021 with the aim of informing the stakeholders about the different radio frequency plans that CRA will follow during the event, as well as the followed procedures for issuing and monitoring radio spectrum licenses for different radio equipment and applications that are expected to be used before and during the FAC 2021.
A specialized technical team of experts from CRA will maintain presence throughout the duration of the event in the offices that were prepared for the CRA in the Main Media Center (MMC) and in all FAC 2021 stadiums and venues to conduct the test and tag procedures on radio equipment, to indicate whether the equipment are permitted or prohibited to be used in the official venues of the FAC 2021. Additionally, CRA’s radio spectrum monitoring teams will also maintain presence to detect any radio frequency interferences or unauthorized use of radio frequencies or radiocommunications stations in all venues or in anywhere where accompanying event can be held in. Also, other teams from CRA will be available to deal with radio equipment licensing and frequencies assignments.
So far, CRA has issued 2100 radio equipment licenses, tested and tagged more than 6000 radio equipment, assigned more than 700 temporary radio spectrum frequencies. In addition, and in cooperation with the concerned authorities, CRA has issued around 200 customs clearance approvals for the equipment that were imported and shipped to Qatar for the use during the FAC 2021.
The CRA provides support to the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021™ as it is the responsible authority for regulating and managing all the affairs related to the use of the radio spectrum in Qatar, and for establishing an approval regime for telecommunications equipment. Also, the CRA is authorized to grant, amend, renew, suspend, and revoke Class Licenses, Radio Spectrum Licenses, and Authorizations and to determine the terms and procedures necessary for their issuance. Additionally, CRA sets the National Frequency Allocation Plan, ensures the optimal use of it, and monitors licensees’ compliance with the terms and conditions of their licenses and may take any measures and procedures in this regard.
