The regulatory framework of the radio frequency spectrum under international law

Abstract

The Radio Frequency Spectrum (R.F.S) is the entire range of wavelengths of  electromagnetic radiation in the frequency range of 3 kilohertz (KHZ) to 40,000 megahertz (MHZ). The RFS is arbitrarily divided into a number of wavebands, from very low frequencies (long wavelengths) to ultra-high and microwave frequencies (short wave lengths)1. In radio transmission, signals from the transmitting aerial can reach the receiving aerial by means of ground waves, sky waves (which are reflected by the ionosphere of the upper atmosphere) or by reflection or  retransmission from a communication satellite.2 The RFS is a limited resource but very vital to global communication. The need for global communication is as old as the history of mankind. In conditions of modern technical progress, it increasingly constitutes a global social reality. The law of global communication appears as the regulatory response to this need; a response in terms of rules of conduct which are meant to put the mechanism of world communication into proper shape. In this  paper, we shall discuss the background to the establishment of the legal framework for the R.F.S. under international law by looking at the peculiar characteristics that inform the basis for the formulation of its legal framework. We shall also look at its regulation and the procedure for such regulation. The paper will be concluded with an appraisal of the entire regulatory framework while considering the problems and suggestions for improvement.