Assessment of TV White Spaces Availability in Southern Nigeria (A Case Study of Ugbowo, Benin City)

Abstract

 TV white space refers to TV channels that are not used by any licensed services at a sh ar seeation and ata particular time. Ultra high frequency (UHF) band spectrum has very good wireless radio propagation characteristics. In this paper, a comprehensive quantitative assessment of TV white space in the 470-8 70MHz band for urban area of Edo state in south-south region of Nigeria was presented using an inexpensive RF Explorer and the readings were presented using graph plots through the aid of touchstone PC spectrum analyzer software. The result shows that over 58% of the 50 channels assessed in this area were underutilized. Yet, we have high alarming rate of spectrum scarcity by the communication industries. Most of the smart devices competing for these scarce spectra can be deployed to these unutilized spectra at low or no cost thereby freeing most of the spectrum bands