Add unspecified countries in Africa to the EU868 regional plan

[abhay]

I recommend that the community provisionally sets the currently unspecified countries in Africa to the EU868 frequency plan to match with what we understand from local authorities and deployers. The LoRa Alliance doesn't currently specify regional parameters for these countries so this would be an addition that we are proposing for Helium-network specific devices.

Most relevant here is Liberia who the Foundation is working with on the ground through the OPEN team to establish local LoRaWAN connectivity.

This frequency selection here would be subject to future government or regulatory updates, or an update from the LoRa Alliance. Since this a local initiative, it's assumed that Hotspot owners are going to deploy Hotspots on their own behalf and not on behalf of the Foundation so this guidance is based on our understanding of the local rules through conversations with the community. Ultimately, Hotspot owners are the ones who are assuming the risk of deployment, assertion, and ongoing operation. If a Hotspot owner has specific questions or concerns, they should seek local regulatory or legal advice.

[abhay]

rough proposal:

diff --git a/regions.csv b/regions.csv
index 677db9b..bb66431 100644
--- a/regions.csv
+++ b/regions.csv
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ AL,41.153332,20.168331,Albania,EU868,EU433,AS923-3,zone1,-53292,
 DZ,28.033886,1.659626,Algeria,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-192756,
 AS,-14.270972,-170.132217,American Samoa,US915,,,zone2,,Part of US polygons in OSM-Boundaries
 AD,42.546245,1.601554,Andorra,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-9407,
-AO,-11.202692,17.873887,Angola,Unknown,,,zone1,-195267,
+AO,-11.202692,17.873887,Angola,EU868,,,zone1,-195267,
 AI,18.220554,-63.068615,Anguilla,AU915,,,zone2,-2177161,
 AQ,-75.250973,-0.071389,Antarctica,Unknown,,,zone1,,Broken into a few regions not sure about rf channels
 AG,17.060816,-61.796428,Antigua and Barbuda,Unknown,,,zone2,-536900,
@@ -34,23 +34,23 @@ BR,-14.235004,-51.92528,Brazil,AU915,EU433,,zone3,-59470,
 IO,-6.343194,71.876519,British Indian Ocean Territory,Unknown,,,zone2,-1993867,
 BN,4.535277,114.727669,Brunei,AS923-1,EU868,EU433,zone3,-2103120,
 BG,42.733883,25.48583,Bulgaria,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-186382,
-BF,12.238333,-1.561593,Burkina Faso,Unknown,,,zone1,-192783,
+BF,12.238333,-1.561593,Burkina Faso,EU868,,,zone1,-192783,
 BI,-3.373056,29.918886,Burundi,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-195269,
 KH,12.565679,104.990963,Cambodia,AS923-1,EU868,,zone3,-49898,
 CM,7.369722,12.354722,Cameroon,EU433,,,zone1,-192830,
 CA,56.130366,-106.346771,Canada,US915,,,zone1,-1428125,
 CV,16.002082,-24.013197,Cape Verde,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-535774,
 KY,19.513469,-80.566956,Cayman Islands,US915,,,zone2,-2185366,
-CF,6.611111,20.939444,Central African Republic,Unknown,,,zone1,-192790,
-TD,15.454166,18.732207,Chad,Unknown,,,zone1,-2361304,
+CF,6.611111,20.939444,Central African Republic,EU868,,,zone1,-192790,
+TD,15.454166,18.732207,Chad,EU868,,,zone1,-2361304,
 CL,-35.675147,-71.542969,Chile,AU915,EU433,,zone3,-167454,
 CN,35.86166,104.195397,China,CN470,CN779,AS923-1,zone3,-270056,
 CX,-10.447525,105.690449,Christmas Island,AS923-1,AU915,,zone3,,Part of Australia in OSM-Boundaries
 CC,-12.164165,96.870956,Cocos [Keeling] Islands,AS923-1,AU915,,zone3,,Part of Australia in OSM-Boundaries
 CO,4.570868,-74.297333,Colombia,AU915,EU433,,zone2,-120027,
 KM,-11.875001,43.872219,Comoros,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-535790,
-CD,-4.038333,21.758664,Congo [DRC],Unknown,,,zone1,-192795,
-CG,-0.228021,15.827659,Congo [Republic],Unknown,,,zone1,-192794,
+CD,-4.038333,21.758664,Congo [DRC],EU868,,,zone1,-192795,
+CG,-0.228021,15.827659,Congo [Republic],EU868,,,zone1,-192794,
 CK,-21.236736,-159.777671,Cook Islands,AS923-1,AU915,EU433,zone3,-2184233,
 CR,9.748917,-83.753428,Costa Rica,AS923-1,EU433,,zone2,-287667,
 CI,7.539989,-5.54708,Côte d'Ivoire,EU868,,,zone1,-192779,
@@ -60,17 +60,17 @@ CW,,,Curaçao,AS923-1,EU433,,,,Part of the Netherlands in OSM-Boundaries
 CY,35.126413,33.429859,Cyprus,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-307787,
 CZ,49.817492,15.472962,Czech Republic,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-51684,
 DK,56.26392,9.501785,Denmark,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-50046,
-DJ,11.825138,42.590275,Djibouti,Unknown,,,zone1,-192801,
+DJ,11.825138,42.590275,Djibouti,EU868,,,zone1,-192801,
 DM,15.414999,-61.370976,Dominica,AU915,,,zone2,-307823,
 DO,18.735693,-70.162651,Dominican Republic,AU915,,,zone2,-307828,
 EC,-1.831239,-78.183406,Ecuador,AU915,,,zone2,-108089,
 EG,26.820553,30.802498,Egypt,EU868,IN865,EU433,zone1,-1473947,
 SV,13.794185,-88.89653,El Salvador,AU915,,,zone2,-1520612,
 GQ,1.650801,10.267895,Equatorial Guinea,EU868,EU433,,zone3,-192791,
-ER,15.179384,39.782334,Eritrea,Unknown,,,zone1,-296961,
+ER,15.179384,39.782334,Eritrea,EU868,,,zone1,-296961,
 EE,58.595272,25.013607,Estonia,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-79510,
-SZ,-26.522503,31.465866,Eswatini,Unknown,,,zone1,-88210,
-ET,9.145,40.489673,Ethiopia,Unknown,,,zone1,-192800,
+SZ,-26.522503,31.465866,Eswatini,EU868,,,zone1,-88210,
+ET,9.145,40.489673,Ethiopia,EU868,,,zone1,-192800,
 FK,-51.796253,-59.523613,Falkland Islands [Islas Malvinas],EU868,EU433,,zone2,-2185374,
 FO,61.892635,-6.911806,Faroe Islands,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-52939,
 FJ,-16.578193,179.414413,Fiji,Unknown,,,zone3,-571747,
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ FR,46.227638,2.213749,France,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-2202162,
 GF,3.933889,-53.125782,French Guiana,EU868,EU433,,zone1,,Part of France in OSM-Boundaries
 PF,-17.679742,-149.406843,French Polynesia,EU868,EU433,,zone1,,Part of France in OSM-Boundaries
 TF,-49.280366,69.348557,French Southern Territories,EU868,EU433,,zone1,,Part of France in OSM-Boundaries
-GA,-0.803689,11.609444,Gabon,Unknown,,,zone1,-192793,
+GA,-0.803689,11.609444,Gabon,EU868,,,zone1,-192793,
 GM,13.443182,-15.310139,Gambia,EU433,,,zone1,-192774,
 GZ,31.354676,34.308825,Gaza Strip,Unknown,,,zone1,-1473938,
 GE,42.315407,43.356892,Georgia,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-28699,
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ GU,13.444304,144.793731,Guam,US915,,,zone2,,Part of the UnitedStates in OSM-Boun
 GT,15.783471,-90.230759,Guatemala,AU915,,,zone2,-1521463,
 GG,49.465691,-2.585278,Guernsey,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-270009,
 GN,9.945587,-9.696645,Guinea,EU433,,,zone1,-192778,
-GW,11.803749,-15.180413,Guinea-Bissau,Unknown,,,zone1,-192776,
+GW,11.803749,-15.180413,Guinea-Bissau,EU868,,,zone1,-192776,
 GY,4.860416,-58.93018,Guyana,Unknown,,,zone2,-287083,
 HT,18.971187,-72.285215,Haiti,Unknown,,,zone2,-307829,
 HM,-53.08181,73.504158,Heard Island and McDonald Islands,AS923-1,AU915,,zone3,,Part of Australia in OSM-Boundaries
@@ -124,15 +124,15 @@ LA,19.85627,102.495496,Laos,AS923-1,EU868,EU433,zone3,-49903,
 LV,56.879635,24.603189,Latvia,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-72594,
 LB,33.854721,35.862285,Lebanon,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-184843,
 LS,-29.609988,28.233608,Lesotho,EU433,,,zone1,-2093234,
-LR,6.428055,-9.429499,Liberia,Unknown,,,zone1,-192780,
-LY,26.3351,17.228331,Libya,Unknown,,,zone1,-192758,
+LR,6.428055,-9.429499,Liberia,EU868,,,zone1,-192780,
+LY,26.3351,17.228331,Libya,EU868,,,zone1,-192758,
 LI,47.166,9.555373,Liechtenstein,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-1155955,
 LT,55.169438,23.881275,Lithuania,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-72596,
 LU,49.815273,6.129583,Luxembourg,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-2171347,
 MO,22.198745,113.543873,Macau,AS923-1,EU433,,zone3,-1867188,
 MK,41.608635,21.745275,North Macedonia,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-53293,
 MG,-18.766947,46.869107,Madagascar,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-447325,
-MW,-13.254308,34.301525,Malawi,Unknown,,,zone1,-195290,
+MW,-13.254308,34.301525,Malawi,EU868,,,zone1,-195290,
 MY,4.210484,101.975766,Malaysia,AS923-1B,EU433,,zone3,-2108121,
 MV,3.202778,73.22068,Maldives,Unknown,,,zone3,-536773,
 ML,17.570692,-3.996166,Mali,EU433,,,zone3,-192785,
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ MN,46.862496,103.846656,Mongolia,Unknown,,,zone1,-161033,
 ME,42.708678,19.37439,Montenegro,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-53296,
 MS,16.742498,-62.187366,Montserrat,AU915,,,zone1,-537257,
 MA,31.791702,-7.09262,Morocco,EU433,,,zone1,-3630439,
-MZ,-18.665695,35.529562,Mozambique,Unknown,,,zone1,-195273,
+MZ,-18.665695,35.529562,Mozambique,EU868,,,zone1,-195273,
 MM,21.913965,95.956223,Myanmar [Burma],AS923-1,EU433,,zone1,-50371,
 NA,-22.95764,18.49041,Namibia,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-195266,
 NR,-0.522778,166.931503,Nauru,Unknown,,,zone3,-571804,
@@ -209,10 +209,10 @@ SO,5.152149,46.199616,Somalia,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-192799,
 ZA,-30.559482,22.937506,South Africa,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-87565,
 GS,-54.429579,-36.587909,South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone2,-1983628,
 KR,35.907757,127.766922,South Korea,KR920,,,zone3,-307756,
-SS,,,South Sudan,Unknown,,,,-1656678,
+SS,,,South Sudan,EU868,,,,-1656678,
 ES,40.463667,-3.74922,Spain,EU868,EU433,,zone3,-1311341,
 LK,7.873054,80.771797,Sri Lanka,AS923-1,EU433,,zone3,-536807,
-SD,12.862807,30.217636,Sudan,Unknown,,,zone1,-192789,
+SD,12.862807,30.217636,Sudan,EU868,,,zone1,-192789,
 SR,3.919305,-56.027783,Suriname,AU915,,,zone2,-287082,
 SJ,77.553604,23.670272,Svalbard and Jan Mayen,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,,Part of Norway in OSM-Boundaries
 SE,60.128161,18.643501,Sweden,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-52822,

[abhay]

Some of the other countries that do have specifications. Some are EU433 but others are AS923 and IN865. My primary concerns below are Niger, Tanzania, and Uganda

diff --git a/regions.csv b/regions.csv
index bb66431..cf4a9b3 100644
--- a/regions.csv
+++ b/regions.csv
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ BG,42.733883,25.48583,Bulgaria,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-186382,
 BF,12.238333,-1.561593,Burkina Faso,EU868,,,zone1,-192783,
 BI,-3.373056,29.918886,Burundi,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-195269,
 KH,12.565679,104.990963,Cambodia,AS923-1,EU868,,zone3,-49898,
-CM,7.369722,12.354722,Cameroon,EU433,,,zone1,-192830,
+CM,7.369722,12.354722,Cameroon,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-192830,
 CA,56.130366,-106.346771,Canada,US915,,,zone1,-1428125,
 CV,16.002082,-24.013197,Cape Verde,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-535774,
 KY,19.513469,-80.566956,Cayman Islands,US915,,,zone2,-2185366,
@@ -80,11 +80,11 @@ GF,3.933889,-53.125782,French Guiana,EU868,EU433,,zone1,,Part of France in OSM-B
 PF,-17.679742,-149.406843,French Polynesia,EU868,EU433,,zone1,,Part of France in OSM-Boundaries
 TF,-49.280366,69.348557,French Southern Territories,EU868,EU433,,zone1,,Part of France in OSM-Boundaries
 GA,-0.803689,11.609444,Gabon,EU868,,,zone1,-192793,
-GM,13.443182,-15.310139,Gambia,EU433,,,zone1,-192774,
+GM,13.443182,-15.310139,Gambia,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-192774,
 GZ,31.354676,34.308825,Gaza Strip,Unknown,,,zone1,-1473938,
 GE,42.315407,43.356892,Georgia,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-28699,
 DE,51.165691,10.451526,Germany,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-51477,
-GH,7.946527,-1.023194,Ghana,EU433,,,zone1,-192781,
+GH,7.946527,-1.023194,Ghana,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-192781,
 GI,36.137741,-5.345374,Gibraltar,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-1278736,
 GR,39.074208,21.824312,Greece,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-192307,
 GL,71.706936,-42.604303,Greenland,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone2,-2184073,
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ GP,16.995971,-62.067641,Guadeloupe,EU868,EU433,,zone2,,Part of France in OSM-Bou
 GU,13.444304,144.793731,Guam,US915,,,zone2,,Part of the UnitedStates in OSM-Boundaries
 GT,15.783471,-90.230759,Guatemala,AU915,,,zone2,-1521463,
 GG,49.465691,-2.585278,Guernsey,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-270009,
-GN,9.945587,-9.696645,Guinea,EU433,,,zone1,-192778,
+GN,9.945587,-9.696645,Guinea,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-192778,
 GW,11.803749,-15.180413,Guinea-Bissau,EU868,,,zone1,-192776,
 GY,4.860416,-58.93018,Guyana,Unknown,,,zone2,-287083,
 HT,18.971187,-72.285215,Haiti,Unknown,,,zone2,-307829,
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ KG,41.20438,74.766098,Kyrgyzstan,Unknown,,,zone1,-178009,
 LA,19.85627,102.495496,Laos,AS923-1,EU868,EU433,zone3,-49903,
 LV,56.879635,24.603189,Latvia,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-72594,
 LB,33.854721,35.862285,Lebanon,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-184843,
-LS,-29.609988,28.233608,Lesotho,EU433,,,zone1,-2093234,
+LS,-29.609988,28.233608,Lesotho,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-2093234,
 LR,6.428055,-9.429499,Liberia,EU868,,,zone1,-192780,
 LY,26.3351,17.228331,Libya,EU868,,,zone1,-192758,
 LI,47.166,9.555373,Liechtenstein,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-1155955,
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ MG,-18.766947,46.869107,Madagascar,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-447325,
 MW,-13.254308,34.301525,Malawi,EU868,,,zone1,-195290,
 MY,4.210484,101.975766,Malaysia,AS923-1B,EU433,,zone3,-2108121,
 MV,3.202778,73.22068,Maldives,Unknown,,,zone3,-536773,
-ML,17.570692,-3.996166,Mali,EU433,,,zone3,-192785,
+ML,17.570692,-3.996166,Mali,EU868,EU433,,zone3,-192785,
 MT,35.937496,14.375416,Malta,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-365307,
 MH,7.131474,171.184478,Marshall Islands,Unknown,,,zone3,-571771,
 MQ,14.641528,-61.024174,Martinique,EU868,EU433,,zone2,,Part of France in OSM-Boundaries
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ MC,43.750298,7.412841,Monaco,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-1124039,
 MN,46.862496,103.846656,Mongolia,Unknown,,,zone1,-161033,
 ME,42.708678,19.37439,Montenegro,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-53296,
 MS,16.742498,-62.187366,Montserrat,AU915,,,zone1,-537257,
-MA,31.791702,-7.09262,Morocco,EU433,,,zone1,-3630439,
+MA,31.791702,-7.09262,Morocco,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-3630439,
 MZ,-18.665695,35.529562,Mozambique,EU868,,,zone1,-195273,
 MM,21.913965,95.956223,Myanmar [Burma],AS923-1,EU433,,zone1,-50371,
 NA,-22.95764,18.49041,Namibia,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-195266,
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ AN,12.226079,-69.060087,Netherlands Antilles,EU868,EU433,,zone1,,Part of the Net
 NC,-20.904305,165.618042,New Caledonia,EU868,EU433,,zone3,,Part of France in OSM-Boundaries
 NZ,-40.900557,174.885971,New Zealand,AS923-1C,AU915,EU433,zone3,-556706,
 NI,12.865416,-85.207229,Nicaragua,AU915,,,zone2,-287666,
-NE,17.607789,8.081666,Niger,IN865,,,zone1,-192786,
+NE,17.607789,8.081666,Niger,EU868,IN865,,zone1,-192786,
 NG,9.081999,8.675277,Nigeria,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-192787,
 NU,-19.054445,-169.867233,Niue,AS923-1,AU915,EU433,zone1,-1558556,
 NF,-29.040835,167.954712,Norfolk Island,AS923-1,AU915,,zone3,,Part of Australia in OSM-Boundaries
@@ -195,11 +195,11 @@ PM,46.941936,-56.27111,Saint Pierre and Miquelon,EU868,EU433,,zone2,,Part of Fra
 VC,12.984305,-61.287228,Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,AU915,,,zone2,-550725,
 WS,-13.759029,-172.104629,Samoa,EU868,EU433,,zone2,-1872673,
 SM,43.94236,12.457777,San Marino,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-54624,
-ST,0.18636,6.613081,São Tomé and Príncipe,Unknown,,,zone1,-535880,
+ST,0.18636,6.613081,São Tomé and Príncipe,EU868,,,zone1,-535880,
 SA,23.885942,45.079162,Saudi Arabia,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-307584,
 SN,14.497401,-14.452362,Senegal,EU868,,,zone1,-192775,
 RS,44.016521,21.005859,Serbia,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-1741311,
-SC,-4.679574,55.491977,Seychelles,EU433,,,zone1,-536765,
+SC,-4.679574,55.491977,Seychelles,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-536765,
 SL,8.460555,-11.779889,Sierra Leone,EU868,,,zone1,-192777,
 SG,1.352083,103.819836,Singapore,AS923-1,EU433,,zone3,-536780,
 SK,48.669026,19.699024,Slovakia,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-14296,
@@ -220,10 +220,10 @@ CH,46.818188,8.227512,Switzerland,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-51701,
 SY,34.802075,38.996815,Syria,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-184840,
 TW,23.69781,120.960515,Taiwan,AS923-1,,,zone3,-449220,
 TJ,38.861034,71.276093,Tajikistan,Unknown,,,zone1,-214626,
-TZ,-6.369028,34.888822,Tanzania,AS923-1,EU433,,zone1,-195270,
+TZ,-6.369028,34.888822,Tanzania,EU868,AS923-1,EU433,zone1,-195270,
 TH,15.870032,100.992541,Thailand,AS923-1,EU433,,zone3,-2067731,
 TL,-8.874217,125.727539,Timor-Leste,Unknown,,,zone3,-305142,
-TG,8.619543,0.824782,Togo,EU433,,,zone1,-192782,
+TG,8.619543,0.824782,Togo,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-192782,
 TK,-8.967363,-171.855881,Tokelau,AS923-1,AU915,EU433,zone3,-2186600,
 TO,-21.178986,-175.198242,Tonga,AU915,EU433,,zone1,-2186665,
 TT,10.691803,-61.222503,Trinidad and Tobago,AU915,US915,,zone2,-555717,
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ TM,38.969719,59.556278,Turkmenistan,Unknown,,,zone1,-223026,
 TC,21.694025,-71.797928,Turks and Caicos Islands,AU915,,,zone2,-547479,
 TV,-7.109535,177.64933,Tuvalu,Unknown,,,zone3,-2177266,
 UM,,,U.S. Minor Outlying Islands,US915,,,zone2,-2185386,
-UG,1.373333,32.290275,Uganda,AS923-1,IN865,EU433,zone1,-192796,
+UG,1.373333,32.290275,Uganda,EU868,AS923-1,IN865,zone1,-192796,
 UA,48.379433,31.16558,Ukraine,EU868,EU433,,zone1,-60199,
 AE,23.424076,53.847818,United Arab Emirates,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-307763,
 GB,55.378051,-3.435973,United Kingdom,EU868,AS923-3,EU433,zone1,-62149,

[mikev]

Per the LoRa Alliance Regional 1.0.4 spec Niger is confirmed IN865. Tanzania and Uganda are confirmed AS923-1.
All other African countries can be set to EU868, including any set to EU433 which we've determined is not used by any Makers.

[mikev]

@gradoj - Any update?

[gradoj]

Before:

After:

[leogaggl]

As per Discord after listening to the IoT WG recording and the regional frequency conversation in Africa.

Far from me trying to push people a certain way I do think EU868 seems a logical choice geographically and I believe these choices need to be done in a consultative manner with the local community. And I think in this case the process is much better!

One comment on the conversation that might be relevant (and apologies if that has been covered) though. Have TX POWER considerations been taken into account?

Having a reasonable idea of the geography of Africa and listening to the use cases you mentioned I would suggest making sure you take this into account as it will certainly matter in regional use cases (such as wildlife tracking).

With EU868 having fairly limited TX power and also some duty cycle limitations this might be worth considering.