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INTERNATIONAL FREQUENCY COORDINATION – FURTHER HARMONISATION IN UHF?. Mark Thomas, Director ECO – Warsaw, 20 October 2011. mark.thomas@eco.cept.org www.cept.org/eco. European Frequency Management Framework. 2002 Radio Spectrum Decision. RSComm RSPG ‘EU Telecomms package’: Commission
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INTERNATIONAL FREQUENCY COORDINATION – FURTHER HARMONISATION IN UHF? Mark Thomas, Director ECO – Warsaw, 20 October 2011 mark.thomas@eco.cept.org www.cept.org/eco
European Frequency Management Framework 2002 Radio Spectrum Decision • RSComm • RSPG • ‘EU Telecomms package’: • Commission • Parliament • Council • Radio Spectrum • Policy Programme • (RSPP) Read more at http://apps.cept.org/ eccetsirel/
Role of the ECC in Europe Consensus and voluntary character: flexible instrument of the national administrations • Technical expertise • EU mechanisms recognise that most regulatory responsibilities are applied at a national level (European Commission focuses on single market issues) • Range of subjects: ‘high profile’ and ‘low profile’: …all are important • Geographical reach
Heartbreak total Extrapolate with caution 2 600 000 000 2019 170 85000 Source: ”The Naked Scientist” December 2000 2000 1976
Hard facts – the growth of mobile broadband Source: internal PT1 report, Sept 2011 Jul 2009 Nov 2010 Feb 2008
Projected demand for mobile broadband spectrum • Report 44 (January 2011) says: • Video and streaming is the dominant source of traffic volume • ”Small cells and femto cells are the solutions of choice for increasing network capacity” • Expected Cellular traffic increase: • about 10x up to 2015, • about 30x up to 2020 • (including traffic managed by femtocells, but not wi-fi ‘off-loading’)
Existing harmonised bands for mobile broadband 800 MHz Digital Dividend up to 60-65 MHz 900MHz GSM -> ECS Band (WAPECS)eventually50-70 MHz 1800MHz GSM -> ECS band (WAPECS) eventually150 MHz 2.0 GHz IMT (-> ECS) 160 MHz 2.6 GHz IMT(->ECS) 190 MHz
Foreseen harmonised bands for mobile broadband 800 MHz Digital Dividend up to 60-65 MHz 900MHz GSM -> ECS Band 50-70 MHz 1800MHz GSM -> ECS band 150 MHz 2100 MHz IMT (-> ECS) 160 MHz 2600 MHz IMT (->ECS) 190 MHz 3.4-3.6-3.8 BWA -> mobile 400 MHz (RSPP amendment from Eur. Parliament: ”more UHF at 700 MHz.....”; ”find 1200 MHz bandwidth.......”) debate ongoing
Different frequencies, different characteristics, same service • GSM started at 900 MHz, • (Council Directive 87/372/EEC of 25 June 1987) • But 1800 MHz frequency range needed to provide capacity and competition • Despite smaller cell size and inferior building penetration, networks grew at 1800 MHz where the market demanded it
Digital Dividend A controversial concept in 2006 • RRC06 was for broadcasting; • ‘Clause 42’ opened the door • Some saw Digital Dividend as not implementable in Europe. • Others saw once-in-lifetime opportunity; economics of scale for new services
Making the Digital Dividend an efficient and pratical reality • Numerous deliverables: • Harmonised conditions for MFCN in the band 790-862 MHz (ECC Decision) • Frequency planning and frequency coordination for terrestrial systems for Mobile Fixed Communications Networks in the frequency band 790-862 MHz (ECC Recommendation) • Rearrangement activities for broadcasting services in 790 - 862 MHz (ECC Report) • DVB-T performance in the presence of UMTS (ECC Report) • CEPT Reports: • Frequency (channeling) arrangements for the 790-862 MHz band”(Task 2 of the 2nd Mandate to CEPT on the digital dividend) • The identification of common and minimal (least restrictive) technical conditions for 790 - 862 MHz for the digital dividend in the European Union • Guideline on cross border coordination issues between mobile services in one country and broadcasting services in another country • Continuation of PMSE operating in the UHF, including the assessment of the advantage of an EU approach • Technical Roadmap proposing relevant technical options and scenarios to optimise the Digital Dividend • Feasibility of fitting new applications/services into "white spaces" of the digital dividend • Technical Options for the Use of a Harmonised Sub-Band in the Band 470 - 862 MHz for Fixed/Mobile Application (including Uplinks) • Technical Feasibility of Harmonising a Sub-band of Bands IV and V for Fixed/Mobile Applications (including uplinks) • Compatibility between “cellular / low power transmitter” networks and “larger coverage / high power / tower” networks • Least restrictive technical conditions for WAPECS frequency bands
European framework delivers opportunity • autumn 2006: ECC sets up ‘Task Group 4’ to think the unthinkable • April 2008: Commisson mandate • 6 May 2010: EC Decision on Digital Dividend • Uses ECC work on technical investigation of feasibility, least restrictive conditions. • The Radio Spectrum Decision in action for European harmonisation to bring citizen benefit
Multilateral and bilateral relations were essential then • Regional Radio Conference 2006 (RRC06) • Practical plan needed bilateral negotiations and multilateral preparation: • ITU Regional preparation framework • CEPT Conference preparation • Regional groups: e.g. {G, F, BEL, LUX, HOL, D, SUI}. • Bilateral negotiations • .
Multilateral and bilateral relations are essential now • RRC06: principle of “equitable access” Much of the GE06 plan needs to be renegotiated to achieve equity in the reduced size of band • Other legacy systems: ARNS TV Channel: in remaining in the broadcast band digital . dividend band : 20 km < 400 km
So where next? • Numerous deliverables: Digital Dividend is a great achievement so far. Significant implementation issues remain • Harmonised conditions for MFCN in the band 790-862 MHz (ECC Decision) • Frequency planning and frequency coordination for terrestrial systems for Mobile Fixed Communications Networks in the frequency band 790-862 MHz (ECC Recommendation) • Rearrangement activities for broadcasting services in 790 - 862 MHz (ECC Report) • DVB-T performance in the presence of UMTS (ECC Report) • CEPT Reports: • Frequency (channeling) arrangements for the 790-862 MHz band”(Task 2 of the 2nd Mandate to CEPT on the digital dividend) • The identification of common and minimal (least restrictive) technical conditions for 790 - 862 MHz for the digital dividend in the European Union • Guideline on cross border coordination issues between mobile services in one country and broadcasting services in another country • Continuation of PMSE operating in the UHF, including the assessment of the advantage of an EU approach • Technical Roadmap proposing relevant technical options and scenarios to optimise the Digital Dividend • Feasibility of fitting new applications/services into "white spaces" of the digital dividend • Technical Options for the Use of a Harmonised Sub-Band in the Band 470 - 862 MHz for Fixed/Mobile Application (including Uplinks) • Technical Feasibility of Harmonising a Sub-band of Bands IV and V for Fixed/Mobile Applications (including uplinks) • Compatibility between “cellular / low power transmitter” networks and “larger coverage / high power / tower” networks • Least restrictive technical conditions for WAPECS frequency bands The next steps for mobile broadband ? The digital dividend we know (790 – 892 MHz) ‘low hanging fruit’ (if there ever was any)
Three initial questions • Are you ready to reduce or drop Terrestrial TV; if so, when, and by how much? • Do you think that technological progress is a myth ? • Do you know how many Elvis Presley impersonators there will there be in 2019 ?
Three of the most difficult questions • ‘Digital Dividend 2’ = what future for terrestrial television, beyond the safe rhetoric of ‘let’s do everything’? • The potential of ‘white space’ and use of cognitive radio • Low use so far of higher frequency bands for mobile broadband. Really, why?
Digital Dividend 2? Is this the next step? Is it practical ? What are the consequences? Is it possible? What are the alternatives? What is the true demand ? Consensual approach needed with all parties There is no single solution
Summary • We have achieved a lot already with the Digital Dividend and other initiatives • Demand for mobile broadband will increase dramatically, but by how much? • How governments and regulators signal intentions influences operator behaviour • The second digital dividend would be much harder to achieve than the first
Conclusions – ”700 MHz” • The potential further use of UHF frequencies on the conventionally planned and licensed model must be considered but.. • the potential further use of UHF frequencies must not be considered in isolation • The role of white space cognitive systems in UHF must also be considered;(more of an alternative than a complement) • A proper framework will take time to study
Conclusions – mobile broadband • We have a lot of work to do across a range of technologies, frequencies and legal frameworks • There is no single solution • European level actions should be ambitious but flexible about how they develop: ‘more of the same’ is not always successful • Delivery requires full commitment by all parties; bilateral and national approaches are an essential part of the equation mark.thomas@eco.cept.org www.cept.org/eco