Update on WRC 2012 Preparation & Implications for Future THz Communication Systems

1. Project: IEEE P802.15 Working Group for Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs) Submission Title:Update on the Status of WRC 2012 Preparation Date Submitted: 19 July 2011 Source: Thomas Kürner Company: TU Braunschweig, Institut für Nachrichtentechnik Address: Schleinitzstr. 22, D-38092 Braunschweig, Germany Voice: +495313912416 FAX: +495313915192, E-Mail: t.kuerner@tu-bs.de Re: IEEE 802.15-10-0450-01-0thz Abstract: This document is a follow-up and update of doc. IEEE 802.15-10-0450-01-0thz. It provides an overview on the status of preparation activities for agenda item 1.6 at WRC 2012 and its implications for future THz communication systems operating beyond 275 GHz. Purpose: Information of THz IG on ongoing discussion towards WRC 2012 Notice: This document has been prepared to assist the IEEE P802.15. It is offered as a basis for discussion and is not binding on the contributing individual(s) or organization(s). The material in this document is subject to change in form and content after further study. The contributor(s) reserve(s) the right to add, amend or withdraw material contained herein. Release: The contributor acknowledges and accepts that this contribution becomes the property of IEEE and may be made publicly available by P802.15.

2. Outline • Review of the Agenda 1.6 at WRC 2012 • Implication of AI 1.6 on THz Communications • Current Status of the international Discussion • Spectrum Options for THz Communications • Possible Agenda Item for WRC 2016 • Conclusions

3. Agenda item 1.6 of WRC 2012 • 1.6: to review No. 5.565 of the Radio Regulations in order to update the spectrum use by the passive services between 275 GHz and 3 000 GHz, in accordance with Resolution 950 (Rev.WRC‑07), and to consider possible procedures for free-space optical-links, taking into account the results of ITU‑R studies, in accordance with Resolution 955 (WRC‑07);

4. Current Situation in Radio Regulations Footnote 5.565 The frequency band 275-1000 GHz may be used by administrations for experimentation with, and development of, various active and passive services. In this band a need has been identified for the following spectral line measurements for passive services: - radio astronomy service: 275-323 GHz, 327-371 GHz, 388-424 GHz, 426-442 GHz, 453-510 GHz, 623-711 GHz, 795-909 GHz and 926-945 GHz; - Earth exploration-satellite service (passive) and space research service (passive): 275-277 GHz, 294-306 GHz, 316-334 GHz, 342-349 GHz, 363-365 GHz, 371-389 GHz, 416-434 GHz, 442-444  GHz, 496-506 GHz, 546-568 GHz, 624-629 GHz, 634-654 GHz, 659-661 GHz, 684-692 GHz, 730-732 GHz, 851-853 GHz and 951-956 GHz. Future research in this largely unexplored spectral region may yield additional spectral lines and continuum bands of interest to the passive services. Administrations are urged to take all practicable steps to protect these passive services from harmful interference until the date when the allocation Table is established in the above-mentioned frequency band.     (WRC‑2000)

5. Implication of AI 1.6 on Active Services (especially THz Communications) • In the current version footnote 5.565 of the Radio Regulations active services are explicitly mentioned. • Since under agenda item 1.6 passive services only are under discussion there is a possibility that the term active services maydisappear in the footnote. • Moreover, identification of certain bands for passive services should not preclude future consideration of these bands for active services.

6. What are the Passive Services ? • There are two different passive services to be considered in this context: • Radio Astronomy Service and Space Research Service for Radio Astronomy Observations (RAS-SRS) • Earth Exploration-Satellite Service and Space Research Service for Passive Remote Sensing (EESS-SRS) • More details can be found in [1]

7. What is the Status in the international Discussion? • The following slides summarize the outcome of the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM 11-2) and the current positions of different regional telecommunciation organisations (sources [2], [3]): • CEPT (Europe) • APT (Asia) • CITEL (Americas) • Arab Group

8. Outcome of CPM 11-2 (February 2011) 5.565 A number of bands in the frequency range 275-1 000 GHz are identified for use by administrations for passive service applications. The following specific frequency bands are identified for measurements by passive services: – radio astronomy service: 275-323 GHz, 327-371 GHz, 388-424 GHz, 426‑442 GHz, 453- 510 GHz, 623-711 GHz, 795-909 GHz and 926-945 GHz; – Earth exploration-satellite service (passive) and space research service (passive): 275‑286 GHz, 296-306 GHz, 313-356 GHz, 361‑365 GHz, 369-392 GHz, 397-399 GHz, 409-411 GHz, 416‑434 GHz, 439-467 GHz, 477-502 GHz, 523-527 GHz, 538-581 GHz, 611-630 GHz, 634‑654 GHz,657‑692 GHz, 713‑718 GHz,729-733 GHz, 750‑754 GHz, 771‑776 GHz, 823‑846 GHz, 850-854 GHz, 857‑862 GHz, 866-882 GHz, 905‑928 GHz, 951‑956 GHz, 968-973 GHz and 985‑990 GHz. The use of the range 275-1 000 GHz by the passive services does not preclude use of this range by active services. Administrations wishing to make frequencies in the 275-1 000 GHz range available for active service applications are urged to take all practicable steps to protect these passive services from harmful interference until the date when the Table of Frequency Allocations is established in the above-mentioned 275-1 000 GHz frequency range. All frequencies in the range 1 000-3 000 GHz may be used by both active and passive services.     (WRC‑12)

9. CEPT (April 2011) • CEPT supports the review of No. 5.565 considering in particular new technological advancements and planned applications for passive services (EESS, RAS and Space Research) to allow early assessment of scientific and meteorological next generation equipments. • CEPT recognizes that the identification of possible use of certain bands in the range 275-3000 GHz by the passive services shall not automatically preclude future consideration of these bands for active services. • However, CEPT is also of the view that the identification of bands for passive service should not be conditioned by identification for use by other services, as this item does not deal with allocations for either active or passive services. To this respect, CEPT supports the results of ITU-R studies on detailed definition of passive services requirements. • CEPT supports the Method described in the CPM Text proposing a revision of RR N° 5.565 including lists of frequency bands for Radio Astronomy service, Earth Exploration Satellite Service and Space Research service.

10. CITEL (December 2010) IAP on Resolution 950 (B/CAN/CTR/DOM/GTM/MEX/URG/USA/VEN) • CITEL supports the update of No.5.565 to include all bands of interest to RAS, EESS (passive) and SRS (passive) in the range 275–3000 GHz. ITU-R studies have shown that unconstrained sharing between passive and active services in the frequency range 1 000-3 000 GHz is feasible; therefore passive services should have use of any band segment in this frequency range for experimentation. The identification of bands for use by passive services above 275 GHz should not preclude the use of these bands by the active services in the future.

11. APT (December 2010) • APT Members support to review No. 5.565 of the Radio Regulations and update the spectrum use by passive services in the range 275-3 000 GHz, taking into account the results of ITU-R studies related to Resolution 950 (Rev.WRC-07). • APT Members support regulatory and procedural Option A of the single Method in the draft CPM text to update No. 5.565 of the Radio Regulations.

12. Arab Group (March 2010) • Support MOD of the footnote 5.565 to determine specific allocations of the passive services, in the band 275-3000 GHz by either: • Referring in this footnote to the Relevant Resolution(s), or • Mentioning specifically these frequency bands in this footnote

13. Spectrum Options for Active Services • Assuming that it will be technically possible to avoid transmission close to the high mountain plateau radio astronomy stations EESS remains the most critcial service to be considered. • Active services may be operated in frequency bands not used by EESS without any further restrictions. • Use of active services in same bands (sharing option) with EESS requires interference studies.

14. Potential Non-Sharing Spectrum for Active Services * currently under discussion for use by Areonomy bold: bandwith within atmospheric windows

15. Possible Agenda Item for WRC 2016 • CEPT proposes an Agenda Item for WRC 2016 [4] based on an input from Germany [5]: “….1.5 to consider regulatory provisions, including frequency allocations, for active services in the range 275 - 1 000 GHz, taking due account of frequency bands used by passive services identified in footnote RR 5.565 and possible consequential regulatory provisions in accordance with Resolution [THz_active] (WRC-12);…”

16. Resolution [THZ_ACTIVE] from [4] (1/2) RESOLUTION [THZ_ACTIVE] (WRC-12) Consideration of the use of the frequencies 275 – 1000 GHz by active services The World Radiocommunication Conference (Geneva, 2012), considering a) that frequencies above 275 GHz are currently not allocated to any radiocommunication service, b) that the use of frequencies above 275 GHz by active and passive services is governed by footnote 5.565 of the Radio Regulations, c) that for the frequency range 275 – 1000 GHz, footnote RR 5.565 identifies specific frequency bands for measurements by passive services without precluding the use of this range by active services, d) that the developments of transistors are now mature enough to start the development of applications in the low end of the THz band (300 GHz to 600 GHz) to support the worldwide development of short-range broadband connections, • that the development of equipment for active service applications in the frequency range 275 - 1000 GHz requires planning security in terms of frequency bands to be used for such active services • that compatibility of the active services with the existing passive services in the frequency bands identified in footnote R 5.565 in the range 275 – 1000 GHz needs to be ensured,

17. Resolution [THZ_ACTIVE] from [4] (2/2) noting, that, whenever there is shared use between active and passive use of spectrum in this range, there will be a need for propagation studies and identification of service characteristics, in order to develop sharing criteria resolves 1 to consider possible regulatory provisions for active services within the frequency range 275 – 1000 GHz, including frequency allocations in identified bands for active service use, taking into account the results of ITU-R studies, covering among others aspects spectrum requirements of active services and sharing aspects with other services, in particular passive services, • for those frequency bands already identified in footnote RR 5.565 for passive service use, when considering possible allocations to active services in those bands, to consequentially also consider frequency allocations for passive services to ensure an equal regulatory status. invites ITU-R to conduct the necessary studies in time for consideration by WRC-[15/16] invites the Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau to bring this Resolution to the attention of IEEE.

18. Conclusions / Next Steps • The current proposal to resolve Res. 950 [WRC 2012] according to the outcome of CPM 11-2 is favorable for the further development of THz communications. • If WRC 2012 decides to adopt the proposal of CPM 11-2 an agenda item at WRC 2016 may be obsolete. • Regardless on the outcome of WRC 2012 interference studies between THz communications and EESS should be established with high priority.

19. References [1] Status of Preparation Activities for WRC 2012, doc. IEEE 802.15-10-0450-01-0thz [2] PT B(11)028_Regulatory CPM text for AI 1.6, Resolution 950.doc, http://www.ero.dk [3] Revised Draft CEPT Brief on Agenda Item 1.6, Annex 1 to PT B(2011)027, http://www.ero.dk [4] Draft_resolution_AI_8_2, CPGA(2011)050 Annex 8.doc, http//www.cept.org [5] CPGPTA(2010)070_Germany_AI 8 2_Proposal THz_Active services.doc, http://www.ero.dk