Brussels hosted last 20 March the 30th meeting of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG), where Finn Petersen, sub-director general of the Danish Business Authority regulator, was appointed to the position of vice-chair.
The following stand out among the issues discussed:
Shared spectrum use
The first progress report was presented by WG LSA, the RSPG working group in charging of drawing up an opinion on the licensed shared access (LSA) concept. It must specifically:
- Identify the state of the art of implementation of current sharing practices, as well as future plans for LSA implementation;
- Draw up operational conditions for the concept and eventual recommendations to encourage LSA implementation.
Strategic spectrum needs for the various sectors
The RSPG working group on Strategic Sectorial Spectrum Needs submitted its second progress report. This group should draw up a report on identification of spectrum requirements for eight applications in the area of broadband services:
- Galileo
- Global monitoring for environment and security (GMES)
- Intelligent transport systems (ITS)
- Smart energy grids and smart meters
- Public protection and disaster relief (PPDR)
- Scientific research
- Programme making and special events (PMSE)
- Internet of things (IoT), including radio-frequency identification (RFID) and machine-to-machine (M2M) devices.
Opinion on the preparation of common strategy goals for WRC-15
The report from the working group on the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15) was presented. This group was set up by the RSPG to draw up an opinion identifying each of the WRC-15 agenda items relevant for strategic policies of the European Commission (EC) and for the following sectors:
- Information society - especially issues associated to international mobile telecommunications (IMT), namely additional spectrum needs, the second digital dividend, i.e. allocation of the 694-790 MHz band to IMT, and PPDR (possible spectrum harmonisation);
- Space policy - fixed satellite service (FSS) in the new allocations, both to resolve spectrum rebalancing among space services and for mobile satellite service (MSS) feeder links, and revision of the regulatory framework for earth stations on board vessels (ESV);
- Transport policy - unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), automatic identification systems (SAT-AIS), wireless avionics intra-communications (WAIC) and spectrum for radio location-finding service in radar applications for the automobile industry;
- Scientific services - spectrum requirements for earth exploration satellite service (EESS).
More efficient interference management
The RSPG working group on Interference Management presented its second progress report at this meeting. The group’s basic aim is to identify best practices for managing interference, taking into account the experiences of each member state and specifically bearing in mind ongoing technological developments associated to equipment reception parameters.
The work is framed by the spectrum policy programme (Decision no. 243/2013/EU), whereby in accordance with articles 3 and 4 of the radio spectrum policy programme (RSPP) the member states and the EC should cooperate to prevent harmful interference by developing standards that contribute toward efficient spectrum use and enhance receiving equipment’s immunity to interference. Note also that the report this group should produce follows the RSPG's opinion on streamlining the regulatory environment for spectrum use.
The report the group is working on (to be completed this year 2013) will serve as the basis for future discussions on spectrum management from the most all-encompassing standpoint and especially the proposed revision of the directive on radio and telecommunications terminal equipment (R&TTE), in terms of the impact of receivers and associated parameters.
Wireless broadband in Europe
The working group whose aim is to establish an RSPG Opinion presented its report, which was forwarded for public consultation with an introduction stressing that this draft report and respective appendices are still in development phase and should not be considered final.
A presentation was given on Germany's authorisations process for the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands, as the respective licences are due to expire in 2016.
The group's next meeting has been scheduled for this coming 13 June in Brussels.
