Helsinki hosted from last 30 June to 3 July the 40th meeting of the Electronic Communications Committee (ECC), attended by 74 participants representing 28 administrations, the European Commission (EC), the European Communications Office (ECO) and 12 observers.
The following decisions stand out among issues considered at the meeting:
- Final approval of amended Decision ECC/DEC/(08)01 on intelligent transport systems (ITS) and of amended Recommendation ECC/REC/(08)01, also concerning ITS. Note that the adoption of both documents had been discussed and postponed at the March ECC plenary meeting due to concerns raised by administrations that had adopted transport and traffic telematics (TTT) (CEN DSRC) applications in their countries. After consulting the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), bearing in mind ongoing developments there, the ECC adopted the aforementioned decision and recommendation;
- Final approval of the new Decision ECC/DEC/(15)04 on harmonised use, free circulation and exemption from individual licensing of land and maritime Earth stations on mobile platforms (ESOMPs) operating with NGSO FSS satellite systems in the frequency range 17.3-20.2 GHz, 27.5-29.1 GHz and 29.5-30.5 GHz, based on results from the public consultation. A total of 17 administrations indicated they intended to apply it, while six others (Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland) indicated they would find it hard to apply, apply it partially or study eventual additional measures;
- Final approval of amended Decision ECC/DEC/(05)05 on the harmonised utilisation of spectrum for mobile/fixed communications networks (MFCN) operating within the band 2500-2690 MHz, including the withdrawal of decision ECC/DEC/(02)06. A total of 23 administrations indicated their intention to apply the amended decision, while Norway indicated it could only apply it partially;
- Final approval of the new Decision ECC/DEC/(15)02 on the harmonised use of broadband direct air-to-ground communications systems (DA2GC) in the frequency band 1900-1920 MHz. A total of 17 administrations indicated their intention to apply it, while three others (Austria, Germany and Portugal) indicated they were still examining the issue or were waiting to see how the market reacts to the introduction of such communications;
- Final approval of the new Decision ECC/DEC/(15)03 on the harmonised use of broadband direct air-to-ground communications systems (DA2GC) in the frequency band 5855-5875 MHz. Both this and the preceding decision should be revised within two years. A total of 17 administrations indicated their intention to apply this decision, while five others (France, Germany, Portugal, Russia and Sweden) indicated that they were still examining the issue or were waiting to see how the market reacts to the introduction of such communications;
- Final approval of the new Decision ECC/DEC/(15)05 on the harmonised frequency range 446.0-446.2 MHz, technical characteristics, exemption from individual licensing and free carriage and use of analogue and digital PMR 446 applications. This decision will replace and revoke decisions ERC/DEC(98)25 and ECC/DEC(05)12. A total of 22 administrations indicated their intention to apply it, while Russia indicated that it would partially apply the new decision;
- Final approval of amended Decision ERC/DEC/(99)01 on the harmonised examination syllabi for the General Operator’s Certificate (GOC) and the Restricted Operator’s Certificate (ROC), for radio communications for ships, in the scope of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). A total of 16 administrations indicated they intended to apply it, while Russia indicated it did not have the power to do so and Portugal indicated that for the time being it would only apply the amended decision partially;
- Final approval of the new Recommendation ECC/DEC/(15)04 on guidance for the implementation of a sharing framework between MFCN and PMSE within 2300-2400 MHz. A total of six administrations (Portugal along with Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland) presented written reservations regarding adoption of this recommendation;
- Final approval of amended Decision ECC/DEC/(03)05 on the publication of national tables of frequency allocations and utilisations (NTFAs);
- Approval for public consultation of the amended Decision ECC/DEC/(08)08 on the harmonised use of GSM, UMTS and LTE systems on board vessels in the frequency bands 880-915/925-960 MHz, 1710-1785/1805-1880 MHz, 1920-1980/2110-2170 MHz and 2500-2570/2620-2690 MHz. It was agreed that the public consultation period would be extended to 25 September;
- Approval for public consultation of the draft new Decision ECC/DEC/(16)AA on the harmonised frequency range 76-77 GHz, technical characteristics, exemption from individual licensing and free carriage and use of obstacle detection radars for helicopter use. The public consultation period was extended until the end of September, also considering the need for some administrations to report about the protection of radio astronomy stations;
- Final approval of CEPT Report 58 (B2) (Report B.2 from CEPT to the European Commission) based on results from the public consultation and in response to the EC mandate on harmonised technical conditions for the 2300-2400 MHz (2.3 GHz) frequency band in the EU for the provision of wireless broadband electronic communications services – technical sharing solutions for the shared use of the 2300-2400 MHz band for WBB and PMSE. The report was approved with written reservations submitted by Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and Switzerland, and will be forwarded to the EC.
The plenary meeting also discussed and decided to take up the EC’s request regarding early completion of CEPT Report 53(B), in the scope of the response to the EC mandate on 700 MHz, with a view to debating it at the 55th Radio Spectrum Committee (RSC) meeting scheduled for 16-17 March 2016. To that end, the next ECC plenary meeting has been brought forward one week; it had originally been scheduled for the second week of March 2016. ECC PT1 (IMT Issues) was instructed by the plenary session to develop the response to task 3 of the mandate accordingly; the public consultation on the report should begin in early November.
The chair of the working group on Spectrum Engineering (WG SE), Karl Loew of Germany, was elected by acclamation to a second three-year term. His was the only candidacy put forward. Loew indicated he was grateful for being re-elected and for the trust placed in him by the other administrations. He also acknowledged the support of all the project teams with whom he has worked closely.
Regarding the report from the working group on Numbering and Networks (WG NaN), the plenary meeting also discussed the request from the non-governmental association European Emergency Number Association (EENA) with a view to transferring the databases of trans-national emergency calls made to European Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), otherwise known as 112 Centres. The project team on Emergency Services (PT ES) is considering the possibility of the ECO/ECC eventually hosting those databases and has already sent a questionnaire to the PSAPs. Portugal raised questions about several legal aspects associated to the eventual transfer, including the respective terms, conditions and costs, as well as the EC’s formal support for the initiative. WG NaN should report to the next plenary meeting on the aforementioned questions, including analysis of whether that task can be excluded from its reference terms.
The next ECC plenary meeting will be held on 1-4 March 2016 in Ghent, Belgium.
