The eighth meeting of CEPT’s Conference Preparatory Group (CPG 15) was held last 14-18 September in the Norwegian city of Bergen to prepare for the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), scheduled for this 2-27 November.
The meeting was attended by 200 delegates representing 36 administrations, the European Commission (EC), the European Communication Office (ECO) and 40 observers.
CPG 15 is responsible for preparing CEPT for WRC-15. Its project groups discuss and develop briefs and, when consensual, European common proposals (ECPs) for each of the WRC-15 agenda items they are assigned, then forward them for discussion and approval by the CPG.
This meeting saw approval of the second set of ECPs for the WRC-15 agenda items which had been the most problematic for obtaining CEPT consensus during the working cycle. The topics in question concerned:
a) possible allocation of the 2.7-2.9 GHz frequency band – resulted in consolidation of the European position, proposing that this band not be allocated for international mobile telecommunications (IMT);
b) possible allocation of the 694-790 MHz frequency band for mobile service;
c) identification of additional spectrum for broadband public protection and disaster relief communications (BB-PPDR);
d) identification of spectrum for amateur service in the 5250-5450 kHz frequency band;
e) identification of additional spectrum for fixed satellite service in the ku-band (14/11, 12 GHz);
f) modification of regulatory questions applicable to earth stations on board vessels (ESVs);
g) automotive radar applications in the 77 GHz frequency band;
h) a set of proposed amendments to the Radio Regulations, basically regarding fixed satellite service via geostationary systems;
i) proposed allocation of spectrum for aeronautic applications of the system for automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast (ADS-B) via satellite;
j) proposed agenda of the next World Radiocommunication Conference in 2019 (WRC-19).
This was the last meeting of this European group in charge of drawing up European proposals for WRC-15. The results achieved in pursuit of the objectives were very significant and in line with Europe’s strategic outlook for the different sectors encompassed in the multiple topics on the conference’s far-reaching agenda.