The 45th meeting of the RSPG was held in Brussels last 30 January, chaired by Sweden.
The following stood out among the matters discussed:
1. European Commission (EC) initiatives
The EC summarised the meeting with the co-legislators (trialogue) done by the Estonian presidency in December 2017. Two new meetings are planned for February under the Bulgarian presidency. The aim of those meetings is to reach a political agreement on the new Electronic Communications Code in April, according to the Council’s conclusions.
Another focus was the EC-commissioned study on future use of millimetric waves in the 5G ecosystem of the Union (SMART 2017/0015). The study will be done by the following consultants: IDATE Consulting, PLUM Consulting and Scott Marcus. The deadline for completion is one year, with a workshop planned in the first quarter of 2018.
2. Presidency initiatives
A report was presented on a study visit by an RSPG delegation to Hong Kong, Korea and Japan last 11-14 December. Besides discussion of 5G developments, the trip’s aim was to look at how they approach various issues associated to spectrum management.
3. RSPG WG 5G
The second draft opinion on spectrum-related aspects of next generation wireless systems (5G) was unanimously approved after being in public consultation until last 7 January. It is a new development of the roadmap to facilitate the large-scale launch of 5G in Europe from 2020 on. The aim is for the benefits of 5G-based services to be available for all European citizens on a timely basis, driving industrial and social transformation and economic growth in Europe after 2020.
4. RSPG WG WRC-19
The progress report from the RSPG working group in charge of matters concerning the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-19) was presented. The group is responsible for developing a draft opinion on WRC-19 which should contain elements important for the European Union (EU), with respect to agenda items, and set out in recommendations for EU positions, when appropriate.
The RSPG draft opinion on WRC-19 has progressed and should be completed in June 2018, for placement in public consultation. The aim is to have the opinion ‘closed’ by the end of 2018 so the positions to be defended by the EU member states can be clear before the second WRC-19 conference preparatory meeting (CPM19-2) in February 2019.
5. Good offices
The progress report of the working group was presented along with results of the fourth questionnaire on the 700 MHz band. The working group will resend the questionnaire to update the current situation in the various member states. The responses must be sent back before 7 May 2018, given that the roadmap has to be published by 30 June 2018.
6. RSPG WG DSM
The progress report of the working group in charge of implementing measures identified by the RSPG to promote the digital single market was presented. They include the peer review tool developed by the RSPG for spectrum allocation processes in the various member states.
The group is also in charge of coordinating with BEREC in joint work and/or when the material under consideration involves spectrum.
In the scope of the peer review, three workshops have already been organised:
- on processes for allocation of 3.5 GHz in the Czech Republic and Slovakia (26 September 2017 in the Czech Republic);
- presentation and debate on allocation processes for 700 MHz already completed or planned in various countries, namely Sweden, Norway, France and Germany (21 November 2017 in Brussels);
- on 3.6 GHz spectrum allocation in Ireland (16 January 2018 in Ireland).
In those workshops the countries made available the experts involved in the auction processes so they could duly answer questions.
7. Programme of future RSPG work
The RSPG’s working programme was approved following the respective public consultation, which ended last 7 January.
The next RSPG meetings will be held in Brussels on 5 June and 3 October 2018.
