The fifth meeting of project team D (PTD) of CEPT’s Conference Preparatory Group (CPG) took place from 27 February to 2 March 2018 in Stavanger, Norway, attended by about 62 participants, including the observer from the European Communications Office (ECO) and representatives of the industry and operators.
CPG PTD is responsible for the following agenda items of the 2019 ITU World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-19).
Agenda item: 1.1 (Amateur)
CPG PTD received various contributions, resulting in changes to the following documents:
- After the contributions were discussed, the CEPT Brief was revised, specifically to indicate that CEPT supports the allocation in the [50-XX] MHz frequency band for amateur service in Region 1 on a [primary/secondary] basis and also that CEPT considers that amateur service should not cause interference or claim protection from incumbent services. CEPT supports not amending the Radio Regulation (RR) in the [XX-54] frequency band in Region 1;
- Regarding the justification of spectrum needs, bearing the contributions in mind, it was considered that the matter is not yet finalised. For the time being the XX values vary between 1.75 MHz or 4 MHz.
Agenda item: 1.12 (Intelligent transport systems – ITS)
Various contributions were received with proposed revisions of the CEPT Brief and the European common proposal (ECP), as well as proposals concerning the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM).
Regarding the CEPT Brief:
- CEPT’s position considers that the existing harmonisation measures in each region are sufficient, whereby there is no need to amend the RR. It has been proposed that harmonisation be done by means of a recommendation from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and if necessary a report. It is also indicated that CEPT is currently reviewing the ITS framework in the 63-64 GHz band;
- It was considered that harmonisation for ITS does not cover applications in the area of road tolling, known as electronic toll collection;
- It was agreed that no more actions will be necessary beyond those needed to send contributions to the group responsible for studies associated to terrestrial mobile service, excluding international mobile telecommunications, amateur and amateur satellite services (WP5A) concerning the working document with a view to the ITU report on use of ITS [ITS_USAGE];
It was furthermore agreed that the production of a recommendation and the withdrawal of Resolution 237 (WRC-15) on ITS applications will be sufficient, whereby it is proposed that the RR not be changed. A version amending the CPM text was also produced, indicating the proposal to not amend the RR and only two methods for resolving the question:
- Method A – not amend the RR and withdraw Resolution 237 (WRC-15).
- Method B – not amend the RR and draw up a resolution referring to the ITU recommendation on bands used by ITS or containing the frequency bands used globally and regionally by ITS [ITS_FRQ].
A proposal was also made to eliminate methods C and D, which propose the introduction of a footnote due to the absence of studies.
Also discussed were the proposals to revise the ITU report which contains the various frequencies used by ITS and their application (security or other uses), as well as the channelling, which identifies the traffic and control channels [ITS_FRQ_ ARRANGEMENTS].
Agenda item 1.16 (Radio Local Area Networks (RLAN) in 5 GHz)
Based on the discussions, the proposed brief was updated, taking into account the documents presented:
- 5150-5250 MHz band – owing to protection of aeronautic radars, this band is considered inappropriate for changes to the current regulatory framework for wireless access systems (WAS), including RLAN. CEPT notes that by weakening WAS/RLAN operating conditions, the results show incompatibilities with feeder links of systems for mobile satellite service, radio-navigation and aeronautic telemetry. CEPT is nevertheless studying the possibility, by imposing restrictions with other mitigation techniques, of authorising WAS/RLAN in vehicles limited to 25 mW;
- 5250-5350 MHz band – radars operating in this frequency band will be much more affected if there is a change to the current regulatory framework for RLAN. CEPT thus notes that the current studies show compatibility problems with incumbent services – Earth exploration by satellite service, radio-navigation and radio-determination – whereby no change is proposed for the RR in this band;
- 5350-5470 MHz band – CEPT’s position remains that of not amending the RR;
- 5725-5850 MHz band – studies with fixed satellite service (FSS) indicate the impossibility of RLANs operating in this band. CEPT notes that up to now no mitigation techniques have been proposed which would allow coexistence with frequency hopping radars. CEPT will continue to support allocation of this band for mobile service, as long as studies and mitigation techniques are presented to protect radars, fixed service and FSS space receivers;
- 5850-5925 MHz band – studies show compatibility problems between RLANs versus FSS without restrictions being imposed on incumbent services (FSS and ITS), whereby CEPT’s position is not to amend the RR;
Additionally, agreement was reached to separate the ECP by bands in order to help the administrations understand the situation in each band:
- Regarding the ECP for the 5250-5350 MHz frequency band, the United Kingdom disagrees with the introduced text “WAS/RLAN operating conditions in 5250-5350 MHz as given in Resolution 229 (WRC-12), would not ensure protection of the radio-determination service”. It proposes deleting radio-determination service, arguing that because dynamic frequency selection (DFS) exists, radio-determination service is protected. Russia nevertheless recalled that several studies have shown that in this band RLANs are not compatible with radio-determination service;
- Regarding the ECP for the 5350-5470 MHz frequency band, Russia indicated that it is necessary to show that DFS is ineffective; it was asked to propose text to resolve this matter;
- The wording of the ECP for the 5850-5925 MHz frequency band was amended, introducing text to more precisely reflect the studies’ reality.
Agenda item 9.1.5 (Amendment of footnotes 5.447F and 5.450A)
Based on the discussions, the Brief was updated in the following points:
- Recommendation ITU-R M.1849-1 (ground based Meteorological radars – Met based radars) may be inserted into footnote 5.450A, as there are no changes to the conditions imposed for allocating the band in order to protect incumbent services in the 5470-5725 MHz band;
- CEPT is opposed to insertion of Recommendation ITU-R M.1849-1 in footnote 5.447F, as the imposition of more restrictions on mobile service (especially aeronautic service) is envisaged in the 5250-5350 MHz band;
- Considering the technical studies’ results, CEPT only supports the reference to Recommendation ITU-R M.1638-0 in footnotes 5.447F and 5.450A;
- CEPT will investigate the impact of removing the phrases from the footnotes where the various recommendations are indicated, indicating that footnote 5.43A is not applied. This solution will in the future prevent any changes to the recommendations from having an impact on the footnotes.
Agenda item 9.1.6 (Wireless Power Transmission – WPT)
For the time being, CEPT’s position is to support the studies being done for electric vehicles (EVs). CEPT considers that no regulatory measure will be needed and that an ITU recommendation and report will be sufficient to specify the bands for WPT-EV. Portugal recalled the need to align the language with respect to the classification of WPT. This agenda item’s coordinator asked Portugal to send a contribution to the next meeting.
The ECP on this matter was revised with a view to simplification and to indicate that it is enough to prepare a report or recommendation to address the compatibility questions for electric vehicles.
Two liaison statements were drawn up for the working groups on Spectrum Engineering (WG SE) and Frequency Management (WG FM), indicating the deadlines for the studies and so that WG FM’s Short Range Devices/Maintenance Group (SRD/MG) can take the various WPT options into consideration in the new annex of Recommendation 70-03.
The next meeting will be held this coming 12-15 June in Tallinn, Estonia.
