The 66th meeting of ECC project team 1 (ECC PT1) was held in several videoconference sessions on 1-3 and 9-11 September 2020, chaired by Steve Green of the United Kingdom and attended by 187 participants.
Among others, ECC PT1’s mission is to develop harmonisation measures for bands identified for the International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) system, including respective channels and technical conditions, to conduct sharing/compatibility studies and to coordinate European positions within the Radiocommunication Sector of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R). It is also the team responsible for preparing the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-2023) with respect to agenda points 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 and 9.1.
The most significant issues dealt with at this meeting are set out below.
Decision ECC (18)06, the ECC Decision of 6 July 2018 on the harmonised technical conditions for mobile/fixed communications networks (MFCN) in the band 24.25-27.5 GHz, was approved on 6 July 2018 and amended in October 2018. In the wake of the WRC-19 results and the new limits for MFCN systems, there was a need to revise the decision. This was done at the last ECC PT1 meeting and the ECC subsequently (June 2020) approved same for public consultation. After considering the comments received in the public consultation, the proposed revision of Decision ECC (18)06 was submitted to the ECC meeting (November 2020) for final approval and respective publication.
The proposed Recommendation ECC (20)03 on frame structures to facilitate cross-border coordination of TDD MFCN in the frequency band 3400-3800 MHz was finalised at an extraordinary meeting of ECC PT1 on 19 May 2020 and subsequently adopted by the working group on Frequency Management (WG FM) in June 2020 for public consultation. After considering the comments received in the public consultation, the proposed revision of Recommendation ECC (20)03 was submitted to the WG FM meeting (October 2020) for final approval and respective publication.
Due to the WRC-19 results, it has become necessary to develop the channel arrangements for IMT and respective technical conditions for the 40.5-43.5 GHz band (40 GHz band). The deadline for finishing the channel arrangements for the 40 GHz band is July 2021. This matter will continue to be developed in ECC PT1.
The European Commission issued a mandate to CEPT to review the harmonised technical conditions in certain frequency bands that are harmonised in the European Union and to develop least restrictive technical conditions (LRTC), implying block edge mask (BEM) development, suitable for the next generation of wireless terrestrial systems (5G). To that end, ECC PT1 has already produced CEPT Report 72 https://www.ecodocdb.dk/download/06b2620f-202e/CEPTRep072.pdf (Report A: Review of technical conditions in the paired terrestrial 2 GHz and the 2.6 GHz frequency bands, and the usage feasibility of the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz frequency bands) and is developing the proposed CEPT report (Report B) meant to develop the BEM for the band of 900 MHz and 1800 MHz. For the time being, these are the only ‘mobile’ bands whose regulatory solution is in Decision ECC (06)13 which are still not technologically neutral, given that the regulatory solution is based on determination of the technologies that can operate in the bands, specifically Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) and long term evolution (LTE), besides the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). This matter will continue to be developed by ECC PT1.
There is a new working item: production of an ECC report meant to review the technical and regulatory conditions of Decision ECC (14)02 on harmonised technical and regulatory conditions for the use of the band 2300-2400 MHz for mobile/fixed communications networks (MFCN). The aim is to verify whether it is possible to accommodate 5G New Radio (NR) and Active Antenna Systems (AAS) in the 2300-2400 MHz frequency band. The matter will continue to be developed in ECC PT1.
Work also began on developing CEPT briefs for the following:
- item 1.2 of the WRC-23 agenda: to consider identification of the frequency bands 3300-3400 MHz, 3600-3800 MHz, 6425-7025 MHz, 7025-7125 MHz and 10.0-10.5 GHz for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT), including possible additional allocations to the mobile service on a primary basis, in accordance with Resolution 245 (WRC-19);
- item 1.3 of the WRC-23 agenda: to consider primary allocation of the band 3600-3800 MHz to mobile service within Region 1 and take appropriate regulatory actions, in accordance with Resolution 246 (WRC 19);
- item 1.4 of the WRC-23 agenda: to consider, in accordance with Resolution 247 (WRC 19), the use of high-altitude platform stations as IMT base stations (HIBS) in the mobile service in certain frequency bands below 2.7 GHz already identified for IMT, on a global or regional level;
- item 9.1 of the WRC-23 agenda: Article 21.5: Studies requested by WRC-19 in Document 550, and (from WRC-19 Document 550) “ITU-R is invited to study, as a matter of urgency, the applicability of the limit specified in No. 21.5 of the Radio Regulations to IMT stations, that use an antenna that consists of an array of active elements, with a view to recommend ways for its possible replacement or revision for such stations, as well as any necessary updates to Table 21-2 related to terrestrial and space services sharing frequency bands. Furthermore, the ITU-R is invited to study, as a matter of urgency, verification of No. 21.5 regarding the notification of IMT stations that use an antenna that consists of an array of active elements, as appropriate”.
