The German city of Mainz hosted last 7-9 March the 18th meeting of the working group ECC TG3-UWB (ultra wide band), a group mandated to develop regulatory solutions for devices using UWB technology in bands below 10.6 GHz.
Regarding specific UWB applications, the proposed Decision ECC/DEC/(06)KK (Building Material Analysis (BMA) Devices Using UWB Technology in Bands below 8.0 GHz) was not adopted at the last ECC meeting, as it was not possible to reach agreement on the limit to set for protecting radio-astronomy service from BMA device emissions. The proposed BMA Decision was revised and approved by TG3 and will be forwarded for final adoption to the next meeting of the Electronic Communications Committee (ECC).
As for generic UWB devices below 10.6 GHz, various items were debated in order to see whether it is possible to expand some of the limits of Decision ECC(DEC)/(06)04 approved in March 2006, among them:
- A new concept was adopted to develop the DAA (detect and avoid) mitigation technique - 'Flexible DAA' - which is based on an ''isolation criterion'' in which the applicable protection limit depends on the distance between the UWB system and the victim systems;
- The analyses to determine the emission limit for UWB devices in the 2.7-3.4 GHz and 8.5-9 GHz bands were finalised;
- The study on the LDC (low duty cycle) mitigation technique and DAA for UWB devices in the 3.1-3.4 GHz band remains under study;
- The adoption of a new emission limit for UWB devices in the 3.4-3.8 GHz band (-80 dBm/MHz), which ensures protection for FWA service in interior spaces equivalent to that given to land mobile service in ECC Report 64, was accepted as a compromise solution;
- It was concluded that the installation of UWB devices in automobile vehicles and trains can be authorised by Decision ECC/DEC/(06)04. However, besides the obligations contained in the Decision these devices will have to implement power control;
- The work that will have to be conducted if UWB devices are to be installed on board aircraft was identified, though it must be stressed that this issue is not considered urgent;
- Two possible solutions were proposed to make it possible to install UWB devices in fixed exterior installations;
- The report in reply to the European Commission mandates was developed, specifically the reply to the third mandate and the part of the second mandate still needing a reply, associated with mitigation techniques;
- Decision ECC/DEC/(06)04 was revised and will be sent to the ECC to be adopted for public consultation; an introductory note has also been prepared to explain the possible options to allow the installation of UWB devices in fixed exterior installations.
