The 20th meeting of the Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) was held last 23-27 June in the Norwegian town of Kristiansand, attended by representatives of 34 administrations, 11 observers, the European Radiocommunications Office (ERO) and the European Commission.
The following documents were approved:
- Decision ECC/DEC/(08)05 on ''The Harmonisation of Frequency Bands for the Implementation of Digital Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) Radio Applications in Bands within the 380-470 MHz Range'', which also revokes Decision ERC/DEC/(96)01 - 27 administrations, among them Portugal, manifested their intention to implement same;
- Modifications of Decision ECC/DEC/(06)12 on ''Complementary Regulatory Provisions for Devices Using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Technology'', for public consultation;
- Decision ECC/DEC/(08)06 - for revocation of Decisions ERC/DEC/(00)03, ERC/DEC/(00)04 and ERC/DEC/(00)05 - which will only take force on 26 March 2009, to enable the administrations that so require to update their legislative documents;
- Decision ECC/DEC/(08)07 - for revocation of Decisions ERC/DEC/(98)03, ERC/DEC/(98)17, ERC/DEC/(98)18 and ERC/DEC/(98)24;
- CEPT C Report - ''A Preliminary Assessment of the Feasibility of Fitting New/Future Applications/Services into Non-Harmonised Spectrum of the Digital Dividend (namely the so-called 'white spots' between allotments)'' and ''Technical Roadmap Proposing Relevant Technical Options and Scenarios to Optimise the Digital Dividend, Including Steps Required during the Transition Period before Analogue Switch-off'', as CEPT Reports 23 and 24, respectively, as a response to the Commission mandate on ''Technical Considerations Regarding Harmonisation Options for the Digital Dividend'' and completing with this third part the response to the first EC mandate on the digital dividend;
- ECC Report 119 on ''Coexistence between Mobile Systems in the 2.6 GHz Frequency Band at the FDD/TDD (or TDD/TDD Unsynchronized) Boundary'';
- ECC Report 120 on ''Technical Requirements for UWB DAA (Detect And Avoid) Devices to Ensure the Protection of Radiolocation in the Bands 3.1-3.4 GHz and 8.5-9 GHz and BWA Terminals in the Band 3.4-4.2 GHz'';
- Report on the receiver parameter policy developed by the ERO, which will be submitted to public consultation, as well as the associated pilot project in the 3400-3800 MHz frequency band.
Also analysed was the European Commission's second mandate to CEPT on the digital dividend; the division of tasks among the various working groups involved was also determined, so that the ambitious deadlines can be met. In this regard, a discussion panel on the digital dividend was held, in which the mobile operators, by means of the GSM association (GSMA), and the broadcasting operators, by means of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), presented their view, including a study produced by the mobile operators on the way to best optimise the spectrum value in question depending on its allocation.
Also noteworthy, in the wake of the most recent CEPT Assembly held in Malta last June, is that a decision was made to proceed under the ECC Steering Group with a first analysis of the Recommendations issued by same, to identify possible forms of response to be debated and agreed on at the Committee's next plenary meeting in late October. Highlights include the recommendations concerning a more strategic approach and the strengthening of the economic component, as well as co-ordination with other entities and the involvement of a wider range of players.
The meeting was also marked by:
- Debate about cognitive and software defined radio and agreement to hold a workshop on the subject in the last quarter of 2008, so that the results can be discussed at the ECC plenary meeting in March 2009;
- Agreement to annually analyse potential modifications to the rules of procedure and working methods, with a view to conducting one ordinary revision per triennium, without excluding immediate changes on issues deemed to be urgent;
- Agreement on an extraordinary revision of the working methods with respect to the mechanisms for completing CEPT Reports, in response to Commission mandates, to better include the results of the associated public consultations;
- Agreement on the need to verify, as a test of the Block Edge Mask (BEM) in the 2.6 GHz frequency band, UWB DAA and GSMOBV (GSM on board vessels), applicability of the specifications template of the radio equipment interface developed by TCAM;
- Debate about revising Decision ERC/DEC/(97)03, concerning ''Harmonised Use of Spectrum for Satellite Personal Communication Services (SPCS) Operating Within the Bands 1610-1626.5 MHz, 2483.5-2500 MHz, 1980-2010 MHz and 2170-2200 MHz'', and agreement to draw up a new decision in this context to replace the current one, with the recommendation that the new Decision not contain frequency band segmentation by technologies;
- Encouragement of the administrations to suspend the sale of all illegal wireless telephones;
- Decision to insert in Decisions ECC/DEC/(05)05 and ECC/DEC/(02)06 cross references to Decision 2008/411/EC, all concerning the 2.6 GHz frequency band.
The plenary meeting also approved clarifying the representative nature of the European HD Radio Alliance (EHDRA), with a view to possible approval of an LoU (Letter of Understanding) with same.
The Forum for Public Safety Communication in Europe reported on its activity promoting emergency communication systems, also indicating that it was important for same to have more spectrum in the UHF frequencies.
The next plenary meeting will be held in the Spanish city of Córdoba on 23-27 October 2008.
