During its 42nd Plenary meeting (Stockholm, 14-17 June 2016), the ECC made a number of decisions on spectrum use and developed responses to Mandates from the European Commission in relation to various sectors: Public Protection and Disaster Relief communications (PPDR), wireless mobile communications on board aircrafts (MCA) and on board vessels (MCV), wireless broadband communications, Short Range Devices (SRD) and Programme Making and Special Events applications (PMSE).
Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR)
The ECC approved for publication the ECC Decision (16)02 on harmonised conditions and frequency bands for broadband PPDR systems. It addresses the identification of spectrum, optional solutions and relevant technical conditions within the 450-470 MHz and 700 MHz frequency ranges for broadband PPDR systems.
The ECC also approved for publication the revised ECC Decision (08)05 which provides an update on the harmonisation of frequency bands for the implementation of digital PPDR narrow band and wide band radio applications in bands within the 380-470 MHz range.
It was also confirmed that a joint ETSI-CEPT Workshop on Public Protection and Disaster Relief - Regulatory Changes and New Opportunities for Broadband PPDR will be held on 29 September 2016 at the ETSI headquarters in Sophia-Antipolis, France.
Short Range Devices (SRD)
The ECC approved for publication CEPT Report 59 in response to the EC Permanent Mandate on the ”Annual update of the technical annex of the Commission Decision on the technical harmonisation of radio spectrum for use by short range devices.” The CEPT Report contains a range of proposals to amend the Commission Decision on SRD during the 6th update cycle in accordance with the related developments within CEPT.
An Addendum to this Report, which will be ready for public consultation in November 2016, will address the opportunities for SRDs in the ranges 870-876 MHz and 915-921 MHz.
Mobile Communications on board aircrafts (MCA) and on board vessels (MCV)
The ECC approved for public consultation a draft CEPT Report 63 to the European Commission in response to the Mandate “to undertake technical studies regarding the possibility of making the usage of the network control unit (NCU) optional on-board MCA enabled aircraft”. Based on the findings of this Report, the ECC also approved for public consultation the amended ECC Decision (06)07 on the harmonised use of airborne GSM and LTE systems in the frequency bands 1710-1785 MHz and 1805-1880 MHz, and airborne UMTS systems in the frequency bands 1920-1980 MHz and 2110-2170 MHz.
With regard to MCV, the ECC finally approved for publication the CEPT Report 62 to the European Commission in response to the Mandate on ‘Coexistence studies between seaborne UMTS and LTE with terrestrial electronic communications networks operating in the 1 710-1 785 / 1 805-1 880 MHz, 1 920-1 980 / 2 110-2 170 MHz and 2 500-2 570 / 2 620-2 690 MHz bands’. It is consistent with the recently updated ECC framework.
Wireless broadband communications
The ECC decide to organize early November 2016 a workshop on the requirements and developments related to 5G, with a special emphasis on the spectrum aspects.
It was also decided to start assessing whether the technical framework developed for mobile/fixed communications networks (MFCN) in the 3.4-3.8 GHz band would be suitable to 5G.
The ECC approved for public consultation the draft ECC Report 254, which provides operational guidelines to support the implementation of the current ECC framework for MFCN in the 3.6-3.8 GHz range, outlining procedures to enable administrations to allow sharing with other services in this band.
Programme Making and Special Events (PMSE)
The ECC finally approved for publication CEPT Reports 61 to the European Commission in response to the Mandate on “Harmonised compatibility and sharing conditions for Video PMSE in the 2.7-2.9 GHz frequency band, taking into account radar use”.
Other issues
The ECC approved for public consultation draft CEPT Report 64, 2nd and final Report in response to the EC Mandate on the 5 GHz extension bands for RLANs. It summarises the status of the latest compatibility studies and identifies the areas (e.g. mitigation techniques) to be further addressed.
The ECC approved for public consultation the amended ECC Decision (12)01 on the exemption from individual licensing and free circulation and use of terrestrial and satellite mobile terminals operating under the control of networks.
A summary of the outcome from the meeting is available here.
