This summary provides a roundup of the main outcomes of ECC Working Group and Project Team meetings which have taken place in January 2018.
Included for this period:
8-11 January: CPG advanced on the CEPT preparation for WRC-19 and set up the process to identify possible items for WRC-23
11-12 January: SRD/MG developed the interim response to the EC Mandate on ITS at 5.9 GHz
16-17 January: FM51 further discussed the regulatory and legal issues related to audio PMSE in the 960-1164 MHz band
16-18 January: FM44 completed a set of draft deliverables on the development of a regulatory framework for Ku-band ESIM
22-23 January: FM56 addressed future spectrum use of GSM-R and its successor system
22-26 January: WGSE approved for consultation various draft ECC deliverables on studies including on SRDs and Fixed Service
24-25 January: FM54 discussed technical requirements for inclusion in a draft ECC Decision for land mobile systems, including PMR/PAMR applications
30-31 January: PT FNI initiated work on sub-assignment of E.164 and E.212 numbering resources
30 January 1 February: SE7 discussed methodology and parameters for the compatibility studies between audio PMSE and aeronautical systems in the band 960-1164 MHz
8-11 January 2018 – The Conference Preparatory Group (CPG), the lead group for CEPT preparations for the World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19), had its fifth meeting in Budapest, Hungary
CPG considered the relevant results of its four CPG Project Teams and of ECC PT1 dealing with preparation for WRC-19. In particular, CPG approved the revised versions of the draft CEPT briefs for each WRC-19 agenda item, including the respective preliminary CEPT positions.
CPG also approved the first preliminary European Common Proposals (ECP) for agenda items 1.11 (Train and Trackside Communication) and 1.12 (Intelligent Transport Systems). In both cases, CEPT is of the view that no changes to the Radio Regulations are required to satisfy these items, as both could be better addressed through relevant ITU-R Recommendations or Reports.
In the context of WRC-19 agenda item 1.13 (IMT above 24 GHz), CPG approved a CEPT contribution to ITU-R Task Group 5/1 to inform them on the CEPT roadmap for 5G, highlighting the work to harmonise the frequency band 24.25-27.5 and the removal of 32 GHz from the list of priorities for study. Furthermore, three CEPT contributions were sent to ITU-R Working Group 4A in relation to agenda item 1.5 (ESIM), agenda item 7 (Satellite procedures) and on the topic of cost recovery for non-GSO systems.
CPG encouraged its Project Teams to start the development of draft ECPs on all agenda items.
CPG agreed that the preparation on agenda Item 10 (new agenda items for WRC-23) will be dealt with in its Project Team CPG-PTA. CEPT administrations and stakeholders are invited to provide initial proposals in due time.
CPG liaised with Com-ITU on spectrum related issues relevant for the preparation of Plenipotentiary Conference 2018.
Additional information on the CEPT preparation for WRC-19 is available on the CPG page.
11-12 January 2018 – The Frequency Management Short Range Devices Maintenance Group (SRD/MG) held an extraordinary meeting in ECO, Copenhagen, Denmark
This extraordinary meeting was set up to progress the work in response to the Mandate from the European Commission to CEPT to study the extension of the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) safety-related band at 5.9 GHz, as well as to consider ITS under the permanent mandate for SRD (ITS below 5875 MHz).
In line with the schedule of the Mandate, SRD/MG produced a draft interim report in response to the Mandate. It provides an overview of the current on-going ECC activities on:
- technology neutrality for Road ITS and Urban Rail (CBTC) ITS and its consequences;
- safety-related requirements for Road ITS and Urban Rail (CBTC) ITS;
- preliminary elements on coexistence scenarios and mitigation techniques.
This interim report will be forwarded to the next meetings of Working Group Frequency Management (WG FM, 5-9 February 2018) and ECC Plenary (27 February-2 March) for approval.
SRD/MG also set up the draft structure for the CEPT Report in response to the Mandate and agreed to create, in parallel to the work under the Mandate, a new ECC Report with focus on the Urban Rail (CBTC) ITS and Road ITS spectrum sharing solutions.
SRD/MG identified the technical work (new studies and verification of existing ones) which are expected to be performed by WG SE / SE24, subject to confirmation from WG FM.
For further details on this item and other activities, see the SRD/MG webpage.
16-17 January 2018 – The Frequency Management Project Team FM 51, dealing with spectrum for programme making and special events applications (PMSE), met in London, United Kingdom
FM 51 continued its activities regarding the possible usage of low power audio PMSE in the band 960-1164 MHz and further developed the working document on the regulatory and legal issues related to the topic. Most of the discussions focussed on the identification and description of potential legal and regulatory issues.
FM 51 noted the progress made by correspondence on the development of guidelines for the use of video PMSE in the 2.7-2.9 GHz band.
FM 51 gathered relevant information on national regulatory conditions for audio PMSE, in particular on eventual bandwidth/channel limitations. This will be forwarded to the next WG FM meeting to inform its planned discussion related to Wireless Multichannel Audio Systems (WMAS).
Details on these items and on other activities are available on the FM 51 webpage.
16-18 January 2018 –The Frequency Management Project Team FM 44, dealing with satellite communications, met in ECO, Copenhagen, Denmark
FM 44 continued its activities on the development of the regulatory framework for earth stations in motion (ESIM) in the 10.7-12.75 GHz (space to Earth) and 14-14.5 GHz (Earth to space) bands and completed the following draft deliverables:
- A draft ECC Decision on the harmonised use of ESIM operating with non-geostationary (NGSO) FSS satellite systems in these bands. It is supported by a draft ECC Report on the related regulatory issues .
- A draft ECC Decision on the harmonised use of land based ESIM operating with geostationary (GSO) satellite systems in these bands.
The three draft deliverables are submitted to the next WG FM meeting (5-9 February 2018) for approval for public consultation.
In addition, FM 44 agreed a draft ECC Report on satellite solutions for 5G to be sent to WGFM for approval for public consultation, subject to comments from ECC/PT1 which will be submitted directly to WG FM.
FM 44 continued to develop a draft ECC Report on frequency bands for the implementation of M2M/IoT operation via satellite.
Details on these items and on other activities are available on the FM 44 webpage.
22-23 January 2018 – The Frequency Management Project Team FM 56, dealing with Radio Spectrum for Railway Applications, held an extraordinary meeting in ECO, Copenhagen, Denmark
FM56 continued the drafting of the draft ECC Report on the assessment of the spectrum requirements for future mobile railway communication systems (FRMCS, successor to GSM-R).
FM56 agreed draft answers to the questions sent by the European Commission to ECC and on the additional ones raised by national administrations related to the future spectrum use of GSM-R and the successor system to GSM-R, including related coexistence issues. The corresponding document is submitted to the next meeting of WG FM (5-9 February 2018) and then to the ECC Plenary (27 February-2 March 2018) for approval.
FM56 also identified the coexistence studies which need to be performed for RMR (Railway Mobile Radio including GSM-R and FRMCS systems) in the 900 MHz range as well in other potential bands (e.g. in parts of 1900-1920 MHz). As a result, draft liaison statements to the Working Group Spectrum Engineering (WG SE) and to ECC/PT1 have been developed to request technical studies. They are submitted to WG FM for approval.
More details are available on the FM 56 webpage.
22-26 January 2018 – The Working Group Spectrum Engineering (WG SE) had its 78th meeting in Rome, Italy
WG SE approved for publication the following ECC Reports:
- ECC Report 270 on sharing studies between Telecoil Replacement Systems (ALD/TRS) and MSS in the frequency range 1656.5-1660.5 MHz;
- ECC Report 271 on compatibility and sharing studies related to NGSO Earth stations on mobile platforms (ESOMPs) satellite systems operating in the FSS bands 10.7-12.75 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 14-14.5 GHz (Earth-to-space);
- ECC Report 272 on Earth Stations operated in the frequency bands 2-6 GHz, 12-18 GHz and 18-40 GHz in the vicinity of aircraft, which supersedes ECC Report 066.
The following draft ECC deliverables were approved for public consultation (scheduled from 9 February to 23 March 2018):
- Draft ECC Report 276 on thresholds for the coordination of CDMA and LTE broadband systems in the 400 MHz band;
- Draft ECC Report 277 on the use of SRD applications in cars in the 5725-5875 MHz band;
- Draft ECC Report 278 on UWB based vehicular access systems;
- Draft ECC Recommendation ECC/REC/(18)01 on channel/block arrangements for Fixed Service in the band 130 174.8 GHz (D-band),
- Draft revised ECC Report 173 on Fixed Service in Europe - Current use and future trends post 2016;
WG SE endorsed three studies related to FSS and developed in support of WG FM/FM 44 for the first two ones and in support of CPG for the third one:
- Impact of operating aircraft mounted Earth stations in the 12.75 – 13.25 GHz (Earth-to-space) FSS allocation;
- Impact of vehicle-mounted earth stations and earth stations on trains operating with GSO FSS systems in the 14 – 14.5 GHz (Earth to space) frequency band;
- Power-flux density mask to protect the Fixed Service (FS) in accordance with Resolution 155 (WRC-15) in the frequency band 14 – 14.47 GHz.
WG SE discussed further the other activities of its Project Teams and updated its work programme accordingly, in particular with the creation of a new Work Item SE40_35 on Further sharing and compatibility studies on NGSO satellite systems operating in 10.7-12.75 GHz and in the 14 - 14.5 GHz FSS allocations, in order to include new studies for another NGSO system.
Details on these items and on other activities are available on the WG SE webpage.
24-25 January 2018 – The Frequency Management Project Team FM 54, dealing with Private/Professional Land Mobile Systems, had its 17th meeting in ECO, Copenhagen, Denmark
FM 54 continued its work on the development of the new draft ECC Decision under development for land mobile systems (in particular for PMR/PAMR applications) in the frequency ranges 68-87.5 MHz, 146-174 MHz, 406.1-430 MHz and 440-470 MHz. Specifically, FM 54 discussed the technical requirements which should be included in the new Decision and how to present them in a technology neutral way. Approval for public consultation is planned for September 2018.
FM 54 also amended the draft ECC Report on the use and the future opportunities for PMR/PAMR in the 400 MHz ranges.
The working document towards the revision of Recommendation T/R 25-08 (Planning criteria and coordination of frequencies for land mobile systems in the range 29.7-470 MHz) was further developed. The revision is scheduled for submission to WG FM for approval for public consultation in May 2018.
More details are available on the FM 54 webpage.
30-31 January 2018 – The Numbering and Networks Project Team FNI, responsible for future numbering issues, met in The Hague, Netherlands
During this meeting, PT FNI started work on two new work items:
- Draft ECC Report – Sub-assignment of E.164 and E.212 numbering resources: this report will analyse the advantages and disadvantages of different sub-assignment practices in the CEPT area with a view to identifying best practices and opportunities for harmonisation. This report is planned for public consultation in November 2018.
- Review of ECC Recommendation (12)04 – Numbering for nomadic voice services: PT FNI identified that draft ECC Report 273 on numbering for OTT services (under public consultation until 14 February 2018) may have an impact on ECC Recommendation (12)04. Since PT FNI will agree on the final draft of ECC Report 273 at its next meeting in April, it was then timely to start work on reviewing ECC Rec (12)04.
Further information on these items and on other activities is available on the PT FNI webpage.
30 January – 1 February 2018 – The Spectrum Engineering Project Team SE 7, responsible for compatibility and sharing issues of the mobile systems (except MFCN/IMT/5G), had its meeting in Copenhagen, ECO, Denmark
This meeting was dedicated to the compatibility studies related to the possible introduction of low power audio PMSE applications in the 960-1164 MHz band.
SE7 had extensive exchange on the methodologies and approach to perform the compatibility studies between audio PMSE and the aeronautical systems in the band 960-1164 MHz. SE7 also discussed the system parameters required to conduct the studies and considered a possible structure for the corresponding draft ECC Report.
Further details are available on the SE 7 webpage.