The EC having already published its snappily-named Wireless Access Platforms for Electronic Communications Services (WAPECS) mandate, the focus in 2007 was on producing technical specifications for generic licenses.
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Monday, December 31, 2007
2007 Review - Smooth ride to adoption of generic licenses
Progress towards generic licensing on a EU-wide basis encountered minor glitches during the course of the year, but there were no major dramas.
2007 Review - Reding fails to get Council support for DVB-H
In the face of widespread opposition Information society commissioner Viviane Reding failed to get DVB-H recognised as the sole European standard for mobile TV.
Early in the year Reding took most people by surprise when she threatened to mandate DVB-H as the sole standard if member states did not get their act together and throw their weight behind the European standard.
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Friday, December 28, 2007
Review of 2007 - Foundations laid for mass-market UWB
Usage of unlicensed spectrum using both ultra-wideband (UWB) technology in the 3.4 to 9GHz part of the spectrum and WirelessHD technology at 60GHz crept tantalisingly closer in Europe during 2007.
In February the way was theoretically cleared for a mass market in ultra-wideband (UWB) products to develop in Europe, as is already happening in the US and Japan, when the EC UWB decision was published. The decision aims to "allow the use of the radio spectrum for equipment using UWB technology in a harmonised manner in the community".
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Monday, December 24, 2007
Swedish regulator releases terms for 2.6GHz auction
The Swedish National Post and Telecom Agency (PTS) has announced two separate spectrum auctions to be held in the first half of 2008.
These will be for licenses to provide wireless services in the 2.6GHz band and the 1900 to 1905MHz band.
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Friday, December 21, 2007
January 2008 printed issue available for download
Our top story this month is the boost for cognitive radio contained in the UK regulator's plans for the digital dividend.
Also in this issue we look at the politics behind the delay in repealing the GSM directive and the concern about protecting the scientific services vital in predicting natural disasters and preventing global warming.
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Sweden decides on allocation of the digital dividend
Swedish government says upper UHF bands should be for non-broadcast services but leaves the details up to the regulator.
The Swedish government has now decided what to do with the spectrum freed up from switching off analogue broadcasting signals, the so-called digital dividend. Sweden was one of the first countries in the world to complete the switch from analogue to digital in mid-October 2007, a few weeks after neighbouring Finland became the second country to do so.
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Consultation: Approach to auctioning 2500 - 2690 MHz and 2010 - 2025 MHz
The proposed auction rules and procedures for the award of 2500 - 2690 MHz and 2010 - 2025 MHz. The draft regulations have also been published. The auction will be held in summer 2008.
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Consultation: Response to European Commission WAPECS mandate
Recommendations on a generic, technology and service neutral approach to licensing in 470 to 862MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, the 2GHz bands, 2500 to 2690MHz and 3.4 to 3.8GHz. The report concludes that all these bands should be suitable "for the introduction of flexibility".
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Thursday, December 20, 2007
EEC meeting approves WAPECS report for consultation
European regulators agree a draft framework for technology neutral licensing in GSM frequencies; 2.6GHz "3G expansion band" and in the TV frequencies.
The European telecoms regulators organisation's working group SE42 has presented its report responding to the European Commission's mandate to CEPT "to develop least restrictive technical conditions for frequency bands addressed in the context of Wireless Access Platforms for Electronic Communications Services (WAPECS)" to an EEC meeting in Amsterdam.
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Cognitive radio gets opening in Europe
With Europe's regulators close to making a recommendation on cognitive radio Ofcom has adopted the US approach of allowing the technology to be used in the TV bands provided it doesn't cause interference.
The Open Spectrum foundation, which lobbies for the removal of unnecessary restrictions on the use of frequencies, asked Ofcom to set aside 24MHz of released analogue TV frequencies for unlicensed use. This request was refused in the UK regulators long awaited Digital Dividend Review (DDR) statement, which was published on December 13.
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Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Grant to improve Europe's flow of satellite earth-observation data
On 18 December the the European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA) announced a €48M grant to ensure the effective supply of the earth observation data collected from space.
On 18 December the the European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA) announced a €48M grant to ensure the effective supply of the earth observation data collected from space. The data will be sent to the <a href=http://www.gmes.info/index.php?id=home>Global Monitoring for Environment and Security</a> (GMES) service, a European initiative which collates up-to-date and accurate information about the state of the planet. This can then be used as the basis for decisions on environmental and security issues by governments, companies and individuals. GMES beings its test phase in 2008.
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New efforts to safeguard space services used to predict disasters
With the next World Radio Conference due to examine whether the growth of short range devices could cause interference scientists are rallying regulators for better protection of the space-based sensing systems which monitor global warming.
Passive sensors can operate in the earth exploration-satellite service or in the space research service and in a variety of frequency bands. Protecting passive sensing from other services is critical to its proper functioning, said Tom von Deak, spectrum project manager at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Spectrum Management Office, speaking in a personal capacity. Active services can negatively impact reception of naturally occurring, very low-level radio waves that allow measurement of ocean salinity, soil moisture, water vapor, wind, ice, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and other areas, he said. The naturally occurring emissions only occur in specific ranges. "That's why Radio Regulations are very important for passive sensors," van Deak said during a December 10 to 11 Remote Sensing Workshop at ITU. All objects emit radio waves, which convey information, he said.
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Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Repeal of GSM directive delayed
The agreement between EU member states to allow 900MHz and 1800MHz to be used for technologies other than 2G has not been passed into law as expected because of procedural objections raised by the European Parliament.
The European Parliament has delayed consideration of the European Commission proposal to repeal the 1987 GSM Directive, saying the matter should be handled in the context of the overhaul of EU telecommunications regulations. While there is no substantive disagreement between the Commission and Parliament over the plan, the issue has been caught up in a power struggle between the two institutions, a parliamentary source said. Nevertheless, both sides said they were confident the issue could be resolved before final action on the telecom package.
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https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/repeal-of-gsm-directive-delayed
Friday, December 14, 2007
Mobile TV advances despite lack of consumer interest
The European Commission and many others are convinced that mobile TV is a major opportunity for the region but new research suggests a challenging business model.
The European Commission may think mobile TV is the "next big thing" but market research shows a "pretty dire" scenario for the service, European Broadcasting Union spectrum advisor Phil Laven said recently. There are commercial offerings in Italy and Finland but their statistics are less than encouraging, he said. Laven's pessimism found support in a recent U.K. Office of Communications (Ofcom) digital dividend review which found mobile TV last on consumers' wish list of services. Nevertheless, plans for new offerings are moving ahead.
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Thursday, December 13, 2007
Ofcom sticks to market principles but throws in a few surprises
The Digital Dividend Review concludes that released frequencies should be auctioned but makes an exception for wireless mics. There is unexpected support for cognitive radio and local TV but the 'innovation reserve' is rejected.
Ofcom this morning released the outcome of its two year long Digital Dividend Review process. Its conclusions on the use of the released frequencies follow the expected market-orientated lines. "It is right to retain our presumption against intervening to limit the use of spectrum," says the foreword to the <a href=http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/ddr/>Digital Dividend Review (DDR) statement</a> "In rapidly changing and converging markets, we think that the market is better placed than the regulator to determine the best uses of spectrum, including the digital dividend," it continues.
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Friday, December 7, 2007
Joint task group created to investigate sharing broadcasting and mobile services
The preparatory meeting for WRC-2011 has set up a special body to study broadcast/mobile band sharing . Engineers will also be examining the possibility of interference from large numbers short range devices.
The process of getting ready for the next World Radio Conference in 2011 began only a few days after WRC-07 ended. Half of the 38 radiocommunication services, along with enhancing the radiocommunication regulatory framework, are wrapped up in the WRC 2011 agenda. About 175 officials from 54 countries and 15 companies met on November 19 and 20 during a Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) to plan work during the next four years.
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Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Can the Framework Review proposals be approved in time?
Ministers say the Commission's plans will need to be debated throughout the next two Presidencies, making it a very tight timetable to achieve agreement before the 2009 European elections.
When the European Commission presented its proposals on the review of the regulatory framework for electronic communications and services to the Council of the European Union on November 29, it was soon apparent that telecoms ministers had the same reservations as earlier expressed by many national regulators.
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Council of Ministers: one meeting but two different stories
InfoSoc Commissioner Viviane Reding says the Council of Ministers has backed her pro-DVB-H strategy for mobile TV; the ministers themselves say they want technology neutrality.
At a press conference on Nov 29, following a Council of the European Union meeting of telecommunications ministers, Viviane Reding, the European Commissioner for Information Society and Media, proclaimed it "a good day for Europe's single market and European consumers".
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Friday, November 30, 2007
December 2007 printed issue available for download
We have two top stories this month: the results of WRC-07 and an analysis of the European Commission's Framework Review Package
We examine the implications of the WRC-07 agreement for advanced mobile services and also for satellite. On the Framework Review we interview Commissioner Reding, consider the varied stance towards the digital dividend and hear broadcasters concerns about service neutrality.
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Thursday, November 29, 2007
Consultation: Radio Frequency Identification Applications
Frequency bands, regulatory and informative parameters recommended for RFID applications including automatic article identification, asset tracking, alarm systems, waste management, personal identification, access control, proximity sensors, anti-theft systems, location systems, data transfer to handheld devices and wireless control systems. Other types of RFID systems can be operated in accordance with other proposals.
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Consultation: Two consultations on frequency bands for intelligent transport systems
ERO is inviting comments on the harmonised use of 5875-5925MHz for Intelligent Transport Systems and also on the use of 5855-5875 MHz for the same purpose.
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Consultation: Use of mobile communications services on aircraft
Following the CEPT Decision ECC/DEC/(06)07 on the harmonised use of airborne GSM systems in the frequency bands 1710-1785 and 1805-1880 MHz ANRCTI has put forward a draft amendment to its existing framework. It is inviting views on this draft.
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Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Commission proposes mandatory harmonisation of part of digital dividend
Brussels urges member states to split up released analogue TV frequencies into three sub bands and relocate broadcasters operating in the upper bands.
Although the legislative Framework Review proposals published by the Commission this month contain no plans to restrict member states' freedom to allocate spectrum as they choose, the same cannot be said of a document setting out long term policy goals released at the same time.
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Friday, November 23, 2007
270,000 euros for a national broadband licence in Sweden
Sweden's 3.6-3.8GHz auction has raised proportionately much less than the Norwegian auction earlier in the month.
44 operators have paid a total of €475 000 euros (4,434,000 krona) for a series of regional licences in the 3.6-3.8GHz band in Sweden.
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France: more support for high speed mobile access in digital dividend
The second half of the French regulators research on using the freed-up analogue TV frequencies has shown that most market players - except broadcasters - want the bands used for mobile
Covering France in very high-speed mobile Internet access is "a major political concern," the Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes (ARCEP) said in a summary of responses to its public consultation on the digital dividend. With mobile communications preparing to follow the same track as fixed services toward high-speed and very high-speed access, many commentators argued reassignment and harmonisation of frequencies below 1 GHz are crucial, the regulator said. Broadcasters, however, opposed any decision on the digital dividend until after switchover.
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Thursday, November 22, 2007
Consultation: The Future of Digital Terrestrial Television
Plans to increase the capacity of one of the DTT multiplexes by 160% by using MPEG4 and DVB-T2. This could create space for either 4 HDTV channels or 20 standard definition channels. The extra capacity would be allocated to broadcasters via a beauty contest.
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Ofcom: you can provide HDTV without using the digital dividend
The UK regulator has set out plans to squeeze four HDTV channels into the digital TV frequencies without removing any of the existing services or using any of the frequencies released by analogue switchoff.
Ofcom's plans are based on utilising the combined benefits of MPEG4 and DVB-T2. MPEG4 is a compression technology which is 100% more efficient that the current standard, MPEG2; DVB-T2 is a new transmission technology which offers 30% efficiency savings, says the regulator. Taken together and combined with other unrelated factors Ofcom argues that the capacity of the existing digital TV spectrum can be increased by 160%. This would allow the creation of four high definition (HDTV) channels or 20 new standard definition channels without losing any of the current digital terrestrial services.
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Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Satellite community to closely monitor mobile deployments in C-Band
Although about 90 countries identified spectrum for IMT in 3.4-3.6GHz at WRC-07 concerns remain about interference and some observers question the likely success of the terminal market without a global allocation.
Eighty-one countries and territories in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the former Soviet Union (ITU Region 1) added their names to a list of nations that made a mobile allocation to frequencies between 3,400 and 3,600 MHz and identified them for IMT, according to the final acts of the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07). Protections agreed at the four-week treaty conference to update the international Radio Regulations require coordination with neighboring countries and specific power limits at the border. Aeronautical mobile is not included in the spectrum moves.
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Tuesday, November 20, 2007
PolicyTracker interview with Commissioner Reding
PolicyTracker asked InfoSoc Commissioner Viviane Reding a series of questions about the Framework Review. Here is the full text of her responses.
PT: Broadcasters fear the presumption of service neutrality in the broadcasting bands could cause interference and undermine other policy goals like media diversity. What's your reaction to this?
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Reding remains bullish about European regulator
In an interview with PolicyTracker InfoSoc Commissioner Vivien Reding has maintained a vigourous defence of her proposals for a European regulator, despite opposition from regulators and industry.
The most controversial aspect of the European Commission's Framework Review proposals is the plan to create a European Telecom Market Authority (ETMA) which is intended to act as a 'one stop shop' for acquiring and licensing cross-border wireless services.
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Monday, November 19, 2007
New Ofcom wireless mic arrangement get qualified support
The UK regulator's decision to allow the users of wireless microphones temporary access to released TV analogue channels has been welcomed by a trade body as a step in the right direction.
When digital switchover is completed in the UK programme making and special events services (PMSE) - predominantly wireless microphone users - will lose access to the 14 channels that they share with analogue TV services. Ofcom's original 2005 plans to auction all the frequencies released by digital switchover provoked an outcry from the PMSE community who said that as a disparate group of small companies they could not compete against the giants of the mobile phone industry in bidding for the freed-up bands. This has led to Ofcom modifying its proposals.
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Friday, November 16, 2007
WRC-07: 'nobody has lost, everybody has gained'
The ITU says WRC-07, which concludes today, is a great success which will deliver enormous benefits for the ICT sector and the developed and developing worlds alike. But broadcasters remain concerned.
The key achievement of this years World Radio Conference is to identify a selection of bands for use by 3G and 4G mobile services, now collectively known as IMT. The Conference Chairman, François Rancy, said the agreements struck would enable the use of mobile for the next 30 years while protecting those services which already use the identified bands. He said countries could choose which bands to use depending on the importance of the other applications in these bands.
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Thursday, November 15, 2007
Breaking news: WRC-07 reaches decision on mobile spectrum
As the World Radio Conference in Geneva draws to a close agreement appears to have been reached on the most contentious issue - Agenda item 1.4: which bands should be identified for advanced mobile services.
Last night delegates from around the world agreed that the IMT bands should be the following: the VHF band - 450-470MHz; 2.3-2.4GHz; and C band - 3.4-3.6GHz. It is thought that this designation would apply in all regions. The UHF band - 698-862MHz - has also been identified for IMT but only in Region 2 (North and South America) and in six countries of Region 3 (Asia, Russia and Australia).
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Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Europe's first technology neutral 2.6GHz auction raises €29M
Prices paid for wireless broadband spectrum in Norway suggest strong valuations when the same frequencies are auctioned in the UK and Sweden next year. On the same basis a UK auction would raise €375M and a Swedish auction €56M.
Norway's auction of 2.6GHz and 2010-2025MHz licences, all expected to be used for fixed, nomadic and mobile wireless broadband services, has closed after seven days and 78 rounds of bidding. Offers for the spectrum started at around €2.5M but increased more than tenfold during the contest to a total of €29M (£20.5M). Of the eight companies that participated five were awarded licences in 2.6GHz: Arctic Wireless, Craig Wireless Systems, Hafslund Telekom, NetCom and Telenor; and Inquam Broadband was awarded the 2010MHz licence.
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Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Framework proposals a ‘boost for the wireless economy’
The European Commission this afternoon unveiled virtually unchanged Framework Review proposals: EU-wide rules for secondary trading; a presumption of service and technology neutrality and the creation of a EU telecoms regulator.
However, the proposals on the digital dividend are not as radical as had earlier been indicated. The Commission isn't proposing to set rules on what should be done with the released analogue TV frequencies, but it is using its powers to persuade member states to use them for new services like wireless broadband.
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Friday, November 9, 2007
Europe's broadcasters warn about dangers of service neutrality
Introducing service neutrality in the broadcast bands could increase interference, undermine cultural policy goals and lead to substantial wastage of spectrum, say broadcasters from both the public and commercial sectors.
The TV and radio industries are firing a shot across the bows of the European Commission as it prepares to announce its proposals for the review of the Electronic Communications Framework Directive on 13 November. The broadcasters main bone of contention is the presumption of service neutrality which the Commission want to introduce in most frequencies, including the broadcasting bands. The proposal is based on a classic liberalisation argument: the removal of restrictions will allow services to migrate to the bands where they can most effectively be delivered, so ensuring the most efficient use of the airwaves.
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Friday, November 2, 2007
November 2007 printed issue available for download
Our top story this month is the progress made on opening up the mobile bands at the RA-07 and WRC-07 ITU meetings in Geneva.
We also consider the competing arguments on the economic effect of allocating most of the digital dividend to mobile; as well as pointing up new developments in Europe in the commercial deployment of mass market UWB and inflight mobile services.
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Geneva ITU meetings increase flexibility for mobile
Delegates have moved towards technology neutrality by admitting WiMAX into IMT-2000 and combining 3G and 4G allocations. However, agreement on the key agenda item, identifying spectrum for new mobile services, is no closer.
The agreement to include WiMAX in IMT-2000, which includes the dominant 3G technologies, came on 18 October at the ITU Radiocommunication Assembly (RA-07) which precedes WRC-07. This was a major victory for the WiMAX camp, which has spend the past few years fighting to get access to spectrum. Gaining the ITU's agreement is a considerable achievement for the proponents of WiMAX - notably Intel - because it has been done in only 10 months, an unusually tight timescale.
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Wednesday, October 31, 2007
WRC-07 agrees flexibility for 3G and 4G spectrum
In the mobile field WRC-07 has made progress on the categorisation issue but seems no closer to agreement on the key agenda item, identifying spectrum for new services.
The World Radio Conference meeting in Geneva (WRC-07) has reached its first significant agreement today, with delegates having decided to combine the identification of spectrum for IMT-Advanced and IMT-2000 into a single category, to be called just "IMT".
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Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Mobiles on aircraft: RyanAir due to make world's first commercial deployment by year-end
Wide-ranging pressure is producing significant progress with 16 European regulators having approved the use of mobiles on aircraft. Trials in three EU countries as well as a Commission recommendation are expected by December.
There are only two players in the international marketplace at the moment, AeroMobile, which is already conducting <A href="javascript:showStory(388,1)" class='newslink'>a test run in Australia</a>, and OnAir which will soon launch trials in Europe.
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Friday, October 26, 2007
No "magic bullet" replacement for traditional means of preventing interference
Research to examine alternative ways of preventing interference is expected to conclude they have only limited application. However some likely recommendations are controversial, including removing reference to safety services from the definition of harm
This study was commissioned by the European Commission to examine whether spectrum could be used more effectively by controlling interference itself, rather than relying on the traditional method for achieving this: limiting the technical parameters of transmitters. The project, managed by Eurostrategies sprl and LS Telcom, has yet to come to final conclusions but initial findings suggest that this alternative approach has its limitations.
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Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Industry frustrated as Europe meanders slowly towards mass market UWB
Manufacturers of UWB devices are eyeing Europe eagerly and one even has a product which complies with draft EU standards but progress is being hindered by the failure of most member states to update their legal frameworks.
As manufacturers of USB devices wait for the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to finalise a European standard, and the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) to solve the technical challenges related to the regulation of UWB technology, national administrations appear to be dragging their feet on implementing the EC UWB decision of February 2007.
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Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Opinion: UK spectrum reform - the verdict from the licence-free community
The amount of spectrum allocated to licence-free use is usually an arbitrary regulatory decision. But is there another way? Yes, argues Robert Horvitz, who was recently asked to give his assessment of spectrum reform in the UK.
The consultancies looking at "collective use of spectrum" for the European Commission last year concluded that "most decisions on whether to designate spectrum for collective use will need to be made administratively". But they also noted that this is not a good solution, mainly because regulatory decision-making is neither transparent nor objective and harmonising the results of the decisions takes too long. Professor Martin Cave recently called the administrative approach to allocating licence-exempt spectrum "arbitrary and unsatisfactory". <a href="#notes"> (1)</a>
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Monday, October 22, 2007
Consultation: Consultation on the introduction of mobile services on aircraft
Ofcom expects the standards and procedures for Mobile Communication on Aircraft (MCA) to be agreed on a European basis by the end of 2007 or early 2008. The Ofcom document summarises the requirements of the European standard to prevent harmful interference being generated outside the aircraft and consults on its suitability to protect terrestrial networks. The paper also consults on the proposed common approach to authorisations where each EU Member State will recognise the authorisations of others. The current proposals cover GSM in the 1800 MHz band only.
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Friday, October 19, 2007
Pressure grows in France for access to digital dividend frequencies
Telecoms operators need 150MHz of spectrum says report commissioned by regulator
France should use part of its digital dividend to help ensure that the entire population has mobile and fixed broadband Internet access, according to a new report from government-led body the Commission Consultative des Radiocommunications (CCR). To achieve this, the report says, telecoms operators will need access to 150 MHz of spectrum at frequencies lower than 1 GHz by the beginning of the next decade.
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Thursday, October 18, 2007
Breaking news: WiMAX admitted into IMT-2000 family
The ITU Radiocommunication Assembly (RA-07) meeting in Geneva agreed about an hour ago to include WiMAX in the IMT-2000 family, which includes the dominant 3G technologies, UMTS and CDMA-2000.
This is a major victory for the WiMAX camp, which has spend the past few years fighting to get access to spectrum, most notably in Europe the 2.5-2.69GHz band. The European Commission tried to get all EU regulators to agree to assign this band on a technology neutral basis, which would have potentially allowed WiMAX access to a band designated for the expansion of 3G technologies. The Commission couldn't persuade enough regulators to back them and <A href="javascript:showStory(216,1)" class='newslink'>gave up the fight</a> in March last year.
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UK starts digital switchover, Sweden completes it
This week has seen the UK switch off a single analogue channel in a town of 25,000 people while Sweden has ceased analogue transmissions entirely with few complaints from the public
On Monday 15 October Sweden switched off its analogue TV signal completely, bringing to an end a process which started two years ago. Two days later the UK began the switchover process, highlighting the large variations in timetables in EU countries.
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Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Broadcasters commission research to stake their claim to digital dividend
Broadcasters are disputing economists' claims that mobile use of the digital dividend would boost the EU economy by 350 billion Euros. They have commissioned their own study to demonstrate the economic value of broadcasting.
A report published this month and funded by Deutsche Telekom/T-Mobile assesses the relative economic benefits of assigning most of the freed-up analogue TV frequencies to either mobile or TV. It says that mobile usage has direct economic benefits through services, revenues and product sales, as well as the indirect benefits like improved business efficiency; job creation; and using wireless broadband to bridge the digital divide.
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Friday, October 12, 2007
AT&T’s $2.5bn spectrum buy to impact on 700MHz auction
The consensus amongst US analysts is that this week's US$2.5bn buyout of Aloha Partners' 12MHz block of 700MHz spectrum by AT&T has major ramifications for January's auction of a much larger chunk of the same band.
The auction, which has been put back eight days until January 24 to allow interested parties more time to submit their plans, is expected to attract bids from traditional telcos as well as others interested in offering mobile broadband services including Google.
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Thursday, October 11, 2007
Consultation expected to highlight shortcomings of European 169MHz restrictions
The troubled 169 MHz band, once set aside for the failed ERMES pan-European paging system, is unlikely to be used for its new purposes either says UK regulator Ofcom.
The failure of the European Radio Messaging System (ERMES) became a central plank in the argument for spectrum liberalisation. A 1990 Directive required member states to set aside the 169.4 to 169.8 MHz band to create a pan-European market for this second generation digital paging system but ERMES never took off, killed by the rapid rise of GSM and its SMS capabilities. By the time the ERMES Directive was repealed in 2005 the reserved spectrum was no longer being used in most European countries. (See <a href=http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/stn/spectrum/workshop_proceedings/Background_Papers_Final/Ewan%20Sutherland%20-%20_itu_spectrum_revised.pdf>Ewan Sutherland paper</a> p8-10)
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Consultation: The future use of the 169MHz Ex-ERMES Band
National regulators are required under EC Decision 2005/928/EC to make the high power section of the band (169.6125 to 169.8125 MHz) available for services such as paging and high power asset tracking systems. However, Ofcom believes there is no interest in using the spectrum for this purpose. If this consultation confirms that view Ofcom proposes to make this band for paging or asset tracking but with assignments to Private Mobile Radio and Programme Making and Special Event systems on a secondary basis.
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Friday, October 5, 2007
Mobile access to digital dividend would boost EU economy "by €350 billion"
The long term financial benefits of allowing the mobile communications industry to use most of the digital dividend far exceed what would be achieved by majority TV usage, according to a new report by a group of economists.
The study, by SCF Associates and commissioned by Deutsche Telekom / T-Mobile, suggests that opening up more of the spectrum being released by analogue switchoff to mobile communications, rather than reserving large amounts for the TV industry, could boost Europe's GDP by 0.6% by 2020. In cash terms this percentage amounts to about €350 Billion, though SCF emphasise this is an estimate based on modelling techniques.
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Thursday, October 4, 2007
New Zealand to auction 2.3 and 2.5 GHz bands for broadband
Following a consultation process which ended last month, the New Zealand Government is drawing up the final rules for an auction of 75 MHz of spectrum in the 2.3 GHz and 2.5 GHz bands.
The auction is planned in December this year to take account of any decisions made at the World Radio Conference (WRC '07) being held in November.
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Tuesday, October 2, 2007
October 2007 printed issue available for download
Our top story this month is the review of the EU Framework Directive.
We reveal details of the draft framework review proposals, including measures which would prevent member states uncompetitively assigning the whole digital dividend to broadcasters. We also get reaction to the other key idea: a European regulator with responsibility for cross-border wireless services.
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Sunday, September 30, 2007
Hostile reactions to single European regulator plan
Only one stakeholder has so far supported the European Commission's proposal for a regional regulator. For many an extra layer of bureaucracy would undermine existing good practice, for others it is 'too much too soon.'
Reaction from around Europe to the leaked draft proposals for the review of the telecoms Framework Directive has been spirited and generally unfavourable. Of particular concern both to national administrations and sectoral executives has been the proposal to create a new EU-wide regulatory body, designated the European Electronic Communications Market Authority (EECMA), whose duties would include assigning frequencies for cross-border services and collecting the fees for those services.
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Friday, September 28, 2007
Consensus on WiMAX still possible says ITU official
Despite the difficulties global agreement on admitting WiMAX into IMT-2000 standards family is still achievable, according to an ITU official. And even if it is rejected there are still other possibilities...
Having reported on the progress of the Working Party looking into the admittance of mobile WiMAX to the IMT-2000 family since its first meeting to consider the issue in January of this year, Policy Tracker caught up with the ITU official responsible for administering it and its parent study group following a final meeting last month.
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Thursday, September 27, 2007
Opinion: The upcoming 2.5GHz auctions - lessons for Europe
The new round of 2.5GHz auctions, starting with Norway in November and followed by Sweden and the UK, could show regulators whether complex auction design is necessary to achieve the optimal result, argues <a href="#about">Erlend Fanebust</a>.
The European sequence of auctions of spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band is about to begin. Much have been said and written about this frequency band already. Will Sprint Nextel and Clearwire's Xohm service take off in the US? What about NTT DoCoMo and ACCA Wireless' Japanese WiMAX venture? Will mobile WiMAX revolutionize broadband access in countries with inferior or no wireline infrastructure? Can the GSM Association and major 3G equipment manufacturers fight off the challenge from Intel, Samsung and others by convincing European governments that the frequency band should be reserved for IMT2000 services using paired spectrum?
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Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Swedish regulator reorganises to reflect new spectrum priorities
As part of its drive towards liberalisation PTS has created a new Spectrum Markets Department.
The Swedish regulator, PTS, committed itself to a more market driven approach to spectrum management in a policy document released last year and one of the aims of this restructuring is to embed that policy approach into the way the organisation works.
Read the full details at:
Sunday, September 23, 2007
WiMAX operators get Europe's first chance to bid for 2.6GHz
Norway has announced the auction rules for 2.6Hz, a key target for mobile WiMAX. The auction will be held in November.
The European Commission fought a long but ultimately unsuccessful battle to persuade regulators that 2.6 GHz should be licensed on a technology neutral basis across the whole EU. Having earlier been earmarked as a 3G expansion band there was insufficient support for making the opening up of the band compulsory. However, Norway is a keen spectrum liberaliser so it is not surprising that the licences will be technology and service neutral, following the approach taken with the recent 3.5GHz auction.
Read the full details at:
Friday, September 21, 2007
Consultation: Consultation on additional UMTS mobile frequencies
The Swiss regulator, OFCOM, is carrying out preparatory work for the possible licensing of free frequencies in the UMTS core band and extension band. The consultation includes questions on topics such as licensing, market development, requirements for the available frequencies, environmental protection and area planning. The consultation follows the revoking of a 3G licence in 2006 and since then a further 30MHz in the UMTS core band has been available. An invitation to tender could be issued during 2008.
Read the full details at:
Consultation: Consultation on additional UMTS mobile frequencies
The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) has launched a public consultation on the possibilities of allocating free UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) frequencies. By doing so, OFCOM wishes to enable interested parties to give their comments and to determine the needs and intentions of the players concerned. The consultation period runs until 2 November 2007.
Read the full details at:
Thursday, September 20, 2007
UK regulator proposes taking back 900 MHz spectrum from Vodafone and O2
Ofcom seeks to implement European decision on 2G re-farming by offering three blocks of 900MHz spectrum for auction in 2010
Like other EU members the UK will shortly be required to implement the Radio Spectrum Committee's decision on opening up the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands to use by 3G services. Ofcom has considered various options for doing this and concluded that reclaiming some of the spectrum originally given to Vodafone and O2 (then Cellnet) back in 1985 will do the most to benefit consumers, promote competition, ensure the most efficient use of the airwaves.
Read the full details at:
Consultation: Opening up mobile spectrum to support innovation and competition, including implementation of RSC 900/1800MHz decision
This document sets out Ofcom's measures to implement the Radio Spectrum Committee Decision on the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands currently used for 2G services. The Decision requires them to be opened up to use for 3G and potentially other technologies.
Ofcom proposes to reclaim some of the spectrum currently used by Vodafone and O2 in the 900MHz band and offer it for auction to other companies in 2009. All licences for this band and for 1800 MHz would be liberalised i.e. made tradable and service and technology neutral. For 1800MHz Ofcom proposes that the licences should remain in the hands of their current owners.
Ofcom proposes to reclaim some of the spectrum currently used by Vodafone and O2 in the 900MHz band and offer it for auction to other companies in 2009. All licences for this band and for 1800 MHz would be liberalised i.e. made tradable and service and technology neutral. For 1800MHz Ofcom proposes that the licences should remain in the hands of their current owners.
Read the full details at:
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Gloves come off in US whitespace row
Microsoft says its whitespace prototype does work and poor FCC test results were caused by a faulty device. Broadcasters cry foul and respond with TV ads warning that whitespace devices will ruin the reception on digital sets.
The lobbying resources being poured into the US whitespace proceedings and the increasingly ill-tempered nature of the debate will come as a shock to the European regulators due to start debating this issue in earnest on October 2.
Read the full details at:
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Consultation: Wireless Telegraphy Licence Exemption
Ofcom invites comments on proposals to extend the range of technologies and applications which do not require a licence. These include:
• Building Material Analysis devices using Ultra Wide Band technologies
• High Density applications in the Fixed Satellite Service (HDFSS)
The consultation document also contains proposals to amend the use of licence-exempt Meter Reading & Asset Tracking devices; measures to simplify the regulatory process; and measures to align the UK with the draft Commission Decision relating to Short Range Devices.
• Building Material Analysis devices using Ultra Wide Band technologies
• High Density applications in the Fixed Satellite Service (HDFSS)
The consultation document also contains proposals to amend the use of licence-exempt Meter Reading & Asset Tracking devices; measures to simplify the regulatory process; and measures to align the UK with the draft Commission Decision relating to Short Range Devices.
Read the full details at:
Monday, September 17, 2007
Consultation: Frequency assignments in 2010 - 2020MHz and 2500 - 2690MHz as well as future use of 900/1800MHz
The consultation asks a series of questions about the usage of these bands and the technical conditions which should be applied.
Read the full details at:
Consultation: Spectrum Usage Rights: further information
In the April 2006 consultation on Spectrum Usage Rights (SURs) and in further details about SURs contained within the L-Band and 2.6GHz consultations some stakeholders said Ofcom hadn't addressed legal and other issues concerning the framework under which SURs would be applied. This document seeks to clarify that framework and describe how Ofcom will verify compliance to an SUR licence.
Read the full details at:
Consultation: Public consultations on draft auction rules for 2500-2690 GHz band and 1900-1905 MHz
PTS, the Swedish regulator, intends to auction both bands in the first half of 2008 and is inviting comments on how to conduct the auctions.
• The 2.6 GHz licenses will be national and intended for wireless broadband services on a service neutral and technology neutral basis (within certain limitations). PTS has divided the band into a total of 15 frequency blocks, 14 FDD blocks of 2x5 MHz and one TDD block of 50 MHz.It is possible for one enterprise to buy the whole FDD frequency band or the whole TDD frequency band. PTS may allow the conversion of TDD frequency band to FDD or vice versa provided there is no harmful interference.
• English translations of both auction documents will be provided on the <a href="http://www.pts.se/Remisser/remisslista.asp?SectionId=1911">PTS website</a> during the week of 17 to 21 September.
• The 2.6 GHz licenses will be national and intended for wireless broadband services on a service neutral and technology neutral basis (within certain limitations). PTS has divided the band into a total of 15 frequency blocks, 14 FDD blocks of 2x5 MHz and one TDD block of 50 MHz.It is possible for one enterprise to buy the whole FDD frequency band or the whole TDD frequency band. PTS may allow the conversion of TDD frequency band to FDD or vice versa provided there is no harmful interference.
• English translations of both auction documents will be provided on the <a href="http://www.pts.se/Remisser/remisslista.asp?SectionId=1911">PTS website</a> during the week of 17 to 21 September.
Read the full details at:
Verizon takes FCC to court over open platform rules for 700MHz auction
Top American mobile phone operator Verizon is trying to throw a legal spanner in the works following the US regulator's decision to change the rules for part of the digital dividend spectrum to be auctioned in January.
As we reported last month the Federal Communications Commission bowed to pressure from Google and agreed to open the so called C Block of 22MHz, which will be split into 12 regional licences, to any application and any device regardless of who wins the auction. Google is still deliberating on whether to bid and then sell the spectrum off to independent ISPs, while Verizon according to US media is intent on winning the spectrum for itself.
Read the full details at:
Friday, September 14, 2007
Commission proposes European regulator with some spectrum responsibilities
The draft proposals for the review of the Framework Directive call for the setting up of a body whose duties would include assigning frequencies for cross-border services and collecting the fees for those services.
The Commission believes that the only way to tackle the fragmentation of the internal market and to encourage the development of cross community services is to set up a new regulatory body, the European Electronic Communications Market Authority or EECMA. In the spectrum field it feels the key problem is the national variation in licensing conditions and application procedures which discourage investment in transnational services.
Read the full details at:
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Reding tries to guarantee UHF access for new services
EU Member states won't be allowed to reserve the digital dividend for broadcasting under controversial proposals circulated today
The European Commission proposals for the digital dividend are being described as 'radical' and 'the most controversial part of the Framework Review package' by one person with knowledge of them. The plans are contained in a draft Communication which has been circulated around the Commission today.
Read the full details at:
Monday, September 10, 2007
WRC-07 analysis: steps towards liberalization
The preparations for WRC-07 show how technological and market pressures are pushing towards greater flexibility in spectrum management, argues Martin Sims
Changing spectrum policy is often seen as a matter of convincing regulators to adopt new ideas. In one sense this is true, but the power of the technological and market forces pushing towards a more liberalised approach is often ignored.
Read the full details at:
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
September 2007 printed issue available for download
Our top story this month is the outcome of the final meeting of the ITU study group which assessed whether WiMAX should be admitted into the IMT-2000 standard.
We also consider recent developments in the re-use of the broadcasting bands in the US, analysing the wider implications of the FCC ruling on the 700Mhz auction, particularly Google's possible involvement and the innovative arrangement for public safety spectrum. Staying on this theme we examine the FCC's critical assessment of the cognitive radios designed to use free broadcast spectrum.
Read the full details at:
Monday, September 3, 2007
Consultation: Consultation on Digital Terrestrial Television Multiplex Licence Conditions
Proposed regulatory regime for the DTT multiplex licences to be issued to RTE and the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. Main points of proposals include:
• Licence duration of 10 - 12 years;
• Initial annual licence fees of €114,000 per multiplex
• Rollout obligations
• Sanctions for non-compliance including possible re-allocation of spectrum
• Technical conditions for licences
• Licence duration of 10 - 12 years;
• Initial annual licence fees of €114,000 per multiplex
• Rollout obligations
• Sanctions for non-compliance including possible re-allocation of spectrum
• Technical conditions for licences
Read the full details at:
WiMAX decision looks set for for simple majority approval
After a final meeting of ITU working party 8F the decision on admitting WiMAX to the IMT-2000 family goes to the Radiocommunication Assembly. A positive result seems extremely likely as this only requires a simple majority of member states.
The battle to get WiMAX admitted to the IMT2000 family before WRC-07 next month is still unresolved, although looking very hopeful for the pro-WiMAX lobby, following a special meeting of ITU-R Working Party 8F in Seoul from August 28 to 31.
Read the full details at:
Finland takes the digital leap, admitting that some TV sets may go blank
Finland now has an all digital TV system but even with some interim measures to smooth the transition up to 40 000 sets could be without a signal
Finland moved into an all-digital world at 4am Saturday morning (1 September) when it switched off its analogue transmission networks. Switchover had originally been planned for 31 August, but TV channels wanted to show that day's programming in its entirety before the transmitters were shut down. The vast majority of households that receive broadcasts through an antenna now need a digital receiver, a set-top box, or an integrated digital TV to view them.
Read the full details at:
Friday, August 31, 2007
Google casts cloud of uncertainty over US 700MHz auction
What is being called the 100-year auction, perhaps the last chance to grab substantial amounts of US spectrum in the foreseeable future, is scheduled to start on January 16 2008.
The spectrum in question is the 700MHz band, part of the UHF spectrum being freed up by the switch from analogue to digital broadcasting branded the digital dividend. Europe is several years behind the US in the switchover and European auctions will not be held for several more years, so what happens in the US will been closely watched by regulators in Europe and elsewhere.
Read the full details at:
Thursday, August 30, 2007
EU generic licensing framework ready by December
WAPECS is a little behind schedule but several countries are already implementing technology and service neutral licences, with Germany taking the lead.
Despite some slippage in the time frame for the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Unions (CEPT) working group SE42 to complete its report on technical specifications for generic licenses under the EC's WAPECS (Wireless Access Platforms for Electronic Communication Services) mandate, good progress has been made according to SE42 chairman Steve Bond.
Read the full details at:
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Opinion: one step forward and two steps back – the UK L-band auction
Michael Whittaker, the architect of Australia's liberalised spectrum management framework, argues that the self regulation proposed by Ofcom in 1.5GHz could allow companies to devalue their competitors' licences.
There has been some progress with spectrum right definition in Ofcom's 1.5 GHz spectrum auction consultation published 25 July 2007. For the first time Ofcom seems to be aware of the benefits of specifying a single propagation model as a basis for testing compliance with in-band, adjacent-area PFD (field strength) limits.
Read the full details at:
Friday, August 10, 2007
UWB legalised in the UK
Legal changes which will allow the use of Ultra Wide Band devices in the UK come into effect on Monday 13 August.
This development is the result of UK regulator Ofcom implementing the European Commission decision on Ultra Wide Band (UWB) which members states are required to adopt by 21 August.
Read the full details at:
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
FCC engineers expose serious failings in prototype whitespace devices
As Europe starts to investigate other uses of vacant TV spectrum, US whitespace devices submitted by a consortium of IT giants have failed to live up to expectations in tests carried out by the FCC.
This is a set back for the two cognitive radio devices built by Microsoft and Philips and backed by their consortium partners Google, Dell, Hewlett Packard, and Intel.
Read the full details at:
Monday, August 6, 2007
Opinion: Applying market principles to spectrum management
A market-based approach is the way of the future according to a new book by three of the architects of the UK approach to liberalisation. Here Martin Cave, Chris Doyle, William Webb argue that obstacles like interference can be overcome.
The key purpose of spectrum management is to maximise the value that society gains from the radio spectrum. This can be achieved in principle by allowing as many of the highest value users as possible to access the spectrum while ensuring that the interference between different users remains manageable. However, achieving this in practice is difficult. Identifying the highest value users in advance is prone to error and the balance between allowing additional users while ensuring that interference remains within appropriate bounds is highly complex and changes over time.
Read the full details at:
Thursday, July 26, 2007
August 2007 printed issue available for download
Our top story this month is the European Commission's change of heart over mandating DVB-H as the EU's mobile TV technology.
We get industry reaction to this development as well as interviewing the InfoSoc Commissioner, Viviane Reding. Also in this issue are reports on the allocation of the digital dividend in France and Sweden and an update on GSM refarming.
Read the full details at:
Consultation: The award of available spectrum: 1452 - 1492 MHz (L-Band)
Following earlier consultations Ofcom is inviting comments on revised technical conditions for the auctioning of the band. It is proposing two Spectrum Usage Rights (SUR) for the 1452-1479.5 MHz sub-band, one SUR for a high power-low density network and another SUR for a low power-high density network. The new consultation document sets out details of a combinatorial-clock auction design that allows bidders to guarantee adequate frequency separation from other users. Ofcom also invites discussion of possible spectrum hoarding in this band.
Read the full details at:
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Commission unveils proposals to allow GSM refarming
The European Commission has published proposals to repeal the GSM Directive and allow the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands to be used by next generation wireless services.
Mobile operators have been keen to re-use the frequencies which under the 1987 GSM Directive were allocated exclusively to what was to become the dominant mobile phone standard. The announcement has been widely anticipated and France has already planned out the use of the bands for 3G services. These lower frequencies have better propagation characteristics than the higher bands currently used for 3G services. They require fewer base stations which means networks can be rolled out more cheaply. The industry anticipates as 40% reduction in costs.
Read the full details at:
National debate on digital dividend gets underway in France
Use of freed-up analogue TV frequencies should be determined not by market forces but by the political process says influential report by French senator.
France appears to be making smooth progress towards analogue switchoff. In February this year, its parliament passed a law, entitled 'Télévision du Futur', stating that the process would begin in March 2008 and be completed by the end of November 2011. The law, originally drafted after a period of consultation organised by national broadcasting regulator the Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA), also says that most of the spectrum made available as a result of analogue switchoff – the 'digital dividend' – should be allocated to 'audiovisual services'. Some estimates have already concluded that the digital dividend could lead to the addition of another 20 TV channels.
Read the full details at:
Monday, July 23, 2007
Industry attacks Commission support for DVB-H
Although InfoSoc Commissioner Viviane Reding has backed down from her threat to mandate DVB-H as a single European standard for mobile television, her continuing attempts to persuade member states to adopt the technology are raising industry hackles.
There are several DVB-H services already in operation in Europe, and three major multinational operators, Telefonica O2, Vodafone and T-Mobile, are launching a combined DVB-H service in the major German market next year. However few people in the telecoms industry agree with Reding's contention that "DVB-H has already emerged as the winner in Europe" and nobody PolicyTracker interviewed thought DVB-H either should or would emerge as the single European standard.
Read the full details at:
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Consultation: Identifying new frequencies for wireless high speed access
The consultation paper invites comment on using the released analogue TV frequencies for mobile high-speed Internet access. It also seeks to assess likely industrial developments and understand the impact of European harmonisation in these frequency bands.
Read the full details at:
No need to mandate DVB-H says Commissioner Reding in PolicyTracker interview
The European Commission today released a mobile TV Communication in which European Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding appeared to back away from her earlier threat to mandate DVB-H as the single European standard.
Commissioner Reding gives the strongest possible support to the technology and urges member states to do the same, but stopped short of calling for DVB-H to be mandated. This is a softening of the position stated in March, when Commissioner Reding said DVB-H would be made compulsory by the summer unless industry voluntarily agreed its own single standard.
Read the full details at:
Friday, July 13, 2007
Delayed Commission announcement on mobile TV will be made next week
The widely anticipated Communication on mobile TV, which industry hopes will clarify whether the Commission intends to mandate DVB-H, will be published on Wednesday 18 July.
InfoSoc Commissioner Viviane Reding's threat to make DVB-H the compulsory European mobile TV technology unless the industry agreed its own standard came in a remark to a journalist back in March and has caused the biggest storm to hit policy circles so far this year.
Read the full details at:
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
France agrees arrangements for GSM re-farming
France's mobile operators will be able to reuse the GSM bands for third generation services as early as next year under an arrangement which also covers access to the bands for the winner of a new 3G licence.
Existing mobile operators are generally keen to delpoy 3G in the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands currently used for second generation services. As 2G is gradually phased out this makes for more efficient and cost effective use of spectrum and the better propagation characteristics of the lower bands mean fewer base stations and lower costs.
Read the full details at:
Monday, July 9, 2007
Sweden considers use of digital dividend
The Swedish government will decide on the use of freed-up analogue television spectrum by the end of the year, ministers said at a parliamentary hearing on digital TV. Switch-off is expected to be complete by November.
'Most of the comments made at the hearing came from those who had responded to the government's consultation on the digital dividend, so there was much that had been heard before,' says Jonas Wessel, expert adviser in the office of the director general at Swedish regulator the National Post and Telecom Agency (PTS). 'However, the government did say that by the end of the year, it will have reached some kind of conclusion on how much terrestrial TV there will be in Sweden after analogue switch-off.'
Read the full details at:
Friday, July 6, 2007
UK presses ahead with market regime for broadcast spectrum
Ofcom is to introduce a market-based pricing system for digital TV and radio, rejecting claims that this is economically inefficient, will damage programming and prolong uncertainty over broadcasters' funding.
Ofcom, being Europe's leading spectrum liberaliser, has long held the view that the market is the best way of ensuring the efficient use of the airwaves. They are keen to apply this principle to broadcasting, a sentiment endorsed first by the milestone 2002 Cave report on spectrum liberalisation, and then by the government. Broadcasters, however, have been as dubious about the implications of liberalisation as Ofcom has been enthusiastic.
Read the full details at:
Monday, July 2, 2007
July 2007 printed issue available for download
Our top story this month is the latest development in the battle to get WiMAX accepted as part of the IMT-2000 family of technologies.
We also examine Ofcom's decision to apply market principles to broadcast spectrum; the implications of the agreement on voluntary harmonisation of a UHF sub band for mobile services; and the implementation issues raised by the harmonisation of spectrum for mobile satellite services.
Read the full details at:
Consultation: Compatibility studies around 63GHz between Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) and other systems
After a request from ETSI, ERO has carried out a study to test the compatability of ITS at 63-64GHz and the following services/systems:
1) Inter Satellite Service;
2) Fixed Service operating above 64 GHz;
3) Radiolocation service operating in the frequency range 63-64 GHz;
4) proposed Multiple Gigabit Wireless Systems (MGWS).
1) Inter Satellite Service;
2) Fixed Service operating above 64 GHz;
3) Radiolocation service operating in the frequency range 63-64 GHz;
4) proposed Multiple Gigabit Wireless Systems (MGWS).
Read the full details at:
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Consultation: Compatibility studies between Ground Based Synthetic Aperture Radar (GBSAR) and existing services in 17.1-17.2GHz
Comments invited on a compatibility study between proposed GBSAR applications and other services operating in this frequency range namely Radiolocation Services and Earth Exploration Satellite Services.
Read the full details at:
Consultation: UK Broadband application for licence variation
A company called UK Broadband want to increase power limits in its 3.5GHZ FWA licence and use it for mobile WiMAX applications. Ofcom recommends acceptance of most of the requests but has asked for stakeholder views.
Read the full details at:
Friday, June 29, 2007
Special meeting called over WiMAX/IMT-2000
The battle to get WiMAX included as a part of the IMT-2000 family took an unexpected turn at the ITU-R Study Group 8 meeting in Geneva on June 25 and 26.
Following the Kyoto meeting of ITU-R working party 8F in Kyoto a few weeks earlier the WiMAX forum appeared to have won out in its efforts to change ITU-R Recommendation M.1457 to include a new air interface, IMT-2000 OFDMA TDD WMAN (also know as IP-OFDMA).
Read the full details at:
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Ofcom bows to pressure over wireless mics
The UK regulator has watered down plans to apply market principles to spectrum for wireless mics but PMSE users say they still need more details.
Ofcom's plans for re-using the frequencies released by analogue TV switch off, published in December 2006 were condemned by the wireless microphones industry as threatening the survival of the UK entertainment industry.
Read the full details at:
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Canada makes spectrum liberalisation priority for 2007
The Canadian government has asked a leading European advocate of spectrum liberalisation, Professor Martin Cave, for advice on the introduction of spectrum trading.
The Conservative Party of Canada, which came to power in January 2006, is committed to smaller government.
Read the full details at:
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
And now the implementation…
The European Commission's harmonisation of mobile satellite services was warmly welcomed by operators. But how should the licences be awarded, how can national approaches be co-ordinated and can the EU keep to the proposed timetable?
The question of selection and authorisation of operators licensed to provide EU-wide mobile satellite services (MSS), and specifically mobile television services, remains a vexed one following a recently-completed, two-month consultation process.
Read the full details at:
Monday, June 25, 2007
Manufacturer calls for UHF for home networking
HDTV means the existing unlicensed bands will soon run out of capacity says Philips but not all regulators agree.
Consumer electronics giant Philips has told UK regulator Ofcom that additional spectrum should be reserved for low power unlicensed applications such as in-home multimedia distribution and wireless LAN (WLAN) networking. In its response to Ofcom's consultation on the digital dividend review, the company argues that 'there is a definite need for augmenting the use of the crowded Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) bands with additional UHF spectrum'.
Read the full details at:
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Opinion: the nine regimes of spectrum management
Spectrum management is more complex than usually imagined, argues Gerard Pogorel. There are nine possible regimes, not just command and control, market or commons, and it is more productive to think of wireless clusters rather than individual technologies
A spectrum management regime comprises four dimensions that have to be successively analysed in what is a logical order, although iterations might be implied. The concepts and alternative approaches must be explored at the following levels:
Read the full details at:
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Consultation: Programme-making and special events: future spectrum access
The UK regulator is putting forward new proposals for the long-term supply of radio spectrum for users of wireless microphones and similar equipment. These include awarding digital interleaved spectrum by beauty contest rather than auction - the means proposed in last year's Digital Dividend Review document.
Read the full details at:
Breakthough on mobile services in digital dividend
A European regulators working group has agreed a deal on harmonising a UHF sub band for mobile, but how many countries will actually implement this and does the voluntary nature of the agreement limit its usefulness?
The agreement reached by the TG4 sub group of the European regulator's organisation, CEPT, is based on a French proposal to harmonise channels 62- 69: the upper part of the UHF band. <a href="#note">TG4's finalised report</a> sets out the principles under which the sub band could be implemented, with another study on the technical details to be completed for the group's next meeting in October. This further study will cover band plans, the location of the duplex centre gap and guard bands for FDD and TDD.
Read the full details at:
Friday, June 15, 2007
Regulators group recommends upper UHF bands for mobile
A working group of the European regulators organisation, CEPT, has made a recommendation on creating a harmonised sub-band for mobile services in the digital dividend frequencies.
The sub group, TG4, was set up after the European Commission asked CEPT to investigate the practicalities of creating such a band.
Read the full details at:
Framework Review delayed for a second time
The final proposals for the European Commission's review of the Electronic Communications Framework - which have spectrum liberalisation as their centrepiece -will not now be published until October.
The draft proposals were unveiled in June 2006. These called for a presumption of technology and service neutrality in the licensing of frequencies; common rules for secondary trading and most controversially, to consider the creation of a single European spectrum regulator.
Read the full details at:
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Mobile in UHF: A European contradiction?
Consensus seems to be building on creating a harmonised European sub-band for mobile services in the digital dividend frequencies. However, could this be undermined by Europe's failure to call for mobile access to UHF at WRC-07?
At the beginning of the year the European Commission asked the European regulators organisation, CEPT, to investigate the practicalities of harmonising a part of the digital dividend for non-broadcasting services.
Read the full details at:
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Incoming presidency rebuffs Commission’s radical spectrum proposals
Portugal, due to take up the EU presidency on July 1, is not in favour of a single European regulator or mandating DVB-H as the European mobile TV technology.
The new EU presidency may have spoken in the most diplomatic terms but the message is a strong rejection of the Commission's two most controversial announcements of recent months.
Read the full details at:
Monday, June 4, 2007
ITU clears the way for WiMAX recognition
The WiMAX forum met with success in its battle to have WiMAX admitted to IMT-2000 at the ITU Working Party 8F meeting in Kyoto last week.
Despite attempts from some vendor quarters to delay the process, ITU-R WP8F approved a revision to ITU-R Recommendation M.1457 to include a new air interface, IMT-2000 OFDMA TDD WMAN (also know as IP-OFDMA). This clears the way for the ITU-R Study Group 8 (SG8) to consider approval of the revised recommendation to go for public enquiry in three weeks time.
Read the full details at:
Friday, June 1, 2007
June printed issue available for download
Our theme this month is planning for mobile services in the digital dividend frequencies.
We analyse why Europe is making progress on a regional level yet opposed to making a global mobile allocation in UHF at WRC-07.
Read the full details at:
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Decision on WiMAX joining IMT-2000 goes to wire
As the ITU Working Party 8F meeting in Kyoto entered its final day, delegates would not be drawn on what progress, if any, had been made on the contentious question of getting WiMAX admitted to IMT2000.
At the last WP8F meeting in Cameroon in January this year, the pro-WiMAX lobby led by Intel Corp pushed for agreement on the inclusion of IP-OFDMA as a new IMT-2000 radio interface by the end of the Kyoto meeting.
Read the full details at:
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
MediaFLO presses for technology neutrality in mobile TV
The benefits of letting the market choose the best mobile TV technology are already evident in the US, says the FLO Forum.
The FLO forum which represents companies interested in the Qualcomm-developed MediaFLO technology, have hosted a regulatory seminar in Brussels to present the case for technology neutrality in the introduction of mobile TV services.
Read the full details at:
Friday, May 25, 2007
Satellite operators fear further UK liberalisation
Industry fears that the UK's plans for an important satellite frequency – due to be finalised in the next few weeks - could drive smaller operators out of the country
The band in question is 28GHz, an essential frequency for satellite broadband providers because it is used as a 'gateway' band to communicate with the satellites. Ofcom regard this as a under-used band which they want to auction in order to ensure the maximum use of the radio spectrum. They want to auction it in two national licences and three near-national licences later this year. It would be part of a series of auctions also including the 10 GHz and 32 GHz and 40 GHz bands, sold as tradeable, technology and application neutral licences with a £50,000 minimum bid.
Read the full details at:
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Financial institutions have no interest in spectrum trading
Spectrum trading may be the centrepiece of this summer's Framework Review and in place for two and a half years in the UK but still there is no sign of that essential ingredient for a dynamic market – interest from the financial institutions.
One consultant who has a vested interest in seeing a spectrum trading market develop and who did not want to be named, pointed out there is a big difference between wishing for something to happen and making it happen and at the moment the EC and Ofcom are in the wishing stage.
Read the full details at:
Friday, May 18, 2007
MPs back free market approach to released TV frequencies
An influential committee of the UK Parliament has rejected terrestrial broadcasters' calls to set aside digital dividend spectrum for HDTV but supported action to help wireless microphone users.
Ofcom wants to auction the frequencies released by digital switchover on a technology and application neutral basis. The Culture Media and Sport Select Committee had been lobbied heavily by broadcasters but its report on the <a href= http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmcumeds/509/509i.pdf>New Media and the Creative Industries</a> endorsed Ofcom's approach and concluded that "a persuasive case has yet been made to justify reserving spectrum." (p83)
Read the full details at:
Thursday, May 17, 2007
EU member states agree to set up improved spectrum database
The Europe-wide online portal giving information about spectrum use and ownership first proposed three years ago will not be complete until 2010
All EU countries will be required to provide detailed information on spectrum licences and the technical requirements for using frequency bands following a Commission Decision published this week. Brussels says this will stimulate investment in the wireless sector by providing a common European portal for information currently held in a variety of formats by national regulators.
Read the full details at:
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Consultation: Consultation on RSC Work Programme 2007
The RSC is seeking views on its planned work programme for 2007, which includes harmonisation measures and on-going or new mandates and other issues. Interested parties are invited to comment by e-mailing infso-rsc@ec.europa.eu.
Read the full details at:
Monday, May 14, 2007
Can you put a social value on spectrum?
If the market is perceived as the most efficient way of allocating frequencies is it possible to value the wider public policy initiatives which require spectrum usage? It's a hotly contested area, as the UK is finding out.
'You can't buck the market.' That is an expression which in the UK has become firmly associated in people's minds with former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Her attachment to free-market economics had a major impact on the country in the 1980s. Fast forward to 2007, and it is beginning to seem like the phrase has been adopted as the motto of UK telecoms regulator Ofcom.
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Wednesday, May 9, 2007
CDMA2000 gets special treatment in Hong Kong
Hong Kong's regulator has announced the award of a technology specific CDMA2000 licence shortly after the publication of a policy framework which endorsed moves towards liberalisation.
Hong Kong has been reviewing spectrum policy over the past year, commissioning a consultants report to explore the implications of liberalisation which was published in October last year.
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Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Consultation: The introduction of 3G in the 900 and 1800 MHz bands in Metropolitan France
This consultation by the French regulator aims to make sector players aware of the regulatory means which might be chosen for the reuse of the 900 and 1800 MHz bands for 3G. Included in this discussion is reassigning the frequency assignments for the existing three 3G operators should a fourth operator enter the market. Applications for a fourth 3G operator were invited on 8 March 2007.
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Friday, May 4, 2007
Opinion: spectrum trading – the framework exists
A flexible spectrum management regime to support both liberalisation and new developments like cognitive radio is already working well in Australia argues its creator, Michael Whittaker.
At the start of 2007, over 5000 WCDMA (850 MHz) base stations had been authorised under Australian spectrum licensing during the previous 3 months using an online process. Justin Milne the Group Managing Director of Telstra BigPond said on 20 March 2007 "Just a few months ago we launched our Next G™ wireless network (WCDMA 850MHz), which is the biggest and fastest mobile 3G network in the world, providing high-speed wireless broadband access to 98% of Australia's population. Because this network is not regulated we've been able to build it in record time and we can sell it at a price determined by the market to recoup our investment over time."
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Tuesday, May 1, 2007
May printed issue available for download
Our theme this month is cognitive radio. After the first 'real world' trials in Ireland we analyse technological progress and the reaction from regulators and the scientific community.
We also consider the response to the UK's ground breaking proposals for unlicensed usage; steps towards spectrum liberalisation in Hong Kong and international progress on using mobiles on aircraft.
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Monday, April 30, 2007
Hong Kong backs spectrum trading but rejects full liberalisation
Hong Kong endorses a market based approach to spectrum management but raises eyebrows with the expected announcement of a technology specific mobile licence.
The Hong Kong government started reviewing its approach to spectrum back in October 2006 by inviting responses to a specially commissioned consultants' report. Predictably the response from the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau doesn't go as far as the consultants suggested, but it continues current moves away from the command and control approach and will also increase transparency for spectrum users.
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Thursday, April 26, 2007
Australia leads the way with first cellphones on aircraft trial
Regulators, mobile operators and airlines from around the world will be watching with great interest a test being launched in Australia by national flag carrier Qantas.
It will be the first time passengers on a commercial airline will be able to use their own mobile phones onboard an aircraft – in this case a Boeing 767 flying domestic routes.
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Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Cognitive radio: we’re entering new territory…metaphorically speaking
We get a grasp on the ephemeral world of wireless communications through familiar metaphors. New research says this spells trouble for technologies like cognitive radio which don't fit into existing frameworks.
Many scientists argue that we can only see the world as a series of metaphors. We understand new things by comparing them to our existing understanding or experience. When we're sad we say we're feeling down. Of course it's our mental state not our altitude which has changed, but does it make any difference? We're miserable just the same. And more to the point for PolicyTracker readers, does this need to understand the world metaphorically make any difference to the development of spectrum policy?
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Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Opinion: licence exempt studies holds global lessons
Research commissioned by the UK regulator demonstrates the economic value of the unlicensed approach, says Robert Horvitz of the Open Spectrum Foundation
Since the adoption of the Communications Act 2003, Ofcom has had a statutory obligation to exempt from licensing radio equipment whose use is unlikely to cause undue interference. No legal limit is set on the amount of spectrum used by such equipment, yet the 2005 Spectrum Framework Review (SFR) asserted that: "little additional spectrum will be needed in the foreseeable future [for license exempt use], growing to 7 per cent of the total spectrum... As a maximum, then, an additional 250MHz or so of spectrum might be needed for license-exempt use... Expanding beyond [this amount] would result in unused spectrum..."
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Monday, April 23, 2007
Cognitive radio: momentum grows but blockages remain
Regulatory scepticism, opposition from legacy industries and a challenging business case make the whitespace proceedings in the US a crucial test for cognitive radio.
A recent gathering of the world's leading experts in cognitive radio was notable for two things. Firstly, the level of interest from the commercial sector and secondly the regulatory, commercial and business obstacles which are still to be overcome.
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Thursday, April 19, 2007
Critics applaud Ofcom’s proposals for licence-exempt spectrum
The UK's regulator's blueprint for unlicensed frequencies has received a more positive response than previous proposals. However, some campaigners are concerned about the legal basis for regulating this type of spectrum usage.
Ofcom's new proposal document and consultation, the Licence-Exemption Framework Review (LEFR), has been welcomed by consultants and stakeholders as a forward-looking and well-thought-out exercise which will provide a lead for spectrum licence exemption in Europe and around the world.
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Wednesday, April 18, 2007
First ‘real world’ smart radio trials being held in Ireland
The world's first simulation of how dynamic spectrum access technologies might work on a commercial basis is underway in Dublin.
The trial coincides with an IEEE conference being held in Dublin and is unique because several different types of cognitive radio and software defined radio systems are sharing a limited range of frequencies. The simulation is also breaking new ground by using commericial frequencies under a special 'test and trial' licence granted by the Irish regulator, ComReg.
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Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Consultation: Dynamic Spectrum Access - Briefing Note
The Irish regulator, ComReg, is inviting views on a discussion paper drawn up by a panel of experts which examines dynamic spectrum access. The concept is defined as accessing frequencies assigned to another user who isn't using them at a particular time or in a particular place. The paper examines developments such as 'smart' and 'polite' radios as well as decentralised networks. The experts argue that while dynamic spectrum access could increase efficiency it could also devalue existing spectum. They consider whether different regulatory approaches may be needed.
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Public up in arms over UK Digital Dividend proposals
Hundreds of responses from ordinary citizens show how far Ofcom has to go in convincing the public of the benefits of taking a market approach to reallocating released analogue TV spectrum.
Of the more than 600 responses Ofcom received to its Digital Dividend consultation, the majority came from concerned consumers, bodies representing individuals such as churches and student unions, and small businesses in the programme making and special events (PMSE) sector.
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Thursday, April 12, 2007
Consultation: Licence-Exemption Framework Review
UK regulator Ofcom has published a consultation designed to set a framework for licence exempt spectrum for the next 20 years. It is based on two principles. Firstly, that spectrum use should be licence-exempt if this is expected to derive greater value than a licensed approach. Secondly, where demand for spectrum is less than supply, harmful interference is unlikely and licensing may present an unnecessary overhead.
Specific proposals include:
• Where possible, licence-exempt spectrum should be released on the spectrum commons model, where multiple applications share the same frequencies.
• Multiple classes of spectrum commons should be considered, with regulator-defined rules restricting the diversity of applications within each class.
• All spectrum in the 275 - 1000 GHz range, should be considered for licence-exemption
• 94 GHz of unused spectrum in the 105 - 275 GHz range should be considered for licence-exempt usage and 40 GHz of unused spectrum should be considered for light-licensed usage.
• In 40 -105 GHz the 59 -64 GHz band and the 102 -105 GHz band should be considered for use by licence-exempt devices.
• Devices transmitting at sufficiently low power spectral densities should be exempted from licensing.
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Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Consultation: Interest survey and consultation regarding licensing in 1900-1905 and 2500-2690 MHz
PTS intends to award these licenses in spring 2008 and wants to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to notify their interest. It is also seeking views about the approach to licensing these bands to help in designing a potential auction.
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Digital Dividend Focus: UK TV industry looks enviously across the channel
While the UK agonises about the viability of digital terrestrial without HDTV France has brought in a new law which provides an enviable roadmap for the future.
In France from December 1 2008 all new TVs must have digital terrestrial receivers built in and if they are high definition (HD) sets they have to have an internal MPEG-4 decoder which enables them to receive HD signals. This MPEG-4 decoder could be for the terrestrial, cable or satellite platforms but essentially the law means that all new HD sets have to have the capability to receive the signal.
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Monday, April 2, 2007
April printed issue available for download
Our themes this month are the Commission's call to mandate DVB-H as the European mobile TV technology and a comparision of the approaches to analoge switch-off in the UK and France.
We also examine the preparations for WRC-07; the controversy over the use of broadcasting "white space" in the US and the debate on updating the R&TTE Directive.
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ITU produces report on spectrum management around the world
The International Telecommunications Union has carried out a survey of spectrum management in 189 countries.
The report gives the relevant authority dealing with spectrum issues and contains a brief summary of the principles underlying each country's approach.
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Friday, March 30, 2007
Digital Dividend Review: responses flood in
UK regulator Ofcom has received an extraordinarily large number of submissions to its consultation on what to do with the frequencies released by the switch to digital TV.
Over 600 organisations and private individuals have written to the regulator following the release of the Digital Dividend Review (DDR) document.
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No agreement yet on chair for WRC-07
Some countries are concerned that a split over the chairmanship may hinder attempts to build consensus at the World Radio Conference.
The ITU is facing the unusual situation of preparing for the next World Radio Conference (WRC-07) without having agreed on a chair. At the close of previous preparatory conferences there has usually been unanimity on who should head the forthcoming WRC.
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Consultation: Public Consultation on the Selection and Authorisation of Systems Providing Mobile Satellite Services
Building on the recent Commission Decision reserving radio spectrum for Mobile Satellite Services this consultation asks for views on a proposed framework for the selection and authorisation of operators to provide those services. Since the proposed framework includes regulatory actions at national level, Member States have been invited to run national consultations within the same timeframe.
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Thursday, March 29, 2007
UK allows consumer to bear 3G auction costs
Ofcom has denied the European Commission's claim that it is allowing mobile operators to pass on excessive spectrum licence costs to the consumer.
This week Ofcom announced the price controls it will impose on mobile operators trumpeting the fact that call charges will come down by 10%-45%, depending on the operator. However, the European Commission clearly thought it could have been more and expressed concern about Ofcom's methodology back in November.
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Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Is it time to update the R&TTE Directive?
Enhancing the flexible use of spectrum will be high on the agenda this summer when stakeholders will be asked to assess the effectiveness of EU regulation of wireless equipment.
The European Commission is to launch a consultation process to determine if there is a need to update the Radio and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment (R&TTE Directive) of 1999.
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Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Editorial: will Reding's intervention help or hinder the development of mobile TV?
How strong are the arguments for making DVB-H the European mobile TV standard? PolicyTracker investigates.
Why is European Commissioner Viviane Reding threatening to mandate DVB-H as the mobile TV standard when her usual preference is for technology neutrality? Three things: she believes mobile TV is an economic opportunity akin to GSM, in which Europe achieved global leadership. Secondly, she believes a single standard is necessary to achieve the economies of scale needed to make mobile TV a success. Thirdly, she isn't confident that industry will agree a common standard on its own.
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Monday, March 26, 2007
Industry condemns Commissioner’s call to mandate DVB-H
Rarely has there been such a negative reaction to a policy initiative from the European Commission. Most regard it as unworkable and unhelpful.
'Flabbergasted', 'baffled', 'bemused', 'unbelievable' is how senior regulatory figures from across the wireless community described their reaction to Viviane Reding's comments about DVB-H. Speaking at a press conference during the CeBIT technology summit Commissioner Reding said she was disappointed by the progress made in establishing mobile TV services and threatened to mandate DVB-H as a European standard unless the industry agreed its own common standard by the summer.
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Thursday, March 22, 2007
Consultation: Award of available spectrum: 10 GHz and the London 2012 Olympic Games
Ofcom may need to make spectrum available at 10 GHz for the use of video links and wireless cameras during the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. 10GHz is one of the bands due to be released soon and this consultation document proposes a licence condition which would allow the band to be used for the Games.
Ofcom continues to consider how to proceed with awarding wireless-telegraphy licences to use the 10 GHz, 28 GHz, 32 GHz and 40 GHz bands and plans to publish further documents in the spring.
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Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Agree mobile TV standard or I will mandate DVB-H says Reding
The industry waits for competitors' reactions as European Commission gives ringing endorsement of DVB-H mobile TV standard.
In a shockingly robust intervention the EU Infosoc Commissioner, Viviane Reding has said the mobile TV market is developing so slowly that she will intervene to impose DVB-H as the single European standard unless progress is made by the summer.
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Digital dividend focus – will the free market destroy terrestrial HDTV?
HDTV is the future say UK broadcasters, but they can't afford to buy the spectrum to put it on the terrestrial platform. Is this pre-auction posturing or a looming crisis?
Magnus Brooke, controller of regulatory affairs for the UK commercial broadcaster, ITV, likens the importance of available HDTV spectrum to the last major seismic shift in television viewing, the change from black and white to colour TV.
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Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Digital dividend focus - the cost of the free market
Auctioning the UK's freed-up analogue TV spectrum on a technology neutral basis could cost hundreds of millions of pounds in re-engineering fees.
Public service broadcasters are urging the British government and UK telecoms regulator Ofcom to follow the French example and make a sizeable chunk of the UHF spectrum, which will be freed up by the switch-off of analogue TV, available for the provision of High Definition Television (HDTV) on the DTT platform.
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Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Could laser ease the bandwidth squeeze?
The armed forces are often criticised for over-use of the airwaves, but could a technology emerging from the military sphere transform current perceptions of spectrum scarcity?
Our appetite for bandwidth is enormous and growing still. Now that enabling technology has evolved, optical wireless (OW) or free space optical communications (FSO) using eye-safe laser could make current broadband data-transfer rates look like dial-up in decades to come. The US military is investing in the technology and intends to deploy 12 optical communications relay satellites commencing in 2012.
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Friday, March 9, 2007
US “white space” battle hots up as Microsoft unveils device prototype
US "white space" battle hots up as Microsoft unveils device prototype
The FCC is testing specifications for a cognitive radio device which six giants of the IT industry claim will enable the transmission of a wireless broadband service without interfering with digital TV signals.
The intensive debate in the US over the proposed use of unlicensed interleaved spectrum or "white space" freed up by the switch to digital television has been running for nearly three years and has now entered a new phase. In theory the consultation is over and the FCC is into the technical testing phase but the row shows no sign of abating. Interest in the spectrum, which would mainly be used for the provision of wireless broadband internet services, is also increasing in Europe with lobbyists for Microsoft and other interested parties making themselves heard.
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