WRC Group Said Progressing on Spectrum for IMT-2000
GENEVA -- Work on frequency issues for development of IMT-2000 and systems beyond IMT-2000 are ongoing at the technical level, said the co-chair of a working group of the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) preparing for the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC). The hope is to do the work before CPM ends, but much remains to be done, she said.
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An ITU report predicts spectrum bandwidth needs in 2020 at 1,280 MHz to 1,720 MHz, documents said. The debate focuses on the future of the information society, investment and advanced technology, said CPM Chmn. Kavouss Arasteh. About 240 people are attending the working group meeting on the issue, which he said is complex and involves many frequency bands.
Preliminary consensus was achieved on work for spectrum requirements and possible additional spectrum allocations for aeronautical telecom and high-bit-rate aeronautical telemetry, but hasn’t been approved for inclusion into the CPM report. Consensus was reached on more allocations for aeronautical mobile service in some frequencies between 108 MHz and 6 GHz, and to study satellite frequency allocations in light of the need to modernize civil aviation telecom systems, but it isn’t in the CPM report, either. Some work on protection of passive earth-exploration satellite service from unwanted emissions of active services was completed, but work is continuing, the working group chmn. said.
Countries did clarify positions on global harmonization of a frequency band for amateur use. “A secondary allocation to the amateur service in the frequency band 135.7-137.8 kHz would harmonize on a worldwide basis the use of this band,” documents said. Amateur low frequency allocations have been made in the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and parts of Asia. The band’s primary allocation is to fixed and maritime mobile services and radiolocation in parts of the Middle East, Asia and Oceania, documents said. Because the harmonized band will be a secondary application, it has to protect the primary allocation. A group of Arab states wants to limit stations to 1 watt EIRP. Japan said it would be very difficult to measure from a regulatory standpoint. An amateur station on the frequency couldn’t possibly exceed the 1 watt level, an official involved said. Govts. generally set power limits for amateurs, he said. A 2nd option would leave the power level decision at the national level. Arab countries insisted on an option not to harmonize the band. The WRC will make a final decision on which alternative to adopt and when it takes effect. The document was approved for inclusion in the final CPM report.
The CPM’s aim is to update 400-plus pages in a conference preparatory report to be used as a reference work during the WRC. The participant list included 92 U.S. reps; unconfirmed reports by officials put the tally at 104.