Satellite Interests Press Agenda at WRC-12 Prep Meetings

Little will be dropped from the lengthy draft WRC-12 preparatory report before it’s finalized later this month, executives said. The report is used as a basis for proposals to the conference. Many administrations use the two-week meeting to start to develop their positions, executives said. The text usually gets longer and more detailed, according to one executive who has attended more than 10 ITU treaty conferences. An informal satellite group, including Inmarsat, SES, EADS, Thales, Intelsat, Thuraya, Chinasat, Telenor, Yahsat and others, is meeting daily with regional groups of regulators.

A revision of service categories would endanger the “security” of satellite spectrum, the group told an Arab group of regulators Tuesday, according to a presentation. The group was referring to merging the fixed and mobile service and other proposals. The fixed satellite service can share with terrestrial point-to-point links, but not point-to-mobile applications, it said. A variety of proposals have been discussed (CD June 14 p8). The Netherlands and Sweden have been active proponents of the work to enhance the regulatory framework.

The need for new mobile bands should be met on a band-by-band basis, the group said, not through a redefinition that would allow mobile service applications into fixed service bands. The agenda item shouldn’t be considered at a future conference, they said. Meteorological interests also favor no change (CD Jan 29 p9). No serious talks are being held on modifying satellite service definitions, a satellite executive said.

The group recommended service links between unmanned aircraft and satellites that can operate in existing aeronautical mobile-satellite (route) service, mobile or fixed satellite services allocations for the agenda item on terrestrial and satellite spectrum requirements for the safe operation of unmanned systems in non-segregated airspace. The International Civil Aviation Organization is pressing hard for use of spectrum for safety services by unmanned systems, an executive said. Technology advances, the long timeline for introduction of unmanned systems and other factors will satisfy safety concerns, a satellite proponent said. Satellite operators have also been concerned that regulatory action on unmanned aircraft systems at WRC-12 could adversely affect their business models (CD Sept 23/09 p10).

The group also recommended service links between satellite and unmanned aircraft control stations that may be in existing aeronautical mobile-satellite (route) service, mobile or fixed satellite services allocations. Use of MSS and FSS bands by unmanned systems must not lead to additional constraints on other users of these services in the bands, the group said.

The satellite group supports no change for an agenda item on ensuring long-term spectrum availability and access to spectrum necessary to meet requirements for the aeronautical mobile-satellite (route) service. ICAO and certain administrations want a more prominent role for aeronautical. Several proposals have been made (CD March 10/10 p8). The frequency allocation table and the coordination mechanism should remain unchanged, the satellite interests said.

Apparent consensus on the no regulatory change approach to spur introduction of software defined and cognitive systems has spurred little opposition. Satellite, broadcasting, weather and science services interests are monitoring talks. They say the systems should conform to existing rules and only use certain bands.

Satellite interests support no change on the possible identification of 2 x 80 MHz bands for high altitude platform stations (HAPS) backhaul links. Work under the agenda item has focused on frequencies between 5850 to 7075 MHz. The band is heavily used by satellite uplinks and is congested, the presentation said. Protecting satellite receivers would be very difficult, it said. Satellite and HAPS proponents have been divided over a wide range of issues on the systems (CD June 14 p12). Australia and Lebanon appear to be the strongest proponents of making the spectrum available for the systems.

Effective limits on short range device emissions need to be set to ensure protection and development of the fixed satellite service, the presentation said. ITU studies show potential interference to C-band Earth stations from ultra wide band devices, it said.

The group supports all allocations to the six bands under discussion for allocation to the mobile satellite service, with the frequencies to be used for broadband. A variety of worries have emerged from administrations (CD Jan 27 p11). Talks may reduce the number or change the approaches in the conference preparatory report for addressing the allocations.

Proposals to improve the management of filings, verifying bringing-into-use and an alternative coordination and registration procedure should ensure flexibility for future development, not risk existing spectrum assets, the presentation said. An assignment recorded under the procedure shouldn’t automatically be filed if an administration complains, it said. Satellite officials and executives have been working on ways to boost regulatory certainty in preparation for the conference (CD May 7/09 p9).

The group supports deferring to the Radio Regulations Board unresolved reports of harmful interference. The group also supports improvements to due diligence provisions, a clarification of suspension provisions and a basic definition of bringing into use as a satellite capable of transmitting in the bands operating at the location.