World Radiocommunication Conference Research Articles

WORLD RADIOCOMMUNICATION CONFERENCE AND ITS IMPACT ON WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY

The International Union's World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) is scheduled to convene in Geneva, Switzerland, on October 15, 2007. The first of such worldwide conferences since 2003, WRC '07 includes about 25 substantive items on the agenda dealing with possible changes to the Radio Regulations. A few of these items are briefly discussed to provide readers with a feel for the diversity of issues that come up at these conferences and their possible impacts on wireless technology

Constructing and using scenarios to forecast demand for future mobile communications services

PurposeAims to present a pragmatic method for long‐term forecasting and to illustrate its usage with the results of a recent case study to forecast future demand for mobile communications services.Design/methodology/approachA scenario construction methodology is explained in detail. The case material presented here is drawn from a forecasting exercise for the European Commission between September 2004 and April 2005 examining potential demand for mobile communications services up to 2020.FindingsThe formalized method and a synopsis of the actual scenarios generated in the case study are given here in outline. The paper also indicates how needs analysis was used in conjunction with the scenarios to generate a list of potential services and their use, which formed the basis of detailed traffic estimates. Certain aspects of the method and its results have been incorporated by the ITU working committees into their detailed preparations for the World Radiocommunication Conference's negotiations in 2007.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper can only give a brief description of the scenarios and provides only limited detail on how the scenarios were subsequently used to generate forecasts of demand for mobile communication services.Originality/valueThe paper demonstrates a socio‐economic forecasting method based on scenarios and their use in forecasting demand within the telecommunications sector.

The Region 1 & 3 Broadcasting-Satellite Service Plan after WRC-03

The 1977 Broadcasting-Satellite Service (BSS) Plan for Region 1 & 3 had been widely acknowledged to be out-of-date by the late 1980s. Development of digital modulation in the early 1990s provided an opportunity to update the technical provisions of the Plan to make it more economically viable. After a decade of work and three World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs), the revision of Region 1 & 3 BSS Plan was finally completed in 2003. The new Plan increased channel assignments from 5 to 10 analog-equivalent channels for each country in Region 1, and from 4 to 12 channels for each country in Region 3. Yet, despite the increase in capacity, the new Plan is surprisingly similar to the original one in terms of the technical parameters. It is still based on national coverage, and the channel plan, orbital location, orbital spacing, and polarization are also the same. As a result, the new Plan is no more economically viable to implement than the old. To create economically viable BSS systems would most likely require modifications to the assignment in the Plan. Yet, modification procedures were made more difficult to apply after replanning. Less future implementation of BSS networks than would otherwise have occurred can be expected, and an inefficient usage of these frequency bands will likely result. On the other hand, less implemented systems will mean more capacity set aside for future use. This is important for countries that currently do not have satellite operations. In the end, BSS replanning reflects the eternal conflict between efficient usage and guaranteed future access. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Use of C-Band frequencies for satellite navigation: benefits and drawbacks

Although not considered for the first generation of European Galileo satellites, the use of C-Band frequencies for navigation purposes may be taken into account for a future generation of Galileo. For this reason, a frequency band of 20 MHz bandwidth (5,010–5,030 MHz) has been allocated in the course of the World Radio Communications Conference 2000 held in Istanbul, Turkey. The use of C-Band navigation signals offers both advantages and drawbacks. One example is the ionospheric path delay which is inversely proportional to the (squared) carrier frequency and is therefore significantly smaller at C-Band. On the other hand, the use of C-Band frequencies results in increased attenuation effects such as free space loss or rainfall attenuation. It is therefore necessary to provide a detailed analysis of the effects of C-Band frequencies on the navigation process. In order to assess the feasibility of using C-Band frequencies, various aspects of signal propagation and satellite signal tracking at C-Band are examined in the context of this article. In particular, aspects like free space loss, atmospheric effects, foliage attenuation, code and carrier tracking performance, code noise, phase noise and multipath are discussed with respect to their performance at C-Band. In order to allow comparison with the current GPS system, the performance at C-Band is compared to the L-Band performance under similar or identical conditions. The results of this analysis will finally be discussed with respect to their impact on satellite payload and receiver design.

The world radiocommunication conferences process: Help or hindrance to new satellite development?

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) provides a forum in which government and industry cooperate for the improvement and rational use of telecommunications worldwide. One of the missions of the Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) is the management of the radiofrequency spectrum and orbital locations, which are increasingly in demand from a large number of services. The ITU-R's mission is to ensure rational, equitable, efficient and economical use of this spectrum by all radio-communication services, including those using satellite orbit, and to facilitate studies and adoption of regulations and recommendations on radio-communication matters. World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs) review and revise radio regulations, allocations, and allotment plans, and address any radiocommunication matters. The WRCs are now convened every two or three years. However, with that level of infrequency, spectrum allocation planning might not be very responsive to industry development. Moreover, the general scope of the agenda is extensive and results in political compromise instead of technical readiness. It creates tension regarding the need for adequate time to have relevant technical studies done to support or refute proposals. This issue of political versus technical interests becomes more crucial with the growth of regional activities for coordination and the economic value of the spectrum. In addition, industry has international—rather then merely national—representation, affecting the technical study process. In turn, the WRC process impacts on industry are significant: resulting in delays, uncertainties, and political compromises affecting technical viability.

Sharing and Compatibility Study between Fixed Service Using High Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS) and Other Services in the 31/28 GHz Bands

In the World Radiocommunication Conference 2000 (WRC-2000), use of the 31 GHz and 28 GHz bands was permitted for the fixed service (FS) by using high altitude platform stations (HAPS) in some count...

World Radio Conference WRC-2000

The World Radio Conference 2000 must be considered the most important one for radio astronomy since WARC-79. The conference agenda contains about 30 topics of substance, and more than 10 of these have direct impact on radio astronomy frequency allocations. From the perspective of radio astronomy the most important items are: “Allocation of Frequency Bands above 71 GHz to the Earth-Exploration Satellite Service (passive) and Radio Astronomy Service” and the agenda items dealing with Recommendation 66 (Unwanted Emissions). A review of the status of preparations is given.

Radio Astronomy and the Radio Regulations

This article gives a brief introduction to the status of radio astronomy within the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the body which coordinates global telecommunications. Radio astronomy entered the ITU arena in 1959 as a relative latecomer. By its nature, radio astronomy does not fit into the ITU system very well: regulators are hoping to facilitate commercial development of the radio spectrum, whereas astronomers are hoping to retain quiet frequency bands through which to study the Universe at ever higher sensitivity. Nevertheless there are major long-term goals which radio astronomers can realistically hope to achieve via the ITU in the years ahead, including more favourable frequency allocations and better regulatory protection. The prospects for radio astronomy at the forthcoming World Radio Conference WRC-2000 are reviewed. It is vital that radio astronomers participate in force at this WRC.

The proposed Ku-band non geostationary communication satellite systems

At the 1997 World Radio Conference France was able to secure agreement for Alcatel-Alsthom to launch a non-geostationary satellite system (called SkyBridge) operating at Ku-band, and utilizing the same spectrum as employed by the existing Ku-band geostationary satellites. Provisional power flux density limits for the level of unwanted interference into existing satellite and ground antennas were also adopted and are presently being reviewed by an ITU-R Joint Task Group. SkyBridge subsequently petitioned the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for a license to operate in the United States, causing the FCC to open a window for others to file for such systems. Five new filings were received and this paper describes the six (including Sky-Bridge) designs that have now been proposed. The paper discusses some of the relative merits of the various designs and also the issues of a) interference with the existing geostationary satellites (which may be solvable albeit with the latter losing some capacity) and b) mutual interference among NGSO systems (which may not be solvable in a manner acceptable to their proponents).

The regulatory status of the Ka-band

Access to frequencies is a major concern for all satellite systems. Even if the Ka-band is currently lightly used by Satellite Systems, the Regulatory rules which will govern its access to planned new Satellite Communication Systems have started to be changed during the last World Radiocommunication Conferences. This new regulatory environment, which should be finalised at the next World Radiocommunication Conference, will be a key element in the future of the Ka-Band and of the new Satellite Communication Systems which intend to operate in that Band. The regulatory status of the Ka-Band has dramatically changed at the WRC-97 and new, important changes may happen at the next World Radiocommunication Conference. This paper presents the regulatory status before and after WRC-97. The presentation of the available regulatory tools before WRC-97 (Article S22.2 and Resolution 46) is made in order to demonstrate their inadequacy to allow the emergence of new techniques to improve the efficient use of the spectrum. Detailed description of the relevant new ITU-R resolutions which deal with the sharing between NGSO-FSS and GSO-FSS or other services, explains which opportunities are offered to the new NGSO-FSS systems which intend to operate in this band and which constraints they will have to cope with. A detailed presentation, sub-band by sub-band, of the applicable resolutions and their meaning allows us to clarify the intricate and various regulatory tools governing the use of the Ka-Band. Another order of complexity of the regulatory environment is expressed through the comparison of the international status, as defined in the Radio regulation, with the frequency allocation Plan set up by the Federal Communication Commission for the USA. The paper ends with an overview of the main upcoming issues for the Ka-Band at the next World Radiocommunication Conference. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Radio Astronomy: Astronomers Protect Endangered Bands

Radio AstronomyAmsterdam—Radio astronomers are treating a handful of footnotes in a document produced at the World Radio Conference held last month in Geneva, Switzerland, as a major achievement. The footnotes ask governments to protect certain bands—especially the methanol line at 6668 megahertz—for exclusive use by astronomers. These bands are being encroached on by telecommunication and satellite companies, swamping the faint signals from deep space so precious to astronomers. The footnotes are usually respected, but astronomers are lobbying for stronger protections.

Astronomers Protect Endangered Bands

Amsterdam—Radio astronomers are treating a handful of footnotes in a document produced at the World Radio Conference held last month in Geneva, Switzerland, as a major achievement. The footnotes ask governments to protect certain bands—especially the methanol line at 6668 megahertz—for exclusive use by astronomers. These bands are being encroached on by telecommunication and satellite companies, swamping the faint signals from deep space so precious to astronomers. The footnotes are usually respected, but astronomers are lobbying for stronger protections.

Astronomers Protect Endangered Bands

Amsterdam—Radio astronomers are treating a handful of footnotes in a document produced at the World Radio Conference held last month in Geneva, Switzerland, as a major achievement. The footnotes ask governments to protect certain bands—especially the methanol line at 6668 megahertz—for exclusive use by astronomers. These bands are being encroached on by telecommunication and satellite companies, swamping the faint signals from deep space so precious to astronomers. The footnotes are usually respected, but astronomers are lobbying for stronger protections.

Radioastronomy and the unquiet radio sky

This week's meeting of the World Radio Conference could make or break radioastronomy by making wise or foolish decisions about the reservation of radio-frequencies.

New waves for new systems [radio frequency spectrum allocation

Everywhere changes in telecommunications, from liberalization of regulations to progress in radio technology, have increased the use of radio services to unforeseen levels, bringing in their wake a pandora's box of problems. In response, the world community has altered time-hallowed methods of spectrum management, not least the organization of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the way in which radio conferences are convened and scheduled. The 1995 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-95) to be held in Geneva will tackle the broad challenges of managing the frequency spectrum in a rapidly changing world. WRC-95 will consider allocations of the electromagnetic spectrum and their effects on systems vital to national economies, including mobile communication services. The thrust will be more sharply on simplification of agreements governing the spectrum's use, and on just when to make broader provision for new satellite systems for mobile communications. >

Europe prepares for WRC-95: mobile satellite service issues

European preparations for World Radiocommunication Conferences are coordinated within the European regional posts and telecommunications organization known as the CEPT. The basic objective of the European proposals is to achieve an even playing field for the introduction of competitive mobile satellite services that can provide global services from the earliest feasible common date. Europe believes the additional allocations made at the 1992 conference are sufficient for the foreseeable future, especially now that there is an opportunity every two years to make additional allocations should the need be proven. What must be agreed upon, however, are the allocations for the feeder links to the mobile satellite service to complement the 1992 allocations for service links. Europe also need to consider the technical constraints that were placed on the use of these service links at the 1992 conference. Of particular concern to Europe, is the most unsatisfactory conclusion in 1992 on the date of availability of the 2 GHz mobile satellite service allocations. The article describes the European proposals on these mobile satellite issues.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Determination of the coordination area of an earth station: a review of the new ITU-R recommendations

The recently adopted ITU-R recommendations on how to determine the coordination area of an earth station are reviewed. These recommendations are intended as a replacement for Appendix 28 of the Radio Regulations, once a competent World Radio Conference makes a decision to do so. It is therefore of interest to compare the coordination distances obtained with the new recommendations with those obtained with Appendix 28. Such a comparison has been made and shows that the new recommendations, in general, give smaller coordination distances than Appendix 28. A brief description of the software implementation of these recommendations is given.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Report on World Radio Conference Geneva, Switzerland, 1959

A report on the world radio conference held in Geneva, Switzerland, during the last four months of 1959 is presented. The Conference was held under auspices of the International Telecommunication Union, the specialized agency of the United Nations which deals with radio and other telecommunication matters at international level. The organization of the conference is described, to show the mechanism by which engineers and telecommunication administrators from many nations work together to produce what amounts to international legislation in a highly technical field. The four principal work areas of the conference were: Radio spectrum allocations; frequency management techniques; definition of technical terms and establishment of technical standards; and operating regulations in the aeronautical and maritime radio services. Major decisions of interest to engineers in the United States are summarized, including new terminology which engineers will be expected to learn gradually in the years ahead.