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Section 2

International and European framework

Ofcom participates in ITU and other European forum on spectrum related activities.

The planning of frequency allocations at the international level is undertaken by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a specialised Agency of the United Nations. The ITU Radio Regulations constitute an international treaty to which the UK is bound and contain a Table of Frequency Allocations in which spectrum is allocated to different wireless services, e.g. Fixed Service (FS) and Fixed Satellite Service (FSS). Modifications to these allocations can only be made at World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs) which are held approximately every four years with the agenda being set at the previous WRC.

Within the ITU-Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) a number of Study Groups, Task Groups and Working Parties exist to address detailed technical issues such as system characteristics, interference criteria, inter-service sharing and channel plans. These groups produce ITU-R Recommendations. For the FS, Study Group 9 is the responsible group producing and publishing "F" series recommendations.

Planning of the radio spectrum is conducted at the European level through the European Conference of Postal Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT). In 1998 CEPT created the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), into which all telecommunications standardisation activities were transferred. CEPT itself now maintains coordination on commercial, operational, regulatory and technical issues, and deals exclusively with sovereign/regulatory matters.

Detailed spectrum planning at the European level is conducted within sub-groups of the European Communications Committee (CEPT/ECC). The ECC was set up in response to convergence in radio and telecommunication sectors, and the requirements of the information society. It further establishes close cooperation and consultation with relevant European bodies, in particular the European Commission and the European Free Trade Association. With its overall aim of European harmonisation, the ECC produces recommendations and decisions on frequency usage. Technical issues are dealt with through Spectrum Engineering (SE) Working Groups. For the fixed links, SE19 takes the lead.

It is now possible for the European Commission (EC) to use the spectrum decision mechanism to mandate both CEPT/ECC and ETSI to respectively undertake spectrum management and equipment standardisation activities necessary for establishing and operating the internal market. The Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG) which was established under the EC decision 2002/622/EC. This assists and advises the EC on radio spectrum policy, harmonisation of policy approaches and, where appropriate, on conditions for harmonising the availability and efficient use of the radio spectrum.

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