DTI Objective [ Innovation] To focus on driving innovation, building on investment in the science base

RA business objective 9
To seek improvement in global and regional spectrum management co-ordination to the benefit of the UK

9.1 International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
The UK attaches great importance to the ITU as the only global forum in which it is possible to discuss telecommunications issues (whether policy, regulatory, operational or technical) and agree the framework for telecommunications development nationally, regionally and globally.

However, the fundamental reason for the UK's involvement in and funding of the ITU, and the reason why the Agency leads for the UK in ITU matters, is the ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) – and particularly its role in allocating radio spectrum. Whether they involve new allocations or the defence of our existing interests, ITU-R decisions are of great strategic and economic importance to the UK.

The ITU's powers can bind Member States and, through them, telecommunications operators to take certain courses of action. However, many such powers are not relevant to the current telecommunications environment and we do not wish to see them exercised. We have striven therefore to increase the organisation's ability to achieve its core functions while restricting itself to policy issues where global intergovernmental rule-setting and regulation are appropriate, and avoiding involvement in areas where self-regulatory or other lighter-touch solutions are more effective.

Within the ITU's Telecommunication Standardization and Development Sectors (ITU-T and ITU-D), we pressed this year for globally harmonised standards (drawing on work done in other standards-making arenas such as ETSI), and advised developing countries on best practices to encourage the development of their telecommunications infrastructure and services. Overall, we view this work not just in terms of our narrower objectives in those Sectors, but also in terms of how it helps us achieve our objectives in ITU-R.

In the lead-up to the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference held in Marrakesh in September and October 2002, we continued our efforts to reform the ITU's working methods and internal management. Unfortunately, strong conservative forces prevail in the ITU, and the conference was a disappointment in terms of adopting new reform proposals. Furthermore, we failed in our bid for re-election to the ITU Council, and for the Agency's Malcolm Johnson to be elected Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau.

The ITU is becoming more politically oriented, with various geopolitical groupings determining its direction; these alliances influence proceedings even at working level. We therefore revised our strategy regarding the ITU after the Marrakesh Conference, in consultation with other Government departments and UK stakeholders. We decided to broaden our political alliances, proposing to base these on:

[	maintaining strong links with our European partners;
[	increasingly recognising the role of the European Union (see Section 9.5) alongside CEPT (see Section 9.3) in coming years;
[	working with Commonwealth countries; and
[	achieving a closer understanding of and liaison with the US prior to key events.

Ministers agreed to reduce the level of UK funding for the ITU, which is paid by the Agency, and to review our representation in and involvement with the ITU, identifying areas that are crucial for spectrum management. This will probably lead to a refocusing of priorities and the rationalisation of resources.

In March 2003, the Agency hosted a Commonwealth seminar on the next ITU World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-03), to be held in June 2003. The seminar presented the main agenda items for WRC-03, particularly those where there are divergent views, and explored the options with a view to finding common ground. The event was attended by 36 high-level participants (including one Minister) from 28 Commonwealth countries, and was very much appreciated. We continue to take every opportunity to develop our Commonwealth links further, particularly through our involvement in the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation.

We devoted considerable resources to WRC-03 preparations over the year. The individual co-ordinators for each of the many agenda items were extremely active, working with interested parties from UK Government and industry and within the relevant European and global preparations, with a view to agreeing proposals acceptable to all UK interests. Terry Jeacock of our International Policy Unit served as vice-chairman of the principal European Conference Preparatory Group (CPG), chaired one of the CPG's main project teams, and took part in preparatory meetings in other regions. We fielded experts at each CPG meeting and at the ITU's Conference Preparatory Meeting in Geneva in October 2002. UK preparations for WRC-03, co-ordinated through the International Frequency Planning Group, are almost complete. The effectiveness of all of this effort will be apparent when the Conference ends in early July.

A seminar in March 2003, hosted by the Agency, gave regulators from Commonwealth countries an opportunity to find common ground on issues that will be discussed at the forthcoming World Radiocommunication Conference

9.2 CISPR
The International Special Committee on Radio Interference (CISPR) is responsible for standards (used as harmonised European standards under the EMC and R&TTE Directives) that protect radio services against interference from electrical and electronic products. The Agency's Peter Kerry has the presidency of this key committee until 2004.

The restructuring of CISPR, reported last year, is working well, and the UK is in a good position to influence the development of radio interference standards.

Advances in technology have produced four main problem areas, which the CISPR is seeking to resolve:

[	The proposals to provide broadband services via the electricity supply require new limits to be developed, so that HF radio services are adequately protected. We hope that this work will reach fruition in the coming year.
[	Increases in computer processing speed require the development of emission limits to protect radio services operating above 1 GHz. The Agency's contribution, regarding the measurement method, is well on the way to becoming accepted, but the actual limits to be used are still being keenly fought over.
[	The Agency's contribution to CISPR on interference from lighting was accepted this year, and the standard is being amended to reduce interference from low-energy lighting systems.
[	Following the identification of deficiencies in the standard for limiting interference from domestic appliances, the Agency is studying how CISPR can remedy them.

9.3 CEPT
Most of the Agency's involvement in the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) is closely related to our objectives in the ITU. CEPT is the European regional organisation responsible for harmonising spectrum use in Europe and preparing European Common Proposals (ECPs) for ITU conferences. National positions and proposals agreed within the UK consultative machinery are submitted to CEPT, with the intention that they will be given European status. This year we were largely successful in this, with many of our proposals incorporated in the ECPs to the Plenipotentiary Conference and WRC-03.

We also continued our efforts to consolidate the reforms of CEPT introduced in 2001, through our membership of the CEPT managing troika (comprising the past, current and future CEPT Presidencies).

The new Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) is proving a successful combination of the two previous committees that dealt separately with telecommunications and radiocommunications. The ECC adopted many new Decisions during the year on a variety of subjects, including harmonised frequency bands (particularly 2500 to 2690 MHz for 3G expansion – see Section 1.11), free circulation and use of equipment, and exemption from licensing.

The Agency's Jo Madigan continues to hold the chair of the ECC regulatory affairs working group.

9.4 European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)
ETSI is a standardisation body, mandated by the European Commission (EC) to provide harmonised standards for radio equipment and systems under, among others, the EMC and R&TTE Directives.

The Agency continues to provide the head of Delegation to the ETSI General Assembly, and to chair the UK ETSI Members Conference – the forum where UK interests are co-ordinated before Assembly meetings. The Agency's Olly Wheaton chairs the ETSI Technical Committee on EMC and Radio Spectrum Matters (TC-ERM), which is responsible for:

[	co-ordinating ETSI's views on spectrum use;
[	interfacing with the CEPT ECC and its working groups; and
[	co-ordinating harmonised standards under the R&TTE Directive.

ETSI maintains close co-ordination with CEPT and the EC on spectrum issues. The task-oriented model for standardisation activities, pioneered in TC-ERM, is now widely accepted within the ETSI technical community.

The ETSI website provides free access to all ETSI's published documents. Features relevant to the Agency's work include:

[	tables linking ETSI standards to available or foreseen frequency bands;
[	EMC and R&TTE Directive information linked to ETSI standards; and
[	features on aeronautical, maritime, land mobile and satellite applications, plus a range of supporting information.

For example, a full range of harmonised standards for the IMT-2000 family of 3G equipment is now available online.

The Agency participates in a range of ETSI activities, with an emphasis on harmonised standards for products and product families such as DECT, TETRA, BRAN (broadband access and associated IEEE WLAN activities), satellite earth stations, broadcast transmitters and broadcast ancillaries, point-to-point and point-to-multipoint fixed links, and 3GPP (see Section 1.10).

ETSI also maintained an active collaboration with CENELEC in the EMC arena this year, through TC-ERM's EMC working group. A joint group is preparing mandated harmonised EMC standards for implementing broadband services on power-line, cable and telecommunication systems.

The integration of radio with non-radio equipment and radio equipment operating simultaneously on more that one frequency band was also studied this year, and two advisory reports were published.

A seminar in March 2003, hosted by the Agency, gave regulators from Commonwealth countries an opportunity to find common ground on issues that will be discussed at the forthcoming World Radiocommunication Conference

9.5 European Union
Following the adoption of the Electronic Communication Directives and the Radio Spectrum Decision on 24 April 2002, the EU dimension in spectrum management has become increasingly important. The new Framework and Authorisation Directives have significant implications for licensing and authorising spectrum use (see Section 1.1), and work was taken forward this year to implement the new requirements by the deadline of 25 July 2003. The Communications Bill will give legal effect in the UK to the new EU provisions.

In addition, the Spectrum Decision introduced new arrangements for spectrum management at EU level; these came into force immediately. Under the Decision, and following discussion with Member States, the EC delegated power to adopt spectrum harmonisation measures to a new Radio Spectrum Committee (RSC).

Another committee, the Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG), was set up under a separate Decision to provide the EC with high-level strategic direction on spectrum management priorities. The RSC met in October and December 2002, and the RSPG had its first meeting in December. The Agency represents the UK on both.

Our objective in both these committees is to ensure that the EU adds value to the spectrum management process in Europe by concentrating on strategic issues with a European-wide dimension rather than duplicating CEPT's work. On the evidence so far, it appears that this priority is shared by other Member States.

9.6 R&TTE Directive
The Agency continued to work closely with industry during 2002-03 to ensure that UK manufacturers and suppliers achieve the full benefit from harmonised standards for radio terminal equipment and, where available, common frequency plans. We contributed to the EC's first review of the R&TTE Directive since its adoption into UK law in 2000. We also continued to monitor the R&TTE Directive's impact on the UK radio equipment market and UK industry.

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