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WTDC Resolution 9 |
The World Telecommunication Development Conference 1998 (WTDC-98) adopted Resolution 9 that, amongst other things, requests the ITU to prepare "a report on current and foreseen uses of the spectrum". Such a report will be similar in concept to the familiar UK spectrum reviews that have examined, on a national basis, existing use of selected parts of the spectrum, identified technology trends, potential new requirements and considered different options for the future that could be built into the national spectrum strategy. The UK has completed several of these reviews and they have proved extremely useful for spectrum managers, industry and users. In view of the benefits of harmonised use of the spectrum within Europe, the concept has also been applied successfully by CEPT administrations and the ERC is now considering the results of its third "Detailed Spectrum Review". Through WTDC Resolution 9, an opportunity now exists for global spectrum reviews, with a particular emphasis on the needs of developing countries.
Resolution 9 requires joint action by the ITU Radiocommunications Sector and the ITU Telecommunications Development Sector. The two sectors have established a joint group to progress the work and appointed co-chairmen Mr Terry Jeacock (UK) and recently Mr Simplice [Z-Y] (Cameroon). The Joint Group works mainly by electronic correspondence with working meetings arranged to coincide with the meetings of ITU-R Study Group 1 and ITU-D Study Group 2.
A Questionnaire on spectrum management has been distributed to Administrations of Member States and Members of the Radiocommunication Sector and the Development Sector in Circular Letters CA/08 BDT and CA/71. The Questionnaire was in 2 parts – Part 1 requested information on national spectrum use, preferably in the form of national spectrum allocation tables. It was agreed that Stage 1 of the Report should examine the frequency range 27.9 – 960 MHz. Part 2 of the Questionnaire asked 18 questions on key spectrum management functions or activities – for each question, administrations were invited to describe any problems experienced.
There has been a good response to the Questionnaire, over 70 replies were received. At the recent Radiocommunication Bureau Seminar on Spectrum Management a presentation on Resolution 9 activities provided additional publicity that resulted in further copies of the the Questionnaire being requested and the deadline for additional responses extended until the end of January 2001.
A first draft of the report based on the initial responses was considered and approved at recent meetings of ITU-R Study Group 1 and ITU-D Study Group 2. A trilingual electronic frequency allocation table is under development that will provide hypertext links to national tables and other relevant information. The answers to Part 2, spectrum management functions, provide a wealth of information in the following key categories: Legal aspects; Financial aspects; Spectrum planning; Spectrum control; Information Technology; Organisational; Use of ITU-R Handbooks.
The analysis of Part 1 of the Questionnaire, national spectrum allocation tables, can be used to compare actual spectrum use (rather than service allocations) between countries, sub-regions or ITU Regions. This information is invaluable for administrations to incorporate in their national strategies for spectrum use and for industry to plan equipment design and marketing. The results could also be used by other Study Groups in their work, for example in response to a liaison statement from WP8F (IMT2000) concerning spectrum availabilty for IMT2000 below 1 GHz, ITU-D has nominated the Resolution 9 study as a source of information on the use of spectrum in this range in developing countries. Analysis of Part 2 of the Questionnaire will identify the needs of administrations, in particular those from developing countries, for improvements in spectrum management functions. This will enable the ITU, for example, to focus on areas where assistance is needed in providing recommendations, reports and handbooks.
A further meeting of the Joint Group is planned at the end of February 2001 and the final report of the first stage of Resolution 9 is due for approval at the ITU-R and ITU-D Study Group meetings in 2001. At this time the scope of the second stage will be discussed and decided. There is a growing preference that the next stage of the report should review the current and foreseen use of the spectrum in the range 1 – 3 GHz.
UK contact for Resolution 9 work
is Terry Jeacock: Terry.Jeacock@ra.gsi.gov.uk
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