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COMMUNICATIONS
WRC-19 Congress Yields Positives

for Satellite, Cell Sectors

By John Walko

pectr ri ts i speed internet access and ar oni ation red i in
delegates’ deliberations at the ITU-sponsored World Radiocommunication Conference.

he World Radiocommunication Conference is held every four
years, with technologists and regulators setting the rules for
allocating the prized radio frequencies used for applications
T from weather forecasting to emerging wireless networks
such as 5G. WRC-19, held in the fall, attracted 3,400 delegates from
165 member states to sunny Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt. They addressed
a huge range of concerns, including improving internet access via
satellites for passengers on planes, trains, ships, and roads; enabling
communications in underdeveloped regions; setting crucial parameters
for the design and operation of massive machine-to-machine systems;
and achieving ultra-reliable, low-latency communications.
Intense negotiations yielded rules to ensure that radio astronomy
stations are protected from RF interference (from other space stations
or orbiting satellites) and that satellite services focused on meteorol- grow these and future services, with advances in satellite and antenna
ogy and climatology are likewise protected. technologies and increased capacity,” said Meltzer.
A major theme was how to ensure the global harmonization of Delegates adopted a milestone-based regulatory approach for
emerging of 5G mobile networks. If different parts of the world deploying non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) satellites in specific
deployed different spectrum bands for G, the resultant difficulty in bands and services so as to preserve spectrum rights. Operators will
supporting roaming would drive up the cost of components. The indus- need to hit deployment milestones that commence seven years after
try also has been calling for new frequencies because ultra-low-latency requesting the spectrum and must be completed within the next seven
and very high-bit-rate applications will need larger continuous blocks years. NGSO constellation operators will have to launch 10 of their
of spectrum than those available in the bands already identified. satellites within two years after the initial period, 0 within five years,
WRC-1 delegates identified more high-frequency spectrum that and all by the end of the seven-year milestone period. If constellation
could be set aside for G services. The agreement specified the 2 .2 - ventures have not launched the target number by the milestones laid
to 2 . -G z, - to . -G z, . - to -G z, .2- to .2-G z, and out, or within the total 14 years allotted, their spectrum rights will be
66- to 1-G z bands. It remains to be seen to what extent these very limited in proportion to the number launched before time ran out.
high frequencies will be put to use. Building out the huge number of This agreement was negotiated to ensure faster rollout of high-speed
small cells that would be required to make use of the proposed spec- internet to remote regions. Until now, constellation ventures had to
trum will be a huge and expensive task. launch a single satellite within seven years of applying for spectrum,
“Countries struck the right balance in opening up groundbreaking operate it for just 0 days, and then file so-called “bring into use”
possibilities for G while protecting existing radio services worldwide,” paperwork with the ITU’s Radiocommunication Bureau in order to
said Mats Granryd, director general of the GSM Association (GSMA). preserve the desired frequencies. Delegates and regulators were con-
“The mobile industry’s goal going into WRC-19 was to identify enough cerned that this allocation left room for ventures to hoard spectrum for
G spectrum to deliver long-lasting socioeconomic benefits. WRC-1 perhaps thousands of satellites with the launch of just one satellite.
delivered on this goal and also secured a pathway to 5G’s future success Companies such as Space , OneWeb, Telsat, and Amazon each plan
in the agenda for WRC-2 .” thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) to connect broadband
It has long been a quirk of these events that the agenda starts being access to rural or underserved areas around the world. The new rules
devised for the next one, even if it’s four years off. One obvious target also apply to constellations targeting Earth observation and astronomy.
for the 202 event will be to identify additional mid- and low-frequency Ahead of the meeting, the giant U.S. commercial communications
bands. Other planned themes include Earth Stations in Motion (ESIM), satellite suppliers, such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrup
high-altitude International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) base Grumman, had advocated for milestones that would require constella-
stations, aeronautical mobile applications, and novel Global Maritime tion ventures to launch 10 of their birds within three years, 0 after
Distress and Safety Systems (GMDSS). five years, and the total within seven years. European satellite makers
Airbus Defense and Space and Thales Alenia Space suggested slightly
SATELLITE INDUSTRY CONCERNS different time scales.
David Meltzer, director general of the GVF, the global trade association ITU Secretary General oulin hao said in his closing remarks that
for the satellite industry, also welcomed the outcomes for potential WRC-19 had “made it possible to connect the unconnected and bridge
satellite-based services, calling the allocated spectrum the “oxygen the digital divide.” ■
that brings such services to life.”
The decisions reached that protect existing satellite spectrum and John Walko is a technology writer and editor and a contributor to
provide access to more bands “will enable satellites to maintain and EE Times Europe.

www.eetimes.eu | FEBRUARY 2020