The need to harmonize
spectrum for mobile
François Rancy
Director, Radiocommunications Bureau,
ITU
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
1
Contents
 Spectrum policy objectives and the
role of ITU
 Benefits of harmonization for IMT
 The particular situation of the
700/800 MHz bands
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
2
Spectrum Policy objectives
 to meet the changing spectrum
requirements of radiocommunication
services, while
 Achieving proper balance between all these
services
 Keeping a stable regulatory framework
favouring long term investments in
radiocommunication networks and services
 Taking advantage of international
harmonisation
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
3
The role of ITU in spectrum
 Establish and update the international
regulations on spectrum usage (Radio
Regulations, Regional Agreements)
 Administer the procedures applied by Member
States to aquire and maintain rights to use
spectrum
 Develop global standards and best practices
on spectrum usage
 Assist Administrations in using spectrum and
deploying the most efficient
radiocommunication networks
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
4
Need to harmonize spectrum for
international mobile
telecommunications




Economies of scale
Interoperability and roaming
Spectrum efficiency
Cross-border frequency
coordination
 Success of GSM and 3G
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
5
Current trends for IMT
 3G is meeting growing success, with
data traffic rapidly exceeding networks
capacity
 Historic bands (900 MHz, 1800 MHz)
are in the process of refarming from 2G
to 3G
 The only globally harmonized bands
available for 4G to resolve this situation
are the 700/800 MHz and 2.6 GHz
bands
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
6
The particular situation of
the 700/800 MHz bands
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
7
The specifics of Broadcasting
 High power high tower to maximize coverage,
often on top of mountains
 Also maximizes interference (typically up 200
km away)
 Requires careful frequency planning to avoid
interference
 Problem is compounded by spectrum scarcity in
border areas, where populations also want to
receive the services from adjacent countries
 Cultural, political and social consequences
International frequency planning is required
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
8
Spectrum Efficiency of DTV
 A single analog program of Standard
definition can be broadcast on one
transmission channel of 8 MHz bandwidth
 With latest technologies (e.g. DVB-T2
and MPEG4), the same transmission
channel can broadcast one multiplex
carrying up to 24 digital equivalent
programs simultaneously, up to 6 in HD
 Single frequency networks further
increase potential capacity/spectrum
efficiency
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
9
International framework for
DTV
 GE-06 Agreement between the 120 countries of Europe,
Middle East and Africa
 GE-06 Plan provides for 7 planned frequencies in each
area, hence the potential for 7 digital multiplexes in the
band 470-862 MHz, free of interference
 May be modified by mutual agreement between all
affected countries, by applying the Plan modification
procedure
 Only usable without constraints after complete analog
switch-off (June 2015)
Analog switch-off is coupled with a change of frequency
plan: « digital switchover »
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
10
Digital Dividend
 The digital dividend is the
amount of spectrum made
available by the transition of
analogue television to digital.
 It may be used by
broadcasting or mobile
services, for the development
of mobile broadband
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
11
Need for harmonisation of
the digital dividend
 Economies of scale
 Interoperability and roaming
 Spectrum efficiency, equipment
performance
 Avoid interference:
 Broadcasting into mobile base stations:
300 km separation required
 a national decision on digital dividend
allocation cannot be implemented without
prior regional harmonisation
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
12
Importance of regional harmonisation of digital
dividend to avoid harmful interference
(Example of Mobile service in France interfered by
Broadcasting service of neighbouring countries)
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
13
International framework for
the digital dividend
 WRC-07 has also allocated the band 790-862
MHz (channels 61 to 69 of the broadcasting
Plan) to the Mobile Service in Europe, Africa and
Middle East
 WRC-12 has done the same for the band 694790 MHz (channels 49 to 60), subject to review
by WRC-15 (« second digital dividend »). This
makes its future use uncertain for broadcasting.
 These decisions leave the choice opened to
administrations to decide to allocate any of
these bands to mobile or to continue to use it for
broadcasting.
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
14
International framework for
the digital dividend
 The European Union has taken steps to
harmonise the 800 MHz band for mobile from
2012 (« first digital dividend ») and is expected
to do the same for the second digital dividend.
 Implementation of these decisions will require
cooperation from adjacent non-EU countries.
 Eastern European countries have to rapidly take
steps to avoid uncertainty on the future use of
these bands and enjoy the benefits of
international harmonization for 4G
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
15
Release of the digital dividend
for mobile
 Release is not automatic. It requires:
 Regional cooperation/coordination decisions
 National Spectrum Allocation decisions
 Frequency coordination and replanning with
neighbouring countries
 Refarming of existing services
 Licensing
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
Transition to digital TV and availability of
digital dividend
Switchover
Analog Television
XX% population
Digital dividend for BS
X% population
Digital dividend for MS
Start of Analog
switch-off
End of Analog
switch-off
Transitory frequency plan
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
Target frequency plan
17
Need to coordinate
frequencies
 Any change of frequency plan is costly and
disruptive. Even more so when it is not
planned in advance.
 GE-06 Plan modifications may take a long time
if not properly coordinated
 Social, political and financial impact
 Need for prior coordination of frequencies with
neighboring countries to avoid interference
and disruptions.
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
18
Digital Transition and
digital dividend
 Digital dividend is the output of Digital
Switchover
 It has to be planned together with
DSO to avoid any future disruptions and
associated costs
 Avoiding DTV deployment in frequency
bands identified for harmonised mobile
service would avoid future disruptions
 Planning has to be undertaken at
regional level
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
19
Digital Dividend - A national
decision?
 To take the decision on Digital Dividend at the national
level, it is important to take harmonization/coordination
measures at the international level:
 Agree on a common allocation to the mobile service as
part of the digital dividend
 Coordinate frequencies and technical characteristics of
national television assignments in the band allocated to
broadcasting, to enable transition to digital broadcasting
and analog switch-off, hence release of digital dividend
spectrum for both mobile and broadcasting. This involves
renegotiating the GE-06 Agreement
 Harmonize the timing of transition from analogue to digital
 Resolve any remaining interference problems
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012
20
Thank you for your attention!
francois.rancy@itu.int
Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Harmonization
Bucharest, 29 March 2012