Geneva served as venue from last 23 November to 3 December for the fourth meeting in the 2008-2011 study cycle of working party 5C (WP 5C) of Study Group 5 of the Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R), which covers matters involving fixed wireless systems, HF and other systems operating in frequency bands below 30 MHz in the scope of terrestrial fixed and mobile services. It is also the group responsible for agenda items 1.5, 1.8 and 1.20 of the next World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12).
The 77 documents submitted for WP 5C to consider were distributed to five subgroups, per the nature of the issues:
- Subgroup 5C-1 - issues associated to systems operating in frequencies below 30 MHz;
- Subgroup 5C-2 - issues associated to systems operating in frequencies between 30 MHz and 18 GHz;
- Subgroup 5C-3 - issues associated to systems operating in frequencies above 18 GHz;
- Ad Hoc Recommendations Subgroup - issues associated to updating Recommendations;
- Ad Hoc Plenary Subgroup - issues not covered in the subgroups above.
Analysis of the documents in question led to the production of 54 new documents, of which 24 concern liaison documents with other working groups and 23 documents that will be passed on to the next meeting because they require further development. The remaining seven documents were submitted for SG5's consideration for approval, namely:
- Document SG5-182, proposing the revision of Recommendation ITU-R F.387 on frequency planning for fixed wireless systems to operate in the 10.7-11.7 GHz frequency band. The Recommendation's revision merited ANACOM’s attention as it adds new frequency planning with intervals of 7, 14 and 28 MHz between channels;
- Document SG5-186, proposing the revision of Recommendation ITU-R F.746 on frequency planning for fixed wireless systems. ANACOM considered the update to be especially useful, as it contains all available frequency planning for fixed wireless systems;
- Document SG5-183, proposing that 22 F-Series Recommendations be updated, namely by general review of the text and addition of an introduction to ITU-R Recommendations UIT-R F.106, F.755, F.1097, F.1110, F.1332, F.1333, F.1487, F.1496, F.1497, F.1500, F.1501, F.1519, F.1520, F.1565, F.1569, F.1571, F.1606, F.1607, F.1608, F.1610, F.1611 and F.1612;
- Document SG5-185, proposing updates of five SF-Series Recommendations, namely general review of the text and addition of an introduction to ITU-R Recommendations SF.765, SF.1395, SF.1485, SF.1486 and SF.1572;
- Document SG5-184, proposing the withdrawal of two F-Series Recommendations (ITU-R F.349 and F.436) and four SF-Series Recommendations (ITU-R SF.1482, SF.1483, SF.1484 and SF.1573);
- Document SG5-187, proposing the revision of ITU-R Report F.2107 on applications and respective characteristics of fixed wireless systems to operate in the frequency bands between 57 GHz and 130 GHz. The amendment aimed to reorganise and add relevant content for the implementation of fixed service systems in these bands;
- Document SG5-181, proposing the revision of Recommendation ITU-R F.1570 on the evaluation of interference between high altitude platforms (HAPs) - uplink - with earth exploration by satellite service (EESS) - passive - in the 31.3-31.8 GHz frequency band. The content was updated to make sure it is in line with the Radio Regulation (RR).
Noteworthy among documents to be considered at the next WP 5C meeting are the following:
- Document WP5C-TEMP/174, considering spectrum sharing between terrestrial electronic news gathering (ENG) systems and fixed and mobile service stations. Note that item 1.5 on the WRC-12 agenda proposes the harmonisation of ENG systems at global/regional level;
- Revision document WP5C-TEMP/163 of Recommendation ITU-R F.758, which deserves special attention due to its use for studies on spectrum or compatibility sharing between digital fixed wireless systems (in fixed service) and systems from other services and other interference sources;
- Working document WP5C-TEMP/181, aiming to establish compatibility requirements between emerging systems and existing services in frequency bands above 71 GHz (item 1.8 on the WRC-12 agenda);
- Two working documents, WP5C-TEMP/168 and 175, on high altitude platforms (HAPs). The documents contain interference analysis models and technical characteristics to use in studies on spectrum sharing in the 5850-7075 MHz frequency band (item 1.20 on the WRC-12 agenda).
