London hosted last 16-18 July the 27th meeting of project team 44 (PT44) on satellite communications of the Frequency Management working group (WGFM). Chaired by Azzarelli of the United Kingdom, the meeting was attended by 33 participants from 12 administrations, and by industry representatives, specifically from the International Maritime Satellite Organisation (INMARSAT), the satellite telephony company Iridium, the European Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (EUTELSAT), O3b Networks, Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space and the European Communications Office (ECO), as well as radioastronomy delegates.
Various matters were covered, of which the following agenda points stand out:
- non-geostationary satellite orbit earth stations on board mobile platforms (NGSO ESOMP);
- analysis of use of the 17.7-19.7 GHz frequency band;
- presentation of the IRIDIUM NEXT system and draft charter for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The project team examined and debated contributions received in the scope of those agenda points and updated various documents based on results of the discussions.
Noteworthy work was carried out regarding NGSO ESOMP, with various documents discussed: the draft report on NGSO ESOMP; the liaison statement to project team SE40 (PT SE40) of the Spectrum Engineering working group (WGSE), reporting development of the draft report on NGSO ESOMP and requesting technical studies concerning sharing between satellite networks and especially regarding the limits of equivalent power flux density (e.p.f.d.) set out in provision 22.5 of the Radio Regulation (RR), as well as a liaison statement to the Technical Committee on Satellite Earth Stations (TC SES) of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), reporting the need for a new working item to produce a new harmonised European standard, similar to TC SES's work to develop standard EN 303 978 on ESOMP.
However, despite the efforts made, none of the documents were completed during the meeting and agreement was reached to hold a webmeeting to finish them before the respective working groups PT SE40 and TC SES meet.
Regarding study of 17.7-19.7 GHz frequency band use, the revision of Decision ECC/DEC/(00)07 began with a view to including in it the provisions on free movement and licence exemption of non-coordinated fixed satellite service (FSS) receivers in that frequency band. This document is still in preliminary state and will only be finished after PT44 receives PT SE40's results concerning the matter.
Lastly, it is important to note that the presentation of the IRIDIUM NEXT system, with emphasis on the steps taken to protect radio-astronomy, was much debated by the representatives of Iridium and the radio-astronomy community. Yet despite Iridium's readiness to discuss possible solutions with the community of radio-astronomers, the draft letter to the FCC will be attached to the minutes of the PT44 meeting for later consideration in WGFM, requesting that it be forwarded to the FCC.
The 28th meeting of this group will be a webmeeting held on 20 August, while the 29th should be held this coming 20-22 November at the Agence Nationale des Fréquences (ANFR) in Paris.
