The 59th meeting of the Short Range Devices/Maintenance Group (SRD/MG) working group was held last 28-30 August in Vienna, chaired by Thomas Weber and attended by 52 participants from various administrations and bodies, among them the European Commission (EC) and European Communications Office (ECO), as well as industry.
The SRD/MG working group handles matters associated to short range devices and among other issues is responsible for updating Recommendation ERC/REC 70-03, the response to the permanent EC mandate on short range devices with a view to updating the Commission decision on low power short range devices (SRD), issues associated to ultra wide band (UWB) technology and the identification of new spectrum opportunities for SRD introduction.
The ECO submitted the latest version of Recommendation 70-03, dated 24 May 2013, which has been published on the ECO website (www.cept.orghttps://www.cept.org/).
A proposal to modify appendix 10 of Recommendation 70-03 for the 1785-1805 MHz band was also under public consultation, reflecting conclusions deriving from the approval of CEPT report 50. As no comments were received in the public consultation, this proposal to revise appendix 10 of Recommendation 70-03 should be approved (final approval) at the 78th meeting of WGFM this October.
Several appendices of Recommendation 70-03 were revised at this meeting, among them:
- Appendix 9 contains two new masks for the radio-frequency identification system (RFID), following completion of compatibility studies due to a proposal from the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) for new and less restrictive emission limits for RFID systems in 13.56 MHz;
- Based on the compatibility study conclusions regarding so-called UHF roadmap for the 870-876 MHz and 915-921 MHz frequencies, the recently completed ECC report 200 and ECC draft report 189 put forward regulatory solutions for various applications/systems in appendices 1 (non-specific applications), 2 (sensors and actuators designated for metropolitan/rural area networks (M/RAN)), 5 (applications in and among vehicles), 10 digital help devices for audio in interior spaces) and 11 (RFID);
- Based on results from the compatibility study on the Medical Body Area Network System (MBANS), ECC report 201, the regulatory solution for such devices is proposed in appendix 2 of Recommendation 70-03 in the 2483.5-2500 MHz bands and includes different power levels depending on whether used in hospitals or patients’ homes, limited in both cases to interior spaces. Note that MBANS systems can also operate in ambulances; in such cases the regulatory solution set out in appendix 3 of Recommendation 70-03 for the 2400.0-2483.5 MHz band for broadband data transmission is applied;
- Based on the conclusions of CEPT report 44, a proposal a proposal is made to change the title of appendix 5 of Recommendation 70-03 from Road Transport and Traffic Telematics (RTTT) to Transport and Traffic Telematics (TTT).
The SRD/MG group finished ECC draft report 189 on Future Spectrum Demand for Short Range Devices in the UHF Frequency Band as well as ECC draft report 192 on current status of the Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) mechanism in 5 GHz in Europe, which should be adopted for public consultation at the 78th WGFM meeting this October.
Upon completion of the compatibility studies for Wireless Industrial Automation (WIA) applications in the 5725-5875 MHz band, discussion focused on how to regulate such applications. A new entry will probably be created in appendix 2 of Recommendation 70-03, a matter which will be discussed at the next SRD/MG meeting.
Portugal submitted a contribution to the group on use of Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) 446 repeaters, a matter which will continue to be discussed.
Decision ECC/DEC/(05)02 in 169 MHz was under public consultation until last 25 July and will be considered for final approval at the 78th WGFM meeting.
