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Improving Improving the Radio Regulations,the Radio Regulations,

Prospective WRC Prospective WRC (WRC-15) Agenda Items (WRC-15) Agenda Items

Per Hovstad, Principal Spectrum EngineerAsia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd.E-mail: phovstad@asiasat.com

ITU Workshop, Limassol April 2014

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Four steps Four steps in the righ directionin the righ direction

ITU Workshop, Limassol April 2014

• Improved due diligence procedures

• Elimination of API for satellite networks subject to coordination

• Reduction of "unecessary coordination"

• Balancing up- and downlink spectrum

Four steps in the right directionDoes not solve all problems Does not solve all problems associated with;

Equitable access Efficient spectrum usage Congestion of real operational satellites in the arc Commercial value of controlling access to orbit

spectrum resources "Paper satellites" "Virtual satellites"

However, they are steps in the right However, they are steps in the right directiondirection

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Improved due diligence Improved due diligence proceduresprocedures

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Improved due diligence proceduresImproved due diligence procedures Purpose; to remove “virtual satellites”Purpose; to remove “virtual satellites”

Resolution 49Resolution 49 (Planned) date of launch

No obligation to renew information when satellites are relocated or deorbited

Improved due diligence proceduresImproved due diligence procedures Information submitted after launch (exact date)Information submitted after launch (exact date)

Requirement to renew information whenever changes occurRequirement to renew information whenever changes occur

Specific ID of satellite, based upon submissions by administrations, to allow Specific ID of satellite, based upon submissions by administrations, to allow tracking of location of satellite in time and avoid same satellite recorded as tracking of location of satellite in time and avoid same satellite recorded as operational in several locations simultaneouslyoperational in several locations simultaneously

Resolution 552Resolution 552 Attempt to improve procedures for BSS networks in 21.4-22 GHz band by WRC-12

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Elimination of API for Elimination of API for satellite networks satellite networks

subject to cordinationsubject to cordination

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Geostationary satellite networks subject to coordinationGeostationary satellite networks subject to coordination

Advance Public Information was originally used as a “pre-Advance Public Information was originally used as a “pre-coordination” to assess potential orbit location and other coordination” to assess potential orbit location and other parameters of later coordination requestsparameters of later coordination requests

Over time, the API information has been reduced to a bare Over time, the API information has been reduced to a bare minimum enabling no pre-coordinationminimum enabling no pre-coordination

The API process is not suitable for an environment of The API process is not suitable for an environment of commercial and competitive satellite operatorscommercial and competitive satellite operators

No advantagesNo advantages

DisadvantagesDisadvantages

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API process

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RR

9.1

API period of validity = 2 years

Coordination request receivable = 1.5 years

Coordination request not receivable = 6 months

API gives no ITU filing priority

Administration A

Administration B

Publication of plans Earliest possible date of filing priority

Administration B can submit a coordination request for a network which is incompatible with Administration A and receive higher priority than Administration AAPIs are not subject to filing fees

Coordination request receiveable within +/- 6° of the location of the API

APIs every 12° enables coordination requests to be submitted anywhere in GSO arc

Reduce "uneccessary" Reduce "uneccessary" coordinationcoordination

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Congestion in the arc "Paper satellites" "Virtual satellites" Real operational satellites (every 2°-3° around the

GSO arc) In particular in unplanned C- and Ku-band

Well established and mature technology and applications

Relatively homogeneous technical parameters have evolved

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Large number of administrations and networks identifed as affected E.g. ASIASAT-105.3T

1802 networks identified 49 administrations All orbital separations (up to 157.8°)

Coordination needs to be completed within 7 years of API, i.e. within ≤ 6.5 years of coordination request

Force administrations to notify without completing coordination (RR 11.41)

Need to avoid unneccessary coordinationNeed to avoid unneccessary coordination

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In reality, first adjacent satellite networks on either side will completely dominate adjacent satellite interference

Further away networks will have little impact

Need to be able to live with first adjacent satellite network will limit operation Causing interference to others Receiving interference from others This will also allow compatibility with further away

networks

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RR 9.7 Identification of coordination requirements

Coordination arc

RR 9.41 Inclusion in coordination of networks outside the coordination arc

ΔT/T = 6%

Calculated from filed parameters

RR 11.32A

Determination of probability of harmful interference (in case of outstanding coordination requirements)

C/I = C/N + 12.2

(ΔT/T = 6%)

C/N calculated from filed parameters

Current types of coordination triggers/protection criteria

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What interfering level should trigger coordination?

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(D1, D2 and D3 denote antenna sizes of 1.8, 2.4 and 3.5 m at 4 GHz and 0.45, 0.6 and 0.9 m at 12 GHz)

Actual ΔT/T as a function of orbital separation for different antenna sizes

4 GHz 12 GHz

ITU coordination trigger/protection criteria (ΔT/T = 6%)

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In practical operation, satellite networks operate with adjacent satellite interference corresponding to:

C-band: ΔT/T > ~ 28%Ku-band: ΔT/T > ~ 55%

Significant overprotection in ITU criteria:Significant overprotection in ITU criteria:•Unneccessary coordinationUnneccessary coordination•Complicating coordinationComplicating coordination•Complicating access to spectrum orbit resourcesComplicating access to spectrum orbit resources•Leading to inefficient usage of spectrum orbit resourcesLeading to inefficient usage of spectrum orbit resources

WRC-12 reduced the size of the coordination arc by 2° for WRC-12 reduced the size of the coordination arc by 2° for unplanned C- and Ku-band. However:unplanned C- and Ku-band. However:Inclusion under RR 9.41 increases

1854 networks requested included between 01.01.2013 and February 2014

33 networks requested included on average per coordination request (20 before 01.01.2013)

Criteria under RR 9.41 and RR 11.32A are based upon filed parameters

Filings can be designed with parameters that are artificially sensitive to interference, triggering coordination and unduly blocking access for other networks

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Give adequate protection to satellites with a reasonable range of technical parameters inside and outside the coordination arc

No additional protection for networks with parameters outside this range

Avoid overprotection stemming from unrealistic parameters contained in filings

Protection criteria not based upon parameters contained in individual filings

Has already been implemented in Appendix 30 and for BSS in 21.4-22 GHz band (pfd masks)

Requires fairly stable technology and relatively homogeneous parameters

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Required representative parameters and their possible values to determine pfd masks/values

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ΔT/T 20% 20%DownlinkDownlinkf (GHz) 4 12Range of antenna diameters (m)

1.2 – 18 0.45 – 11

Ts (K) 95 125Antenna efficiency (%)

70 70

UplinkUplinkf (GHz) 6 14Space station G/T (dB/K)

≤ 0 ≤ 11

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4 GHz

Maximum uplink pfd at GSO (dBW/m2 ∙ Hz):

6 GHz -198.8 (-204 for ΔT/T = 6%)

14 GHz -202.8(-208 for ΔT/T = 6%)

Example of downlink Example of downlink pfd masks to obtain pfd masks to obtain ΔΔT/T = 20%T/T = 20%

12 GHz

Pfd downlink masks and uplink values: Defined protection inside and outside coordination

arc

Independent of filed parameters

Artificial parameters will not unduly block coordination of other networks

No need to define allowable range for parameters to be contained in a filing

Could be introduced at RR 9.7, 9.41 and/or 11.32A Proposed introduced only at RR 11.32A

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WRC-15, Agenda Item 9.1, Issue 9.1.2

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The issue of types of coordination trigger / protection criteria was considered by WRC-12 together with proposals to reduce the size of the coordination ard (Agenda Item 7, Issue 2A)

•WRC-12 reduced the size of the coordination arc for C- and Ku-band, but

•decided to further study this issue under WRC-15 Agenda Item 9.1, Issue 9.1.2 (Resolution 756 (WRC-12), resolves 1)

Resolution 756

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resolves to invite ITU‑R

1 to carry out studies to examine the effectiveness and appropriateness of the current criterion (ΔT/T > 6%) used in the application of No. 9.41 and consider any other possible alternatives (including the alternatives outlined in Annexes 1 and 2 to this Resolution), as appropriate, for the bands referred to in recognizing e);

2 to study whether additional reductions in the coordination arcs in RR Appendix 5 (Rev.WRC‑12) are appropriate for the 6/4 GHz and 14/10/11/12 GHz frequency bands, and whether it is appropriate to reduce the coordination arc in the 30/20 GHz band,

Resolution 756

Two separate issues:

Size of coordination arc (resolves 2)

Types of protection criteria/coordination trigger (resolves 1)

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Balancing up- and Balancing up- and downlink spectrumdownlink spectrum

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BWdown = BWup

•Amount of spectrum for up- and downlink should match

•Due to satellite antenna design, waveguide and OMTs etc., it is normally most efficient to have up- and downlink in frequency bands in the vicinity of each other

Uplink

Downlink

frequency change

Commercial communication satellites normally use Commercial communication satellites normally use "bent-pipe" technology:"bent-pipe" technology:

Example 1: Current ITU-R Region 3 table of allocations, Example 1: Current ITU-R Region 3 table of allocations, Ku-bandKu-band

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12.75 13.0 13.25

10.7 10.95 11.2 11.45 11.7 12.2 12.75

13.75 14.0 14.5 14.8 17.3 18.1Uplink

Downlink12.5

17.7

FSS (unplanned/planned)

BSS (unplanned/planned) and uplinks limited to only feederlinks for BSS

UplinkUplink DownlinkDownlink

  1250 MHz1250 MHz   1550 MHz1550 MHz

  1100 MHz1100 MHz   750 MHz750 MHz

300 MHz of downlink 300 MHz of downlink capacity cannot be capacity cannot be efficiently used due to lack efficiently used due to lack of uplink capacityof uplink capacity

350 (600) MHz of uplink 350 (600) MHz of uplink capacity cannot be capacity cannot be efficiently used due to lack efficiently used due to lack of downlink capacityof downlink capacity

Example 2: Current ITU-R Region 1 table of allocations, Ka-bandExample 2: Current ITU-R Region 1 table of allocations, Ka-band

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Uplink

Downlink

24.65 25.25 27.5 31

17.3 21.2 21.4 22

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FSS (unplanned)

BSS (unplanned) and uplinks limited to only feederlinks for BSS

UplinkUplink DownlinkDownlink

  3500 MHz3500 MHz   3900 MHz3900 MHz

  600 MHz600 MHz   600 MHz600 MHz

400 MHz of downlink 400 MHz of downlink capacity cannot be capacity cannot be efficiently used due to lack efficiently used due to lack of uplink capacityof uplink capacity

Up until corrected by Up until corrected by WRC-12, no uplink WRC-12, no uplink assignments existedassignments existed

To facilitate efficient spectrum usage, up- To facilitate efficient spectrum usage, up- and downlink spectrum should be balancedand downlink spectrum should be balanced

WRC-15 Agenda Item 1.6.2 is addressing WRC-15 Agenda Item 1.6.2 is addressing spectrum imbalance in Ku-band for spectrum imbalance in Ku-band for unplanned FSS in Regions 2 and 3. unplanned FSS in Regions 2 and 3.

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Thank you!Thank you!Per Hovstad, Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd.e-mail: phovstad@asiasat.com

ITU Seminar, Almaty September 2011