Satellite spectrum issues

Chris HoseSpectrum Engineering Section

RadComms 200611/12 December 2006Australian Communications and Media Authority

Overview

• Introduction - Why is satellite spectrum so important?• ACMA Satellite Spectrum Responsibilities• Satellite spectrum in Australia - the present• Current Pressures• Options and ideas for the future• Summary and Conclusion

Why is satellite spectrum important?

• The forte/focus of satellite services may have changed, but its importance hasn’t– Long distance point to point → area services (mobile, broadcast and navigation)

• Truncated list:– Direct To Home (DTH)– Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs)

• Private internet access• Corporate networks

– Program Distribution – Free and Pay TV– Mobile Services (MobileSat, Iridium, Globstar etc)– Satellite News Gathering (SNG)– Defence– Emergency/disaster relief communications– Earth observation– Radionavigation (GPS, Galileo etc)

ACMA Satellite Spectrum Responsibilities

International• Satellite network filing

and coordination

Domestic• Planning • Regulation

– Assignment

– Licensing

Satellite Spectrum In Australia:The Present

• Established licensing arrangements:– Space Segment

– Ground Segment

• Satellite Bands:– L Band: 1164-1260 MHz & 1525-1660.5 MHz

– S Band: 1980-2110 MHz & 2170-2300 MHz

– C Band: 3400-4200 MHz & 5925-6725 MHz

– Ku Band: 10.7-12.75 GHz & 13.75-14.5 MHz

Ground Segment Licensing

Individual apparatus licences to authorise the operation of specific Earth stations

Allows Earth stations to be individually coordinated with other spectrum users

Generally used in ‘shared’ bands Eg. Parts of S, C and X Bands

Space Segment Licensing

Individual apparatus licences to authorise the operation of space stations

Earth stations communicating with the space station authorised by class licence

No requirement for individual coordination of Earth stations

Generally used in ‘satellite only’ bands eg. parts of Ku Band

L Band

• Supports ubiquitous operations for RNSS and MSS in a number of bands:– RNSS: 1164-1260 MHz & 1559-1610 MHz

• GPS and Galileo etc

– MSS: 1610-1660.5 & 1525-1559 MHz• MobilSat, Iridium and GlobalStar etc

• Space/Space Receive Licensing Option

S Band

• Major SOS operations undertaken by/on behalf of NASA and ESA etc– 2025-2110 MHz and 2200-2300 MHz

• Generally Earth/Earth Receive Licensing (SOS etc)– Shared with terrestrial services (eg. FS)

• Limited parts of the band available for Space/Space Receive Licensing Option (MSS)

C Band

• Receive Bands:– Extended C Band (3400-3700 MHz)

• Most of 3400-3600 MHz Spectrum Licensed

• 3575-3710 MHz Possible Medium Term WAS

– Standard C Band (3700-4200 MHz)

• Earth/Earth Receive Licensing– Shared with terrestrial services (eg. FS)

– Not suitable for ubiquitous Earth station deployment

– Coordination of individual Earth stations required

Ku Band• 10.7-11.7 GHz

– Earth Receive Licensing

– Shared with terrestrial services

– Not suitable for ubiquitous Earth station deployment

• 11.7-12.75 GHz

– Space Licensing Option

– Satellite only

– Suitable for ubiquitous Earth station deployment

• 13.75-14 GHz

– Earth Licensing

– Shared with Radiolocation, specific sharing criteria

– Not suitable for ubiquitous Earth station deployment

• 14-14.5 GHz

– Space Receive Licensing Option

– Satellite only

– Suitable for ubiquitous Earth station deployment

Generic Pressures

• Increasing demand for spectrum → More/better sharing required

• Means that spectrum use (in both frequency and geography) should be largely driven on spectrum planning grounds and not due to legacy reasons

• Gateway Earth stations or SOS facilities can technically do their job away from urban areas

• Whereas DTH, MS, FS P-MP need to be where the people are ie. urban areas

Generic Pressures

• There are good reasons why gateway type Earth stations are located near population centres:– Legacy infrastructure availability and investment– Proximity to population centres for access to staff for station

maintenance etc– Cost/availability of backhauling information to where it is

required or where it comes from

• Clear need to address incumbent users

• But do these reasons outweigh the overall spectrum efficiency costs?

Pressures – S Band

• Major space operation service facilities impacting on urban areas have been an ongoing planning challenge:– 3G Mobile Telephony

– 2010-2025 MHz BWA

• Some success in encouraging prudent sitting

• More needs to be done

Pressures – C Band

• Historically space and terrestrial services have ‘played well’ together in the band:– FS point-point can be readily coordinated with Earth stations

(and vice versa)

• Trend towards FS Point-Multipoint– Less amenable to sharing

• 3575-3710 MHz under consideration for WAS :– Impact of existing/future Earth stations on WAS in urban areas?

• What about 3710-4200 MHz in the 10 years?

Options and Ideas for the Future

• Coordination with terrestrial services• Siting of Earth stations• Incumbent user considerations• NGSO v GSO licence fees• Bands shared with terrestrial services of particular

interest eg:– S Band

– C Band

NGSO vs GSO Earth Station Spectral Denial

• NGSO Earth stations generally have greater spectral denial than GSO Earth stations

• Potential argument that apparatus licence fees for NGSO Earth stations should reflect their increased spectral denial– Increased fees?

– Exemption for ‘good’ siting?

Earth Station

132°0'0"E

132°0'0"E

23°0'0"S 23°0'0"S

0 10 20 30 405Kilometers

The Future

• Earth station siting and coordination review• Consultation Process

– Consultation Paper• Outline aims/proposals and seek feedback

– Spectrum Planning Report• Outline existing arrangements/trends/usage

– Draft RALI• Coordination and siting procedures

• Stakeholder Feedback• Decision/Implementation

Options and Ideas

• ‘Carrot and the Stick’ approach– Carrot

• Favorable protection arrangements for Earth stations sited in spectrally ‘good’ locations

• Concept already being discussed with Defence for certain of their Earth station sites (parallels to the RQZ concept)

• Economic incentives (licence fee reductions)

– Stick• Straight siting restrictions outlined in a RALI

• Earth station protection levels dependent on location

• Economic incentives (licence fees increases)

Summary and Conclusion • Satellite enabled services are an integral

and essential part of the national and international economy

• Demand for spectrum is increasing• Continued pressure on all existing

spectrum use, including ‘satellite’ bands• Maximising the overall public benefit

means using satellite spectrum in smarter ways