SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT 2004National Spectrum Managers Association

Satellite Spectrum Management Issues

Carlos M. NaldaMay 19, 2004

2

Satellite Spectrum Management Issues Ku-band Aeronautical Mobile-Satellite Service

(“AMSS”) Issues Earth Stations On Board Vessels (“ESVs”)

– Ku-band versus C-band Unlicensed Use of the 3650-3700 MHz FSS Band Intelligent Transportation Service (“ITS”)/Digital

Short-Range Communications (“DSRC”) Use of the 5.9 GHz Band

3

Ku-band AMSS Issues

International Developments– WRC-03 adopted a global, secondary AMSS allocation in the 14.0-14.5 GHz

FSS uplink band; downlink AMSS operations on an unprotected basis – 2003 Radiocommunication Assembly adopted Recommendation ITU-R

M.1643, which sets forth technical and regulatory requirements for Ku-band AMSS systems

Domestic Developments– FCC allocated the 14.0-14.5 GHz Band to AMSS on a secondary basis– Pending petition for rulemaking to adopt AMSS licensing and service rules – One licensed AMSS system – Connexion by Boeing – authorized subject to

compliance with Rec. M.1643 and VSAT routine licensing values – One pending AMSS system – the ARINC SKYLink system

4

ESVs – Ku-Band versus C-Band

Spectrum Sharing Environments Are Quite Different – C-band ESVs must address incumbent terrestrial uses (inland,

coastal, Gulf of Mexico fixed links) – Ku-band ESVs have far fewer limitations

Co-Primary Regulatory Status for ESV Operations– Coordination with existing FS stations– Protection of future FS operations and USG secondary operations

Disparity Between Ku-band ESV and AMSS allocations– Potentially same transponders/same system but different regulatory

status– Potentially affects international coordination and regulatory certainty

5

Unlicensed Use of the 3650-3700 MHz Band

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking – April 23, 2004 3650-3700 MHz band -- FSS downlink band for

international services Wireless Internet service providers (“WISPs”) to provide

wireless broadband services to rural areas– Fixed – 25 W EIRP; exclusion zone of 180 km within +/- 15° of

antenna boresight, 25 km in all other directions– Non-fixed – 1 W EIRP; “listen-before-talk” technology to monitor

FSS transmit band and reduce power based on the strength of the received signal

6

Unlicensed Use of the 3650-3700 MHz Band (cont’d) Many Unanswered Questions

– Existing authority to communicate with multiple satellites– Future reorientation of earth stations – Future deployment of new earth stations

Should Unlicensed Users Be Permitted To Restrict or Preclude Licensed Operations??

A Potentially Dangerous Trend– Does the technology work?– How do regulators/licensed users enforce?– Are any licensed bands safe?

• May 13, 2004 – Public notice of an NPRM to allow unlicensed use of unused TV channels by WISPs

7

ITS/DSRC Use of the 5.9 GHz Band FCC Adopted Rules for ITS/DSRC Use of the 5.850-5.925

GHz Band on a Co-primary Basis– Geographic licensing with a registration requirement for RSUs– Licensing by rule for mobile units– Adopted an ITS standard for equipment based on the 802.11 series

of standards Interference Scenario is FSS into ITS RSUs

– Technical studies underway to address RSU deployment issues ITS/DSRC Deployment Could Potentially Restrict or

Preclude Earth Station Deployment