Abstract
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) convenes World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRC) for the purpose of concluding a treaty on emergent issues related to the operation of radio-based systems. This effort includes allocation of radiofrequency spectrum and procedures for accessing the orbit for satellites and results in amendments to the international Radio Regulations. The 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15) took place on November 2–27 in Geneva, Switzerland, with an agenda that included some forty topics. One of the key themes of WRC-15 was competition to access scarce radio spectrum resources, while also finding a way to enable introduction of innovative new services and technologies.
WRC-15 featured the latest campaign in the ongoing confrontation between the mobile telephony/broadband industry and the satellite industry over spectrum resources. The objective was to grant access to premium regional and global spectrum allocations to enable extension of desired terrestrial services without harming established satellite services providing lifeline connectivity and other important connections. However, this spectrum duel did not end up being the defining issue of WRC-15 as there were so many fractious issues that deeply divided the proceedings. But, in the end, the conference found a way forward on every issue and approved plans for its next proceedings in 2019 and 2023.
As described in this chapter, the satellite industry, led by major industry players and fueled by aspiring newcomers, not only defended its essential spectrum resources but accomplished key regulatory improvements to pave the way for future innovation – including new spectrum access, lifting constraints on mobile applications by satellite, and preparing the way for newly announced non-geostationary satellite systems. WRC-15 was thus a banner conference for the satellite industry.
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Notes
- 1.
An allocation is an: “Entry in the Table of Frequency Allocations of a given frequency band for the purpose of its use by one or more terrestrial or space radiocommunication services or the radio astronomy service under specified conditions. This term shall also be applied to the frequency band concerned.” International Telecommunication Union: Radio Regulations, No. 1.16, International Telecommunication Union, Geneva (2012)
- 2.
IMT is an application of the mobile service. Thus, to reserve a spectrum in a mobile service allocation for IMT usage, the frequency band is “identified” for IMT via footnote to the Table of Frequency Allocations in the Radio Regulations.
- 3.
These include the World Administrative Radio Conference (Málaga-Torremolinos, 1992) and the World Radiocommunication Conferences of 1995, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2012, and 2015, all in Geneva but for WRC-2000, which took place in Istanbul. This tally does not include the ITU’s quadrennial Plenipotentiary Conferences which also address satellite issues, albeit not in as much detail. The 2014 Plenipotentiary, for example, adopted a resolution on spectrum for global flight tracking.
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Allison, A.L. (2017). Satellite Spectrum Allocations and New Radio Regulations from WRC-15: Defending the Present and Provisioning the Future. In: Pelton, J., Madry, S., Camacho-Lara, S. (eds) Handbook of Satellite Applications. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23386-4_97
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