ECC is modernising its regulatory framework towards enabling 4G services (reviewing the process of changing regulation for the ‘core’ 2 GHz mobile band) Alexander Gulyaev, ECO European Spectrum Managemenet Forum 2012, Munich, 5-7 November 2012 alexander.gulyaev@eco.cept.org www.cept.org/eco

European regulatory landscape Outline European regulatory landscape Should the regulation be modernized to enable 4G? ECC has ‘opened’ the 3.5 GHz & 2 GHz mobile bands for 4G What’s ahead? This is what I’m going to talk about today. If the CEPT is about harmonisation, I think it is worthwhile to reflect briefly on what harmonisation is and why we do it. Then I shall talk about who does what in Europe, and then move on to talk about some current trends in spectrum management and then to consider a short selection of some of the key topics in spectrum management today.

European regulatory framework for radio spectrum and equipment At this point I could mention a few more specific elements of the frequency management framework. The relationship between the EC and the ECC is defined in a formal agreement of 2002, the ‘Radio Spectrum Decision’. This sets out the system whereby the Commission gives mandates to the ECC to investigate specific issues and typically to deliver ready-made technical conditions for use in EC regulation. A significant advantage of the system is that many parts of Commission proposals come to its Radio Spectrum Committee effectively representing an already developed consensus amongst Member States. This significantly speeds up the work of the Committee and avoids a polar relationship between Commission on the one hand and Member States on the other. Since 2009, a new agreement defines a more complex arrangement at the EU level. For practical purposes, the Commission is still the main focal point for EU harmonisation issues, and this is given effect through its two committees. The Radio Spectrum Policy Group of Member States sets a policy framework for EU member states and the Commission, through the medium of opinions and reports. The Radio Spectrum Committee is run by the Commission and is the point of consultation (including voting) with Member States on specific regulations. The European Parliament is also an active player in that it defines, in agreement with the Commission and the European Council, an even higher level ‘Radio Spectrum Policy Programme’, which the Commission is then tasked to carry forward (in the expectation of Member State cooperation with what they have agreed in principle the Council of Ministers). But a point to remember throughout all of this is that it is the national regulators and industry which are the key delivery points of spectrum services for public benefit. ECC and ETSI have published a joint booklet explaining how it all works. Read more at http://apps.cept.org/ eccetsirel/

The three European regulatory bodies European Commission: Single market issues Binding regulations based on the results of mandates to CEPT/ECC and harmonised standards of ETSI (27 Member States) CEPT/ECC: Consensus and voluntary character Spectrum designation to systems/applications and harmonised technical conditions for its use (48 member countries) ETSI: European Harmonised standards (EN) for radio equipment ‘System Reference Documents’ (SRDoc) which inform and trigger much of the CEPT/ECC work (over 700 industry members and European national regulators) But the world is too big a place to manage a greater degree of harmonisation. That, and the politico-economic forces at work over the last hundred years have led to different parts of the world grouping on a regional basis as an additional layer to the ITU . ITU recognises the CEPT as the regional organisation for Europe. There are now three players in spectrum regulation in Europe. Earlier I referred to the creation of ETSI as a separate and independent standards body from the CEPT. This paralleled the breakup of the old government telecommunications monopoly providers and the establishment of national regulators on the one hand, and an industry of service and equipment providers on the other. So the respective competence of the ECC and ETSI is well established. Radiocommunications is only a part of ETSI’s business, but of course it is the part that we in the ECC care about. As we see it, there are two particularly significant responsibilities for ETSI. One is that it brings many of the items of work onto the ECC’s agenda, by defining requirements that equipment and services should use. This also identifies the extent of demand: how much spectrum may be needed and under what conditions. The other is that the harmonised standards that it develops are taken as a reference for determining whether spectrum using equipment placed on the market in the European Economic Area is compliant with the EU’s framework requirements known as the ’RTTE’ Directive. The European Commission is now a well-established and crucial player as well. In recent years we have developed a more stable relationship and put into practice our mutual understanding of respective roles and competences. The Commission has a clearly defined remit relating to the European single market, and a framework for applying binding regulations to member states through specific procedures known as ’comitology’ (that is real “Brussels-language” which I never learned in my English classes at school). Perhaps the most succinct way to summarise the respective competences of the ECC and the Commission is that Commission rules are binding, whereas ECC rules are voluntary, typically wider in scope, more flexible to adjust in response to changing circumstances, and applicable over a wider geographical footprint than EC rules. Of course both organisations wish to apply rules in a consistent way, and we both work hard to avoid inconsistencies. In fact the relationship is closer than that, the Commission uses the ECC’s technical expertise to develop the technical conditions which underpin many of its regulations. In addition there are numerous ECC regulations which do not have a parallel EC one, notably where it isn’t necessary to have binding regulation, or where the issue lies outside the scope of the Commission’s interest. Further, the ECC develops and publishes many recommendations and reports which are of value in providing a common set of guidance to industry and other users to promote harmonised approaches, but which do not need to be applied through regulation. Our aim in life is to provide a better environment for the consumer, and not to measure our success by how many rules we can make.

EC: Radio Spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP) Wireless broadband (1200 MHz by 2015) Spectrum Inventory Other sector policies : Public protection and disaster relief (PPDR), Electricity production and distribution (Green...), Wireless microphones and cameras (PMSE) Foster different modes of spectrum sharing Spectrum Trading (where flexible use available) The list of topics from the European Union’s RSPP is very interesting. Mobile broadband is predictably top of the list. Then comes the plan to build up the spectrum inventory to identify parts of the spectrum which are not being used fully. This is principally where allocations are made which are not taken up very enthusiastically, as well as spectrum which is used less efficiently than other parts of spectrum because of the inefficiencies of old technology compared with new ones. The inventory concept is very simple and has achieved widespread high-level support, however when it comes to implementation I hear a significant degree of scepticism about the practicality of the initiative and it added value, in other words it will lead to good conclusions, but not conclusions which differ from what spectrum managers already know. We shall see how this works in practice; the ECO is working hard to contribute to the Commission’s development of an inventory. This is particularly efficient give the ECO’s existing role in spectrum information gathering. Green energy is another interesting item to include. It may not be a huge use of spectrum, but its impact could be very big as we seek to combat climate change.

Hard facts – the growth of mobile broadband Mobile broadband seems to come top of most people’s lists. It used to be the digital dividend but that is now morphed into a wider agenda. There are a lot of graphs like this one, which comes from the ECC’s project team PT1. You can have a vigourous debate about the future shape of this curve and where ultimately the level of demand will plateau. Equally you can have a vigourous debate about the solutions to this rapidly rising demand; to what extent it’s the mobile parts and what extent it’s the broadband part, what is the role of so-called offloading (using Wi-Fi for mobile device connectivity) and so on. But what you cannot deny is that we see a very strong positive trend and a natural desire by regulators to seek to meet it. Feb 2008 Jul 2009 Nov 2010 Source: ECC PT1 Report on mobile broadband, September 2011 (www.cept.org/ecc/eccpt1)

European harmonised ‘mobile bands’ 800 MHz - LTE (Digital Dividend) up to 60-65 MHz 900MHz - GSM/UMTS/LTE 50-70 MHz 1800MHz - GSM/UMTS/LTE 150 MHz 2 GHz - UMTS/HSPA+/LTE 160 MHz 2.6 GHz - LTE 190 MHz 3.4-3.8 GHz - BWA (fixed/mobile) 400 MHz So what is the best way to meet thios demand? As we’ve found in our earlier reflection on harmonisation, with different countries driving on different sides of the road, you can never start with a clean sheet of paper. Comparing the RSPP’s requirement to European member states to find 1200 MHz of bandwidth, with what we have available, we see there is already notionally over 1000 MHz. However, much of this is already taken with an incumbent use,so it has to be gradually replaced over time. There is also the inescapable truth with any spectrum application that if you want high bandwidth you need to move to high frequencies. You cannot have low frequencies and high-capacity; however what we’re looking for is a best fit, taking into account where people want to use mobile broadband and what they actually want to use it for. Yes, you can make a theoretical case that everybody on the tram and bus is streaming high bandwidth high-definition video from YouTube on an individual basis, but in reality it isn’t going to happen, neither on the demand nor the supply side. RSPP: ”find 1200 MHz bandwidth”

New services – new spectrum priorities While discussions around the new mobile spectrum in the UHF-band (1st and 2nd Digital dividends) remain very politicized considering the social importance of low frequency ranges, these bands lack the capacity to meet demand for delivering 4G applications to the mass market New, really high-speed mobile services, such as enhanced Internet browsing, video streaming and video calls, require significantly greater channel bandwidths than 5 MHz (for example, 10, 20 and 40 MHz) and thus much more contiguous spectrum to accommodate the demand! (these requirements are technically justified in ITU-R Report M.2134) So what are today’s hot topics? We can look at a few lists from different places and see what it tells us. ECC’s strategic plan, dating from 2010, includes three items (the first three in the list) which received quite a lot of media attention, at least in the specialist press and on the seminar circuits. The fourth, on innovation, is also very important even if it is lower key. ECC is active in some areas which have a good prospect of public impact, e.g. radars in the 77 to 79 GHz range, including automobile anticollision radar. I should mention in passing numbering and maiming, which is not about spectrum, but about the numbering systems in telecommunications networks.

Future home for 4G services: the ‘core’ 2 GHz mobile band & New spectrum for 4G Future home for 4G services: the ‘core’ 2 GHz mobile band & other ‘capacious’ mobile bands : 2.6 GHz and 3.5 GHz WRCs have identified several bands for IMT ITU-R: 6 IMT-2000 radio interfaces and 2 IMT-Advanced radio interfaces ensuring a competitive environment ECC: even more neutral regulatory framework for MFCN: Mobile/Fixed Communications Networks (including IMT) IMT = IMT-2000 + IMT-Advanced So what are today’s hot topics? We can look at a few lists from different places and see what it tells us. ECC’s strategic plan, dating from 2010, includes three items (the first three in the list) which received quite a lot of media attention, at least in the specialist press and on the seminar circuits. The fourth, on innovation, is also very important even if it is lower key. ECC is active in some areas which have a good prospect of public impact, e.g. radars in the 77 to 79 GHz range, including automobile anticollision radar. I should mention in passing numbering and maiming, which is not about spectrum, but about the numbering systems in telecommunications networks.

Additional spectrum for mobile broadband In addition to the existing IMT bands, ECC has already taken steps for defining the harmonised technical conditions enabling 4G services in other bands: 3600-3800 MHz (the newly approved ECC Decisoin (11)06 on harmonised frequency arrangements for MFCN) 1452-1492 MHz (the ”L-band”) – draft ECC Report 188 (addressing the options of Mobile Broadband and Mobile Supplemental Downlink) is under public consultatoin; 2300-2400 MHz – ECC Report 172 for Broadband Wireless Systems is published, an ECC Decision is being developed So what are today’s hot topics? We can look at a few lists from different places and see what it tells us. ECC’s strategic plan, dating from 2010, includes three items (the first three in the list) which received quite a lot of media attention, at least in the specialist press and on the seminar circuits. The fourth, on innovation, is also very important even if it is lower key. ECC is active in some areas which have a good prospect of public impact, e.g. radars in the 77 to 79 GHz range, including automobile anticollision radar. I should mention in passing numbering and maiming, which is not about spectrum, but about the numbering systems in telecommunications networks.

ECO Report 03: national authorisations in the ‘mobile bands’ ECO Report 03 on licensing of ‘mobile bands’ in CEPT contains detailed information on national authorisations issued in CEPT countries for all ‘mobile bands’, from ‘first hands’! The 2GHz paired bands are the most used bands in Europe for the provision of mobile broadband services while the 2 GHz unpaired bands are largely underused. The 2500-2690 MHz band is in use in a few European countries for providing mobile broadband services while in many either the authorisation process or networks deployment is taking place. The 3400-3600 MHz and 3600-3800 MHz bands can be progressively made available for mobile broadband (review the recent developments in the 3.5 GHz in the presentation by Alexander Gulyaev (ECO) of September 2012 on the ECO presentations webpage) So what are today’s hot topics? We can look at a few lists from different places and see what it tells us. ECC’s strategic plan, dating from 2010, includes three items (the first three in the list) which received quite a lot of media attention, at least in the specialist press and on the seminar circuits. The fourth, on innovation, is also very important even if it is lower key. ECC is active in some areas which have a good prospect of public impact, e.g. radars in the 77 to 79 GHz range, including automobile anticollision radar. I should mention in passing numbering and maiming, which is not about spectrum, but about the numbering systems in telecommunications networks.

The ”Block Edge Mask” (BEM) concept (1) Own Licence Neighbour Frequency In-band Power Limit BEM Block A BEM is an emission mask that is defined as a function of frequency, relative to the edge of a block of spectrum that is licensed to an operator. BEM consists of in-block and out-of- block components which specify the permitted emission levels over frequencies inside and outside the licensed block of spectrum respectively. Footer copy here

The ”Block Edge Mask” (BEM) concept (2) Block Edge Mask (in the licence): “Technology neutral” Applies to the entire operator’s spectrum block Covers both in-block and out-of-block emissions Different BEMs apply to terminals and base stations (may also vary between the bands and TDD and FDD modes) Spectrum Emission Mask (in the standard): Technology specific (transmitter, channelling) Ensure intra-system compatibility Forms a part of equipment conformity assessment Footer copy here

BEM vs. SEM Flexibility is given to operators in how to comply with BEM Footer copy here

2 GHz mobile band: major European milestones 1997-2000: first ERC Decisions (97)07, (99)25 and (00)01 addressing the 2 GHz band created a background for the harmonised introduction of UMTS in Europe 2001-2003: licensing of the 2 GHz mobile bands in many European countries based on the ERC Decisions 2003-2005: deployment of UMTS (3G) networks in many European countries 2006: ECC Decision (06)01 on harmonised utilisation of the 2 GHz paired and unpaired bands for IMT-2000/UMTS replaced earlier ERC Decisions 2006-2011: the paired bands 1920-1980 MHz & 2110-2170 MHz are widely used in Europe for UMTS/HSPA (3G+) networks; the unpaired band 1900-1920 MHz, although licensed in many countries, remains not much used; the other unpaired band 2010-2025 MHz is authorised in a few countries only 2012: ECC Decision (06)01 is modernized to open the paired 2 GHz bands for “4G” services having greater channel bandwidth So what are today’s hot topics? We can look at a few lists from different places and see what it tells us. ECC’s strategic plan, dating from 2010, includes three items (the first three in the list) which received quite a lot of media attention, at least in the specialist press and on the seminar circuits. The fourth, on innovation, is also very important even if it is lower key. ECC is active in some areas which have a good prospect of public impact, e.g. radars in the 77 to 79 GHz range, including automobile anticollision radar. I should mention in passing numbering and maiming, which is not about spectrum, but about the numbering systems in telecommunications networks.

2 GHz: an important milestone In June 2009, the European Commission issued a mandate to CEPT to develop common and minimal (least restrictive) technical conditions for the 2 GHz bands. CEPT Report 39 is the CEPT response to this Mandate. It deals with the band plan for the 2 GHz bands including both paired (2x60 MHz FDD) and unpaired (20+15 MHz) band. CEPT Report 39 was built on the earlier ECC work (ERC Report 065), by considering developments in characteristics of systems operating in adjacent bands and by considering technology neutral approach to allow technologies other than UMTS. So what are today’s hot topics? We can look at a few lists from different places and see what it tells us. ECC’s strategic plan, dating from 2010, includes three items (the first three in the list) which received quite a lot of media attention, at least in the specialist press and on the seminar circuits. The fourth, on innovation, is also very important even if it is lower key. ECC is active in some areas which have a good prospect of public impact, e.g. radars in the 77 to 79 GHz range, including automobile anticollision radar. I should mention in passing numbering and maiming, which is not about spectrum, but about the numbering systems in telecommunications networks.

2 GHz: removing the limitations of the current regulation In 2010-2011 ECC reviewed the situation in the 2 GHz band and decided to focus the revision of the regulatory framework for mobile networks on the 2 GHz paired bands only. Another framework will be developed for the 2 GHz unpaired bands. November 2012: the updated ECC/DEC/(06)01 will allow the deployment of systems with channel bandwidths larger than 5 MHz in the 2 GHz paired bands by defining the block edge frequency instead of the carrier centre frequency; it also contains the BEM for the downlink. The European Commission has just adopted an EU Decision on the 2 GHz paired bands which is binding for EU Member States and defines the same technical conditions as in ECC/DEC/(06)01 So what are today’s hot topics? We can look at a few lists from different places and see what it tells us. ECC’s strategic plan, dating from 2010, includes three items (the first three in the list) which received quite a lot of media attention, at least in the specialist press and on the seminar circuits. The fourth, on innovation, is also very important even if it is lower key. ECC is active in some areas which have a good prospect of public impact, e.g. radars in the 77 to 79 GHz range, including automobile anticollision radar. I should mention in passing numbering and maiming, which is not about spectrum, but about the numbering systems in telecommunications networks.

2 GHz: transition to the modernized regulatory framework The revision of ECC/DEC/(06)01 has modified the band plans and reduced the number of options relative to FDD or TDD operations. The band 1920-1980 MHz is now designated only for FDD uplink. The updated ECC/DEC/(06)01 appears to be future-proof since its technology neutral: future mobile broadband systems (e.g. LTE-Advanced) will be replacing existing systems without the need for another regulatory change. Transition from the existing framework may encompass different stages at the national level, incl. consultation processes, with a varying complexity depending on the legal and regulatory framework as well as the existing national licensing situation. So what are today’s hot topics? We can look at a few lists from different places and see what it tells us. ECC’s strategic plan, dating from 2010, includes three items (the first three in the list) which received quite a lot of media attention, at least in the specialist press and on the seminar circuits. The fourth, on innovation, is also very important even if it is lower key. ECC is active in some areas which have a good prospect of public impact, e.g. radars in the 77 to 79 GHz range, including automobile anticollision radar. I should mention in passing numbering and maiming, which is not about spectrum, but about the numbering systems in telecommunications networks.

Regulatory certainty : what will it give us? These technically oriented regulatory efforts are necessary to ensure the future common Europen market of high-speed mobile applications affordable to end users : reduce the development and implementation costs of manufacturing equipment; secure long term investments by providing economies of scale; maximise the opportunities and benefits for end users; and reduce the complexity in the spectrum cross border coordination So what are today’s hot topics? We can look at a few lists from different places and see what it tells us. ECC’s strategic plan, dating from 2010, includes three items (the first three in the list) which received quite a lot of media attention, at least in the specialist press and on the seminar circuits. The fourth, on innovation, is also very important even if it is lower key. ECC is active in some areas which have a good prospect of public impact, e.g. radars in the 77 to 79 GHz range, including automobile anticollision radar. I should mention in passing numbering and maiming, which is not about spectrum, but about the numbering systems in telecommunications networks.

Participating in ECC work: how to join www.cept.org/ecc I said a few times in this talk that ECC strongly values the contribution made by its industrial partners. This is an essential part of delivering outcomes of value to the public, and making sure that we base our conclusions on as well-informed a basis as possible. This picture shows where on our website you can find more information about participating in our work.