Conversion of analogue assignments Protection of existing and planned services Conversion of analogue assignments Protection of existing and planned services Regional Information meeting and Workshop related to the RRC-06 for the administrations of the African countries Dakar, Senegal 25 to 29 April 2005 Dakar, Senegal 25 to 29 April 2005

PART 1 Conversion of analogue television assignments

Definition Conversion as per the RRC-04 Report: The concept of a digital conversion may be understood as one or more digital assignments or a digital allotment that replace an analogue assignment on the same frequency as the existing analogue assignment.

Action item Actions relating to converted analogue television assignments: Identify converted requirements in output of the planning process; Such identification is to facilitate the implementation of the plan.

Why convert? Advantages of conversion: May result in fewer incompatibilities; Facilitate coordination negotiations; Base digital broadcasting requirements on real networks; May result in use of existing infrastructure; Conditionally increased probability of converted requirement obtaining a frequency.

Why convert? Disadvantages of conversion: More complicated notification; Restriction to one acceptable channel; Additional validation rules apply; Additional considerations in the planning process.

Preparation of conversions Submit notices Select assignments to convert Change to Required format Validate requirements Use Data Correction software to generate the required format and correct errors Use Data Validation software to validate prior to submission Perform conversion Select RPC or variant, acceptable channel.. Analogue television assignments in GE89, ST61 or RCC list Start from reference situation Individual selection criteria, ERP location etc.

Preparation of conversions Possible procedure for the preparation of conversions: Start with analogue TV assignments in reference situation; Indicate acceptable channels; Indicate system variant or RPC; Correct information where required and validate; Use existing format for submission.

Conditions and validation Conversions are subjected to pre-validation and final validation: Requirement must contain only one acceptable channel; Conversion origin must correspond to an existing or planned analogue television assignment in the relevant reference situation; Correspondence with respect to the assigned frequency and geographical coordinates; Acceptable channel must be associated to a frequency that corresponds to the assigned frequency of the origin of the conversion.

Treatment of conversions Planning methodology: Requirements indicated as conversions are treated in a similar manner to other requirements; Requirement is considered compatible with the original analogue TV assignment, if this assignment is to be taken into consideration in the analysis (BC6 notice); Converted digital TV requirements are identified as such in the output of the planning process.

Treatment of conversions Planning methodology (continued): Conditionally improved chance of obtaining a channel, if: Original analogue TV assignment is also taken into account in the analysis; Converted digital TV requirement does not cause more interference than the original analogue TV assignment; Converted digital TV requirement does not requirement more protection than the original analogue TV assignment; No incompatibility with an other primary service assignment.

Formal conversion methods MFN conversion: More suitable for conversion of analogue TV assignments into digital TV assignments using fixed reception; Low power transmitters can be integrated; A suitable ERP level reduction is usually applied; Other technical characteristics are retained; Compatibility can be maintained between converted assignment and existing analogue TV assignments.

Formal conversion methods Channel potential method: Conversion of analogue TV assignments into digital allotment requirements; Identification of channel potential areas; Mapping of channel potential areas to required service areas; Constructed channel potential areas can be combined; Suitable method for use between cooperating countries wishing to establish compatible allotment plans.

PART 2 Protection of exiting and planned services Other Primary Service ST61 GE89 Plan extension area Analogue television assignments DVB-T T-DAB RCC List MIFR

Protection and Taking into account Taking into account means: Performing a compatibility analysis between digital broadcasting requirements and existing or planned assignments; Assigning channels/frequency blocks to digital broadcasting requirements taking the incompatibilities into account during a plan synthesis.

Protection and Taking into account Protection means: Observing the existing rights of an assignment – as provided for by the relevant Radio Regulations, Plan or List or determined by the RRC; No increase in the level of interference experienced by an assignment or a limit to the increase in interference; Technical criteria and regulatory provisions for the application of this protection.

Protection of analogue television RRC-04 Report Chapter 7 Regulatory/procedural aspects (7.4) During the transition period, the existing and planned analogue assignments will continue to be used and protected by the new digital plan. After the transition period these assignments may continue to be used provided that: Protection is afforded to the new digital plan and its modifications and, No protection is claimed from the new digital plan and its modifications.

Protection of analogue television RRC-04 Report Chapter 5 Planning principles and methods Compatibility between digital allotments/assignments in the new plan and existing and planned analogue TV assignments should, as far as possible, be ensure in the design of the plan ( ); Administrations are encouraged to indicate the existing and planned assignments that should be protected in the establishment of the plans and/or during the transition period ( ).

Protection of analogue television Indicating which analogue TV assignments to take into account Administrations shall indicate those existing and planned broadcasting assignments/allotments that are not to be taken into account in the planning process (Res. COM5/1 Annex 2 footnote 1); CR/230 – Establishment of the reference situation concerning the broadcasting services for the first planning exercise – notice form BC6.

Protection of analogue television Notice form BC6 Identify the analogue TV assignment uniquely: Fragment (GE89, ST61, MIFR, RCC List) Administrative unique identifier or; Geographical coordinates and assigned frequency Indicate whether the assignment should be excluded from or reinstated into the reference situation.

Protection of other primary service RRC-04 Report Chapter 5 Planning principles and methods Compatibility between digital broadcasting allotments/assignments in the new plan and existing and planned assignments of other primary services that are to be protected in the new plan should be ensured in the design of the plan ( ).

Protection of other primary service Indicating which assignments of other primary services to take into account Compatibility between digital broadcasting allotments/assignments in the new plan and existing and planned assignments of other primary services that are to be protected in the new plan should be ensured in the design of the plan ( ); CR/224 – Establishment of the reference situation regarding the existing and planned assignments of primary services other than broadcasting (Notice form R06).

Protection of other primary service Notice form R06 Indicate: Unique identifier, coordination information, service type codes, class of emission, station class, geographical coordinates and assigned frequency; Whether the assignment should be added to or removed from the reference situation.

Technical criteria and assumptions Methods indicated in Res. COM 4/7; Missing criteria identified in Res. COM 4/2, COM 4/3, COM 4/5 and COM 4/6; Missing criteria provided by Study Groups 6E, 8A and 9D; Assumptions proposed by PXT for confirmation of the study groups and the IPG.

Thank you / Merci David D. Botha BR/TSD/BCD