1. Activities in CEPT-ECC potentially relevant for UIC
UIC Group for Frequency Aspects (UGFA), Muenchen, 7 February 2017

2. Overview New Project Team FM56 Addendum to CEPT Report 59
Draft RSPG Opinion ITS
Urban Rail Systems

3. FM56

4. Terms Of Reference FM56
work on spectrum issues related to railway applications, especially GSM-R and its successor;
undertake an assessment of the spectrum needs for the future railway mobile communication system, including train-to-train, while considering, among others, the System Reference Document TR on GSM-R networks evolution provided by ETSI;
identify and evaluate a set of suitable candidate bands for European-wide harmonisation of spectrum (both below and above 1 GHz) with regard to mission-critical railway radiocommunications,
consider aspects related to access to commercial and other mobile networks;
assess spectrum issues, including transitional matters;
monitor the national coordination/cooperation processes between GSM-R and MFCN;
develop or review ECC Decisions, ECC Recommendations, ECC Reports and other deliverables in relation to railway applications, as requested by WG FM;
liaise, as appropriate, with ECC Working Groups and Project Teams (e.g. CPG, FM and SE PTs), ETSI, 3GPP and other relevant organisations as authorised by WG FM;
use electronic working methods as far as possible;
report on progress at WG FM meetings.
Participation in this PT shall be open to:
representatives of CEPT administrations;
representatives from industry, who are full members of ETSI;
other official representatives of organisations which have a MoU or LoU with CEPT or ECC, such as ETSI, UIC, GSMA and EC;
representatives from EUAR.
others may be invited by the chairman to attend meetings of the Project Team when appropriate.

5. First Work Item FM56

6. FM56 Webpage
FM56 web-page:

7. Addendum to CEPT Report 59
The draft Addendum to the CEPT Report 59 in response to the EC Permanent Mandate on the ”Annual update of the technical annex of the Commission Decision on the technical harmonisation of radio spectrum for use by short range devices - Possibilities for a harmonisation approach for the bands MHz and MHz also taking into account new opportunities in the band MHz" was approved for submission to the ECC for final approval for publication and sending to the EC. In relation, WG FM agreed to send a liaison statement to ETSI regarding the associated standardisation activities which are needed.
Existing implementations for SRD/RFID (around 15 countries)
For countries considering future railway mobile communication system use in MHz/ MHz, it is recommended to consider implementations in the frequency range between MHz, MHz and MHz.
Some interference studies: RFID/ SRD data networks-> problems at 915 MHz

8. RSPG Draft Opinion on ITS
The European spectrum arrangement for the railway communications system (GSM-R) should remain in place for the foreseeable future as this provides Member States with a harmonised allocation of 2x4 MHz ( / MHz) for GSM-R and its potential successor. Additionally, member States may also allocate up to 2x3 MHz within the band / MHz by using the GSM-R bands and the Extension bands on a national basis where needed.
RSPG notes that the current railway communication system (GSM-R) will not be supported by the GSM-R industry beyond 2030 and will therefore need to be replaced in due course. The railways community considers that access to more spectrum may facilitate the transition from one system to another, depending on the options for new systems. The railway community is raising this now, as the transition will be a long a complex process.
RSPG notes that there is a wide range of options for the future of railway communications, but that the suitability of these options varies across Member States. These options include but are not limited to:
using the GSM-R band and the extension (E-GSM-R) band (or a part thereof) during the transition or permanently
using commercial networks
using other bands
sharing networks with other users (e.g. PPDR in 700 MHz or 400 MHz)
However, it will be important to ensure interoperability across Member States. A common solution would ease implementation.
Railway operators are invited to consider the options for the future of railways communications, including those outlined above, with the relevant administrations. Regarding the MHz / MHz bands, RSPG expects that SRD and IoT spectrum demand in these frequency bands will prevent harmonisation of the whole of these bands for future Railway communications. However, a harmonisation of parts of these bands (e.g. 2x1 MHz) for future Railway communications could be studied in conjunction with the harmonisation measures for IoT/SRD.
RSPG notes that the spectrum demand in Europe for future rail systems remains uncertain, and will depend on the traffic and innovative applications to be accommodated and on national situations (ie, only train/track signalling and voice, or train/track video communications, rail network density, cross border corridors).

9. FM56 Work towards ITU
WG FM had approved a contribution to the ITU-R (WP 5A) at its meeting in October 2016, related to Recommendation T/R 25-08, and provided information to the ITU-R Bureau on railway issues (based on the analysis of the GSM-R related questionnaires. These two contributions were considered at the latest meeting of ITU-R WP 5A.
CPG PTD had sent a LS to WG FM related to the draft new ITU-R Report on technical and operational characteristics and spectrum needs of railway radiocommunication systems between train and trackside (RSTT). It invites CEPT administrations to provide more information on railway radio systems. This will be handled in FM56 and WG FM authorised FM56 to directly liaise with PTD for that purpose. Administrations were invited also to contribute directly to ITU-R WP 5A and to PTD.
APT has also a Project Team on spectrum for railways (we will monitor in FM56 -> ECO bulletin)

10. Urban Rail Systems (Metros) I
During its 87th meeting in Luxembourg, WG FM endorsed the proposals provided by SRD/MG based on ETSI TR v1.2.1 for Urban Rail Systems.
WG FM and ECC previously agreed the proposal from the SRD/MG to start a revision of ECC Decision (08)01. The revision of the ECC Decision takes place under two important conditions:
The focus is on the inclusion of Urban Rail Systems in the range MHz (i.e. no new requirements to be imposed on ITS applications as provided under the current regulation in MHz);
It is within the framework of the existing compatibility studies related to ITS (i.e. no additional spectrum compatibility studies needed).
The aim is to define a common framework to share the MHz band between ITS and Urban Rail, with Urban Rail being under the umbrella of the ITS regulatory framework.
The technical solution for the frequency sharing of ITS/Urban Rail Systems should be described in ETSI standards but not in the ECC Decision. Fragmentation of the spectrum use in MHz for ITS/Urban Rail should be avoided and no use be excluded from parts of the spectrum. The ECC Decision should be as technology-neutral as possible and should not impose the use of one technology. This does however not preclude the definitions describing the minimum requirements for common spectrum access.

11. Urban Rail Systems (Metros) II
existing national implementations for Urban Rail systems may need to be recognised.
Security, safety, and radio link availability aspects should be clear for the Urban Rail application. Furthermore, a transition period could be needed before new technical solutions facilitating sharing would be available.
Background information on requirements for Urban Rail systems, sharing as well as recognition of existing implementations are intended to be covered in an ECC Report which accompanies the revision making of the ECC Decision.
Major items to be included in the ECC Report are:
Summarise important spectrum and operational requirements for Urban Rail,
Sharing aspects ITS/Urban Rail (and towards other applications in the spectrum, e.g. Urban Rail CBTC needs to be detected by other current or potential future (e.g. RLANs) applications in the same way as ITS),
What should be defined in standards, what needs to be included in the regulations (ECC and EC Decisions, while the EC Decision should not exclude Urban Rail Systems),
Recognise existing implementations in the band MHz,
Outline the concept for future regulation and possible need for a transition period, if needed,
The ECC Decision should be technology-neutral (technology-agnostic) as much as possible,
Definitions used by the regulatory framework (ITS, Urban Rail, e.g. CBTC) have to be clear.
WG FM requests ETSI to continue the work which was developed by the ETSI JTFIR in order to:
provide a detailed and agreed technical standard allowing practical implementation of both Urban Rail and ITS;
specify (a) technical solution(s) for the minimum requirements for common spectrum access;
remain as far as possible technology neutral, but define a minimum set of common rules to ensure coexistence, also with respect of the safety level of the applications;
take into account the need for CBTC which needs to be made compatible with ITS channels (10 MHz wide),
Fragmentation of the spectrum shall be avoided (i.e. shared use to be achieved),
be consistent for sharing the band with an extension of RLAN if necessary, both CBTC and ITS being protected.

12. ECO ECO Contact Thomas Weber
Spectrum Management
Tel:
ECO
Nyropsgade 37, 1302 Copenhagen, Denmark Tel: Fax: