The RA-23 held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 13-17, and the WRC-23 held from November 20 to December 15, 2023, concluded with an international agreement (Final Act) approved by representatives of participating ITU (International Telecommunication Union) member states, including our country. The Information Technologies and Communication Authority coordinated the participation of relevant institutions and organizations in the conference.
Key topics
In RA-23;
The works to be carried out by all relevant groups in the new working period covering the years 2023-2027 have been decided.
A Resolution has been adopted on activities regarding the sustainable use of frequencies used by space services and related satellite orbit resources.
Afşin BÜYÜKBAŞ, Head of Spectrum Management Department of BTK, and Veli YANIKGÖNÜL, Director of Spectrum Management of Türksat, have been elected as vice-chairs of the two working groups preparing draft regulations on ITU's spectrum management (SG-1) and satellite (SG-4) topics, respectively.
A Recommendation Resolution has been adopted on the future development framework and general objectives of IMT for 2030 and beyond.
A Resolution has been adopted on strengthening coordination and cooperation among the three ITU Sectors on issues of mutual interest.
In WRC-23;
The frequency bands 6 425-7 125 MHz in ITU Region 1, including our country, and 7 025-7 125 MHz in Region 3 have been identified for IMT, and a power limit (e.i.r.p.) condition has been introduced to protect WAS/RLANs and Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) (Earth-space) used in these bands. With the identification of IMT in the 6 GHz band, studies on possible allocations in the 4200-4400 MHz and 8400-8500 MHz bands for Sea Surface Temperature (SST) measurements within the Earth exploration-satellite service (passive) have been added to the agenda of the WRC-27 Conference.
A decision has been taken to continue applying pfd power limits to protect the Air Mobile Service (AMS) and Maritime Mobile Service (MMS) in international airspace and waters from IMT use in the 4800-4990 MHz band in some countries.
The request by countries such as Tunisia and Algeria, which border the Mediterranean, to identify IMT in the 3.3 GHz and 3.4 GHz bands has not been deemed appropriate due to the potential negative impact on the radiolocation services in the said band, which are also used in our country. Additionally, upon the intervention of the Turkish Delegation, the request to identify the said band for IMT in our southern neighboring countries has also been rejected.
The use of the bands 694-960 MHz, 1710-1885 MHz, and 2500-2690 MHz for High Altitude IMT Base Stations (HIBS) has been regulated. The decision defines HIBS as platforms operating at altitudes between 18-25 km. Thus, they can provide much larger coverage areas compared to normal base stations, offering significant advantages especially in rural areas and can be utilized in universal service projects. Additionally, since they are not affected by disasters such as earthquakes and fires, their use will be beneficial in disaster situations.
In ITU RR, the allocation to the mobile service (except aeronautical mobile) in the 3600-3800 MHz band in Region 1, which was secondary priority, has been upgraded to primary priority, and protection of the existing fixed-satellite service in this band has been ensured through pfd-limits and coordination procedures. Additionally, IMT identification has been made in this band for some countries outside CEPT with certain footnotes. This regulation is also in line with our country's Mobile Broadband Spectrum Strategy.
At the end of the studies on the future use of the UHF frequency band (470-694 MHz), allocation of the upper part of the band (614-694 MHz) to mobile services (except aeronautical mobile) on primary and secondary statuses, and three new country footnotes indicating in which countries and under what conditions these two bands will be used, have been included in the ITU Radio Regulations. Accordingly, initiatives by some countries and groups to exclude our country have been thwarted by the Turkish Delegation, and the entire band has been allocated on a secondary basis to mobile services (except aeronautical mobile) for almost all CEPT countries including ours; the 614-694 MHz portion of the band has been allocated on a secondary basis to mobile services (except aeronautical mobile) for some African countries; and on a primary basis to mobile services (except aeronautical mobile) for some Arab Group countries. Consensus has been reached on continuing studies until WRC-27 to complete the remaining work on the subject and to review spectrum usage for the UHF band, and for WRC-31 to decide on additional allocations in Region 1 and determination of statuses. Thus, the use of the said band for mobile services has become a possible alternative, taking into account developments in the world and Europe and the needs of our country.
Through a footnote in the 117.975-137 MHz frequency band; a new air mobile satellite service (AMS(R)S) has been allocated in the Earth-to-space and space-to-Earth directions for air VHF communications with some restrictions (-170 dBW/m²/14 kHz power limit) without causing unnecessary restrictions on the existing Air Mobile (Route) Service (AM(R)S), Aeronautical Radionavigation Service (ARNS), and existing VHF systems in adjacent frequency bands.
For the use of non-safety air mobile applications, the Air Mobile (Off-Route) Service (AM(OR)S) has been allocated in the 15.4-15.7 GHz and 22-22.21 GHz frequency bands for air mobile (OR) and non-safety applications, with the condition that these new allocations do not cause harmful interference to existing systems and cannot claim protection. Additionally, protection criteria and limits to be used by stations on aircraft 15 km above national borders have been determined for the protection of existing radio astronomy services in these bands.
It has been decided to remove the Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP) application from the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and introduce an automatic link system for MF and some HF bands, introduce NAVDAT as a component of GMDSS, place Automatic Identification System Search and Rescue Transmitters (AIS-SART) as target detection equipment for life-saving appliance stations as an alternative to Radar-SARTs, and remove 1.6 GHz satellite EPIRBs operating in the 1645.5-1646.5 MHz band from the GMDSS-related section in ITU-RR. Additionally, the China-origin BEIDOU (BDMSS) has been accepted as a GMDSS system, and restrictions related to its GSO system and service area recognized by IMO have been indicated with footnotes in ITU-RR.
Regulations have been made for the use of ESIM (Earth Stations in Motion) systems communicating with GSO satellite systems in the 12.75-13.25 GHz frequency band. With this regulation regarding the 12.75-13.25 GHz band actively used in GSO satellites, the usage area of the band has been expanded.
In addition to regulations for the use of Non-GSO FSS earth stations in the 17.7-18.6 GHz, 18.8-19.3 GHz, and 19.7-20.2 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 27.5-29.1 GHz and 29.5-30 GHz (Earth-to-space) frequency bands, measures have been taken by countries with GSO satellite systems, including the Turkish Delegation, to protect these systems, and studies posing a threat to the said systems have been prevented.
Regulations have been made for the use of the 18.1-18.6 GHz, 18.8-20.2 GHz, and 27.5-30 GHz frequency bands by inter-satellite links. The use of inter-satellite links without additional restrictions-coordination on GSO satellites has been enabled, opening the way for NGSO satellites to serve over GSO satellites with this regulation.
Changes have been made to the coordination and registration procedures for frequency allocations related to satellite networks to facilitate the equitable, efficient, and economic use of orbital and radio frequency resources.
Secondary allocations have been made to the active component of Earth Exploration Satellite Services (EESS) for spaceborne radar sensors to be used to investigate subsurface features of polar ice and arid regions in frequency ranges around 45 MHz.
Resolution COM5/7 on the use of the 14.8-15.35 GHz frequency band in the space research service has been adopted.
Additional frequency allocations have been made in the 239.2-242.2 GHz and 244.2-247.2 GHz bands to the passive component of the Earth exploration-satellite service to enable advanced ice cloud measurements for better weather forecasting and climate monitoring.
Agendas for WRC-27 and WRC-31 have been determined.
For consideration in WRC-27, bands for evaluating IMT identification in mid-bands and conducting sharing and compatibility studies with existing usages have been identified. These bands are: 4 400-4 800 MHz (Regions 1 and 3), 7 125-8 400 MHz (Regions 2 and 3), 7 125-7 250 MHz and 7 750-8 400 MHz (Region 1), and 14.8-15.35 GHz (global).
A new agenda item has been added to the WRC-27 agenda that could pave the way for services from satellite to user terminals in some bands between 694/698 MHz and 2.7 GHz.
Within the scope of the conference, the Turkish Delegation, headed by Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Mr. Ömer Fatih SAYAN, held a meeting with ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, and various meetings and consultations were also conducted with other country administrations.