Radio Spectrum
Latest
April 2023 – WRC23 – a turning point for safer and more secured societies – African Wireless Communications
March 2023 – On the brink of disasters – the crucial need for PPDR spectrum – Critical Communications Today
February 2023 – podcast – Spectrum availability and allocation at WRC-23 – Crit Comms Circle
July 2022 TCCA spectrum position for WRC 2023
Radio spectrum overview
All mobile communications technologies require spectrum in which to operate and this applies to TETRA and broadband technologies. However, spectrum is a scarce resource and the exponential growth of mobile devices is putting regulators under extreme pressure to find new spectrum for expanded services.
Critical communications users are also looking to make use of data-intensive applications. Examples include access to centralised databases, patient telemetry, high definition images and video streaming, telecontrol and many more. Rather than developing new technologies, TCCA believes that use should be made of existing technologies and, for high speed data, LTE and/or 5G are ideal transport mechanisms.
Although Mission Critical services may be provided by commercial mobile operators we believe that true Mission Critical operation needs to have spectrum that is set aside for Public Safety and Security, PPDR, and for those sectors that help to protect the critical national infrastructure, such as utilities and transport. TCCA is working with other like-minded organisations to lobby governments and regulators to allocate suitable spectrum, particularly below 1GHz.
North America is using Band 14 for broadband; Greater Europe has through the ECC narrowed it down to anywhere in 698-736 / 758-791 MHz. Asia is more looking to the 800 MHz band.
Further spectrum information:
The radio spectrum world is divided in three Regions by the ITU:
Region 1 = Europe, Africa, the former Soviet Union, Mongolia, and the Middle East west of the Persian Gulf, including Iraq.
Region 2 = the Americas including Greenland, and some of the eastern Pacific Islands.
Region 3 = Asia east of and including Iran, and most of Oceania.
More information can be found here.
In greater Europe (48 countries) the ECC considers and develops policies, recommendations and decisions on electronic communications activities. More can be found here.
ECC operates an online database (EFIS) where member states keep track of their implementations.
Frequency Information System: https://efis.cept.org/
June 2021 TCCA spectrum position
The need for spectrum video (at 9mins 30secs)
Harmonised Spectrum for Critical Communications – an Executive Summary
The need for PPDR Broadband spectrum in the bands below 1 GHz – WIK 2013
Socioeconomic Value of Mission Critical Mobile. Applications for Public Safety in the EU
Socioeconomic Value of Mission Critical Mobile. Applications for Public Safety in the UK
Other related documents