spectrum
Securing a generation W
hen natural or man-made disasters strike – whether they impact one person or many –
citizens lucky enough to live in countries with dedicated public safety networks can take the effective response of the emergency services for granted. Te blue light agencies and other public safety organisations can communicate immediately, and seamlessly. We’ve seen this excellence in action many times. We have also seen what happens to the commercial networks when major events happen. How many of us have tried to contact friends, family, colleagues to check they are safe, only to find the network unavailable? It’s not just during disasters when this happens – any crowded place can experience network congestion. Today, we have dedicated spectrum for public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) use. But as the critical communications world moves towards a broadband future, what news of dedicated spectrum for LTE-based data services? TETRA networks will continue to support mission-critical voice services far into the future. But emergency services, as with the rest of the world, are becoming increasingly data-driven. Emergency responders must be able to react and respond with the best communications technology available, on dedicated networks. Tey shouldn’t have to battle for bandwidth with social media users. Data congestion on commercial networks is already a reality. Last year, global mobile data
traffic grew 70 per cent. Average smartphone usage grew 81 per cent. In 2017, 4G LTE will be 10 per cent of connections, but 45 per cent of total traffic. Two-thirds of the world’s mobile data traffic will be video by 2017. Impressive growth if you’re a mobile operator serving the public. Not so great if you’re a public safety professional trying to save lives. If commercial users are soaking up all this bandwidth on 4G networks, where does this leave PPDR users who, in the absence of dedicated private networks, are forced to consider using public carriers for their mission-critical data?
Dedicated spectrum Fighting for priority on a commercial network is not an ideal situation for critical communications users. Terefore, much work is being done to ensure that dedicated spectrum is available for PPDR broadband services. We must ensure no dilution of the public safety services’ capabilities, for our generation or for the next. Te European Commission, European
Parliament and Telecom Council have reached agreement on a multi-annual legally binding Radio Spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP) that also includes clauses for PPDR spectrum. Te agreed wording is significant: “Te Commission shall, in cooperation with the Member States, seek to ensure that sufficient spectrum is made available under harmonized conditions to support the development of safety services and the free circulation of related devices as well as the development of innovative interoperable solutions for public safety and protection, civil protection and disaster relief.” An official European expert group of
Jeppe Jepsen is director of broadband spectrum for the TETRA & Critical Communications Association
10
regulators and emergency services agencies has calculated the need for at least 2x10 MHz of LTE spectrum from within the 700 MHz band. A key advantage is that 700 MHz LTE is already used for broadband services by the PPDR sector in the United States. Common frequency bands across a global market offer even more advantages than a harmonized European market. Discussions with public safety organizations around the world suggest that there is a willingness to cooperate so that global harmonized spectrum for PPDR is within reach – if we act now. But who makes the decisions? Te global
Jeppe Jepsen says we need to act now to secure spectrum for LTE-based data services
entity ITU-R, under the UN, invites nations every three to four years to the World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRC). It is the aim of the WRC to review and revise the Radio Regulations (RR), an international treaty laying out the use of the radio-frequency spectrum for terrestrial, orbital and maritime services. Revisions to the RR are made on the basis of an agenda agreed at the previous WRC. In this way nations have ample time to consider their positions ahead of the next WRC and participate in the preparatory work within the many ITU-R Study Groups and Working Parties. Te change of status of the 700MHz band in ITU-R Region 1 (Europe, Middle East and Africa) from Broadcasting-only to include Mobile was taken at the WRC12. Te emergency services and their users now have a 12-month window of opportunity to make themselves and their broadband requirements heard, to influence the politicians, the national regulators and economists, so that the new mobile status of this band will result in national plans to allocate sufficient spectrum for broadband PPDR use. 2x10 MHz is now officially identified in Europe as a minimum amount. Now is the time for nations to act.
Leading the lobbying Te TETRA & Critical Communications Association (TCCA) is leading this lobbying activity through its Critical Communications Broadband Group (CCBG). Te aim of the CCBG is to drive the development and adoption of common global mobile broadband standards and solutions for users who operate in a mission critical or business critical environment. Tese users need secure, reliable and available communication and cannot afford the risk of having failures in either individual or group voice and data communication. Te CCBG has had significant success in
achieving work items to incorporate critical communications requirements into the LTE standards. Te technology will be fit for purpose, the capabilities of the networks for critical communications will be protected. We must now ensure that dedicated, harmonized spectrum is allocated to ensure these communications are always available, for the continued protection of the public.
TE TRA TODAY Issue 14 2013
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44