EU Decision on the UHF band, clears way for 700 MHz band release

The Cush

The EU Decision on the use of the 470 – 790 MHz frequency band comes into effect today, 14th June, - http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32017D0899

Amongst the issues legislated for include guaranteeing the remaining UHF spectrum for broadcasting until at least 2030 and requiring the release of the 700 MHz band for mobile services by the end of June 2020.

This clears the way for Comreg to begin the process to auction the 700 MHz band, probably through a multi-band auction, maybe around 2019. The broadcasting clearance date for the band here is March 4th, 2020.

Something I've come across recently in related Oireachtas discussions is the issue of geographic vs. population coverage as a licensing condition when the band is auctioned off.

Back in December, at the publication launch of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce report Minister Naugthen said “If I have my way, and I will be doing my utmost to ensure that, the 5G network will roll out on the basis of geographic coverage rather than population coverage" and "I am hoping that Ireland will be the first country in Europe to roll out the 5G network on a geographic basis”.

Recent Oireachtas comments on the issue of geographic coverage as a licence condition don't appear to be as enthusiastic.

This in a written reply to Deputy Willie Penrose

Deputy Willie Penrose: asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Information on Denis Naughten his plans for a fee structure that would support a geographic coverage being applied to the allocation of the 700MHz spectrum band, in view of the role of Minister for Finance under sections 13(5)(b) and 13(6) of the Communications Regulation Act 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Communications: ... In respect of the management of spectrum, including the future allocation of the 700MHz band and any terms and conditions attached to any licenses issued, ComReg is independent in its functions and I have no role in that process. Having regard to the independence of ComReg in the matter, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the matter at this time. I have no reason to believe that any process undertaken by ComReg will not result in the fair allocation of any future spectrum assignment and I expect the outcomes of any such process to provide a level of certainty and transparency for all stakeholders. A policy direction is neither necessary nor appropriate in the circumstances.

Accordingly, I have not issued, nor do I propose to, or see any necessity to issue any policy direction to ComReg in this regard.

http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2017052300079?#WRAA03350

and this reply from a Comreg representative when they appeared before the Oireachtas Communications Committee towards the end of May on the issue of the geographic coverage licence condition. It looks like the MNOs and future licensees will have the final say as to whether it'll be the the population or geographic licence requirement.

Mr. Gerry Fahy: ... As was mentioned earlier by my colleagues, the real coverage is the 700 MHz band. That is used today for broadcast services and broadcasts well into valleys and through buildings. That would be the classic coverage spectrum. There is a big debate to be had with all stakeholders as to whether we need to move away from the population expression of coverage towards a geographic expression of coverage. ComReg is completely open minded on that issue.

http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/committeetakes/CC22017052300002?opendocument

ED E

Going the geo route just encourages huge overloaded cells. 700Mhz is great for rural areas, gives a good 12-15Mb per UE but we dont want medium towns getting that instead of a high performance but more limited range 1800Mhz LTEA cell with C-Agg.

Really looking at 2020 the current tech is going to be slow to be marketable. Finland auctioned this off in Q4 16. Done.

The Cush

This band will most likely be 5G by the time it becomes available in mid 2020.

The ITU published its draft report on the 5G spec earlier this year with the final specification due this November, big capacity increase over LTE-A.

Cell minimum requirements for peak data rate (Cell capacity):
– Downlink peak data rate is 20 Gbit/s.
– Uplink peak data rate is 10 Gbit/s.

The target values for the user experienced data rate are as follows in the Dense Urban – eMBB test environment:
– Downlink user experienced data rate is 100 Mbit/s.
– Uplink user experienced data rate is 50 Mbit/s.

The minimum requirements for user plane latency are
– 4 ms for eMBB
– 1 ms for URLLC

To date Germany (€1bn+/2x30MHz), France (€2.78bn/2x30MHz), Finland (€66m/2x30MHz) and just recently Iceland (€625k/2x20MHz) have auctioned the band. Sweden goes next, this November, followed by Norway and others in 2018.

France has launched 4G services in the band around the Paris region which was cleared of broadcasting last year, nationwide rollout in the years ahead as broadcasting transitions to the sub-700MHz bands.

Finland has fully cleared the band of broadcasting and 4G services could start nationwide from Feb 1st last. They are the closest in population size to Ireland that have auctioned the band to date and so an indicator to the value of the Irish 700 MHz band. The 3 winning bids paid approx. €22m each for a 2x10MHz slice of spectrum.

In Germany the band becomes available in 2019, they are currently transitioning broadcasting to the sub-700MHz bands and also in the process transitioning to a new terrestrial TV standard, DVB-T2 with HEVC compression.

Sweden will partially release 2x20MHz of the band this November while retaining 2x10MHz for broadcasting until the end of 2018. This may be allocated to the emergency services post-clearance. They are also consulting on making spectrum available for large-scale 5G tests in the 3.4-3.6GHz and 26GHz bands from 2017 onwards.

ED E

The Cush wrote: »

Finland has fully cleared the band of broadcasting and 4G services could start nationwide from Feb 1st last. They are the closest in population size to Ireland that have auctioned the band to date and so an indicator to the value of the Irish 700 MHz band. The 3 winning bids paid approx. ?22m each for a 2x10MHz slice of spectrum.

Similar population and GDP so in some ways comparable but they have ultra low density dwelling once you go 50% of the way up the country and approach the arctic circle. Everyone owns a mokki which is intentionally as far as possible away from humanity. Its also dead flat.

The band was has been in test use since 2011 for them.


That graph is for conventional LTEA vs 5G is it not? With the advantages of MUMIMO/CA/BF.

The Cush

ED E wrote: »

The band was has been in test use since 2011 for them. .

Its primary use was broadcasting prior to clearance. New DTT multiplex licences were awarded last year.

Finland since the early part of the decade have been one of the few if not the only EU state that had been advocating for the release of the 700 Mhz band and co-sharing of the UHF broadcasting band due to the fact they share a long land border with Russia and the difficulty of coordinating frequencies in the previously released 800 MHz band for mobile services. Russia IIRC doesn't use the 800MHz for mobile services.

During the most recent WRC-2015, Finland broke ranks with other EU states on their agreed position of not allowing primary co-sharing of the 600 MHz band with mobile services. The EU's agreed position prevailed.

Since that time, the EU has changed its position on co-sharing with broadcasting in its new Decision on the UHF band by allowing states to provide mobile services in band, provided the spectrum isn't required for broadcasting and doesn't interfere with broadcasting in neighbouring countries.

The Cush

ED E wrote: »

That graph is for conventional LTEA vs 5G is it not? With the advantages of MUMIMO/CA/BF.

Considering the fact the 5G specification hasn't been finalised yet no one can give any definitive answers. We can only rely on what's in the draft report and any field testing data.

In relation to CA, I'm not sure if the 3GPP latest release includes 700 Mhz carrier aggregation bands yet, must check it out.

The Cush

Comreg's Work Plan to end of Jun 2018

Comreg's begins its consultation process later this year, prior to auctioning the 700MHz band (plus other spectrum) in 2018 or 2019. Broadcasting ceases in the 700 MHz band on Mar 4th, 2020, after a 6 months simulcast phase.

- Multi-Band Spectrum Award 2 (MBSA2)

Consultation - Stream 1: Future Mobile Connectivity (FMC) costing study (Q4 2017)
Response to Consultation - Stream 1: Future Mobile Connectivity (FMC) costing study (Q1 2018)

- Multi-Band Spectrum Award 2 (MBSA2)

Consultation - Stream 2: Develop award proposals to release 700 MHz, 1.4 GHz, 2.3 GHz and 2.6 GHz bands and other substitutable or complementary bands (e.g. 2.1 GHz) (Q2 2018)

ED E

1400 is free? Ohhh that'll be prime real estate.

The Cush

ED E wrote: »

1400 is free? Ohhh that'll be prime real estate.

5G candidate band for SDL/Carrier aggregation (LTE Band 32). Germany auctioned the band last year for approx. €400m, different market I know but the band has a value for the MNOs.

ED E

The Cush wrote: »

5G candidate band for SDL/Carrier aggregation. Germany auctioned the band last year for approx. €400m, different market I know but the band has a value for the MNOs.

Different market but really its crucial. OEMs build radios for regions, if we dont get 100M + users on any individual band it wont be supported in our devices.

ED E

http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/08/16/t-mobile-started-deploying-600mhz-lte-phones-coming-later-year/

TMob in the states pushing ahead with 600Mhz, band 71.

The Cush

ED E wrote: »

OEMs build radios for regions, if we dont get 100M + users on any individual band it wont be supported in our devices.

As the band is harmonised within the European region for SDL and each state will be auctioning the band for the same purpose we'll have no shortage of devices supporting the band in due course.

The Cush

ED E wrote: »

TMob in the states pushing ahead with 600Mhz, band 71.

Unlike the States Europe won't be releasing the 600 Mhz band from its primary use for terrestrial broadcasting until at least the end of the next decade.

ED E

The Cush wrote: »

Unlike the States Europe won't be releasing the 600 Mhz band from its primary use for terrestrial broadcasting until at least the end of the next decade.

Ahh shizer, thought it was included.

The Cush

ED E wrote: »

Ahh shizer, thought it was included.

The mobile frequency plan in N America is a different beast and can be difficult to get the head around. Terrestrial broadcasting is in decline there and the VHF band extensively used for terrestrial broadcasting.

Frequency in the 600 MHz band (70 MHz, 663–698 UL, 617–652 DL, UHF Ch.38-51) was auctioned over a 12 month period, ending earlier this year, in a complex reverse auction process called the Broadcast Incentive Auction which incentivised broadcasters to relinquish some of their spectrum for a return of over $10bn to them (and channel reassignment) and almost another $10bn to the US treasury.

https://www.fcc.gov/about-fcc/fcc-initiatives/incentive-auctions

gctest50

They should really have put everyone on Saorsat ( or better ) and sold off the Saorview bands

Saves daft RTE transmitters everywhere and the cost of maintaining them and powering them

Much better uses for bands than TheLateLate

The Cush

gctest50 wrote: »

They should really have put everyone on Saorsat ( or better ) and sold off the Saorview bands

Saves daft RTE transmitters everywhere and the cost of maintaining them and powering them

This has come up in discussion over the years in the terrestrial forum. This comment from Bob Collins, then Chairman of the BAI, to the Joint Committee on Communications in July 2010 points out the reason we must have our own Irish-owned transmission system.

Deputy Jimmy Devins: I welcome all the witnesses and will be brief. Although I am not into technology in a big way, if I understand this correctly, the stopping of analogue transmission, which is one system, will result in its replacement by two systems, namely, DTT and satellite. The advantage of using the latter is to cover the 2% to 3% who will not be covered by DTT. Why not simply use the single system of satellite transmission to provide 100% coverage? Why must one go down the DTT route?
...
[not answered directly but Bob Collins did make the following reply later]

Mr. Bob Collins: ... Throughout the debate on this issue during the past eight or ten years, a key underlying point of public policy has been that the State should have an Irish-owned transmission system to carry the four national channels, one that would not be dependent on external economic circumstances or an external force. Hence the necessity of a domestic transmission system. The satellite option does everything mentioned by Mr. Hayes, namely, extending coverage and providing a back-up, but one could not dispense with DTT by virtue of the availability of satellite because, in the last analysis, the satellite option is not within the control of the State.

http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/committeetakes/MAJ2010071400003

The Cush

Comreg has published a preliminary consultation on which spectrum bands to award in a proposed Multi Band Spectrum Award (MBSA2).

https://www.comreg.ie/publication/proposed-multi-band-spectrum-award-preliminary-consultation-on-which-spectrum-bands-to-award/

Together with the 700 MHz (duplex) band, which will be cleared of broadcasting by March 4th 2020, they are also proposing to auction the paired 2.1 GHz band, 2.3 GHz band and the 2.6 GHz band.

This would mean that a total of 470 MHz of spectrum would be included in the Proposed Award (with 350 MHz being additional spectrum that is currently not used for WBB) which would result in a 46% increase in harmonised spectrum available for the provision of WBB.

They have decided not to auction the 700 MHz Duplex Gap and 700 MHz Guard Bands, 1.4 GHz Band (both the 1.4 GHz Centre Band and the 1.4 GHz Extension Bands), Unpaired 2.1 GHz Band and 26 GHz Band, for the reasons set out in the consultation.