T-DAB Conference, extraordinary FM Meeting Maastricht, 10 - 18 june 2002

T-DAB Conference, extraordinary FM Meeting
Maastricht, 10 – 18 june 2002

RAPPORTO SULLO SVOLGIMENTO DEI LAVORI

Dal 10-06-2002 al 18-06-2002 si sono svolti al centro congressi MEEC di Maastricht i lavori per la revisione degli accordi di Wiesbaden 1995 riguardanti la pianificazione in ambito europeo delle frequenze in banda L per il servizio T-DAB.
Tale revisione è stata necessaria per tener conto di 7 nuovi blocchi (blocchi Maastricht) aggiunti ai precedenti 9 accordati in Wiesbaden (blocchi Wiesbaden) per un totale di 16 blocchi compresi nella banda 1452-1479.5 MHz; al servizio S-DAB rimangono gli ultimi 7 blocchi della “banda a 1.5 GHz” cioé da 1479.5 a 1492 MHz.
Ai 16 blocchi di frequenze utilizzati per la copertura T-DAB, ognuno dei quali è di 1.536 MHz, sono stati assegnati i seguenti nomi e frequenze centrali:

Denominazione	Frequenza centrale (MHz)
LA	1452.960
LB	1454.672
LC	1456.384
LD	1458.096
LE	1459.808
LF	1461.520
LG	1463.232
LH	1464.944
LI	1466.656
LL	1471.792
LJ	1468.368
LK	1470.080
LM	1473.504
LN	1475.216
LO	1476.928
LP	1478.640

In figura 1 sono riportate le aree del territorio italiano interessate dall’allocazione realizzata a Maastricht dei 16 blocchi su riportati; i macroblocchi regionali fissati a Wiesbaden non sono stati oggetto dei lavori e sono stati integralmente riconfermati.
I lavori di tipo “tecnico” si sarebbero dovuti svolgere nel periodo 10-14 giugno dopo di che sarebbe dovuta seguire una sospensione, poi la preparazione dei documenti da parte del gruppo editoriale e la firma degli accordi di Maastricht nei giorni 17 e 18 giugno 2002 da parte dei capi delegazione di ogni nazione coinvolta; in realtà per il sopraggiungere di alcune difficoltà nell’allocazione delle frequenze il Chairman, sentiti i rappresentanti dei paesi partecipanti, ha prorogato la fine della prima parte del congresso a sabato 15 giugno 2002.

Figura 1

In sostanza durante il primo giorno è stata fatta una revisione del contratto di Wiesbaden sia in termini di forma lessicale che di alcune parti riguardanti in particolare la banda e la Managing Administration della banda L, individuata nei Paesi Bassi.
I restanti giorni sono stati dedicati interamente al problema dell’allocazione delle frequenze nelle aree territoriali (figura 1) già a suo tempo fornite dai Ministeri delle Telecomunicazioni nazionali; il procedimento utilizzato nell’allocazione di tali frequenze si è basato su l’uso di un software di ottimizzazione del riuso delle frequenze prodotto dall’EURO (European Radiocommunications Office che ha lo scopo di supportare e condurre studi per il CEPT e per l’European Commission) che tiene conto di tutti i vincoli tecnici (per es. i livelli interferenti) e tutti i modelli di copertura e propagazione sottoscritti nell’accordo di Wiesbaden-Allegati tecnici.
E’ bene sottolineare che il modello di propagazione utilizzato nel software non tiene conto dell’orografia dei luoghi (monti, colline, pianure) ipotizzando terra piatta e considera una rete di ripetitori standardizzata detta “Reference Network” con la quale realizza la copertura radioelettrica: queste scelte rendono l’allocazione delle frequenze particolarmente cautelata da possibili interferenze e perdite di qualità.
Il lavoro di ogni delegazione in questa fase è stato quello di risolvere quei problemi di allocazione che il software non era in grado di sistemare e di supervisionare ed eventualmente correggere i risultati delle simulazioni.
Si è notato che i problemi di allocazione non risolti dal software di ottimizzazione erano generati esclusivamente da eccessivi livelli d’interferenza tra aree a stessa frequenza, per cui la delegazione italiana, alla stregua delle altre, nell’ottica di firmare l’accordo di Maastricht con tutte le aree allocate, ha deciso di procedere in ordine di priorità nelle seguenti direzioni:
1. Non considerare i livelli d’interferenza ammissibili quando l’orografia dell’area sotto analisi lo avesse reso possibile;
2. Effettuare degli “autoagreement”, cioè degli accordi tra regioni interne alla stessa nazione all’atto dell’assegnazione delle frequenze, nella fase di realizzazione degli impianti per la copertura;
3. Effettuare degli “agreement”, cioè degli accordi con regioni esterne alla nazione all’atto della assegnazione delle frequenze, nella fase di realizzazione degli impianti per la copertura.
Nella prima fase l’unico servizio interferente o interferito non T-DAB preso in considerazione nelle simulazioni è stato S-DAB; poi sono state prese in considerazione possibili interazioni con i cosiddetti “Other Services”: particolare interesse è stato rivolto a quelli della Russia (telemetria aeronautica), Ucraina, Germania, Portogallo, Ungheria, Svizzera, Turchia, Inghilterra, Grecia.
Per quanto riguarda i dettagli sui contratti stipulati tra le nazioni relativamente al T-DAB ci si può riferire agli allegati 1 e 2 riguardanti rispettivamente Wiesbaden 1995 e Maastricht 2002.
Gli allegati 3 (ANNEX 1/PART A), 4 (ANNEX 1/PART 1), 5 (ANNEX 1/PART 2), 6 (SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION A) descrivono nel dettaglio il piano di allocazione delle frequenze in banda L e gli eventuali accordi stipulati tra le varie nazioni firmatarie.
Non si fornisce in formato cataceo, ma solo in forma elettronica, il resto della documentazione riguardante la minuta dei lavori svolti in Maastricht, gli annessi tecnici sia in banda L (Wiesbaden 1995), che nelle bande I, II, III (Wiesbaden 1995) e il piano delle frequenze nelle bande I, II, III (Wiesbaden 1995).

ALLEGATO 1

FINAL ACTS

of the CEPT T-DAB Planning Meeting (3)

Maastricht, 2002

Annex

FINAL ACTS

of the

CEPT T-DAB Planning Meeting (3)

Maastricht, 2002

for the revision of the Special Arrangement of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) relating to the use of the bands 47 – 68 MHz, 87.5 – 108 MHz, 174 – 230 MHz, 230 – 240 MHz and 1452 – 1492 MHz for the introduction of Terrestrial Digital Audio Broadcasting (T-DAB), Wiesbaden, 1995, as revised by the CEPT T-DAB planning meeting (2), Bonn, 1996

PREAMBLE

The Delegates of the following CEPT Administrations of Member States of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU):

Republic of Austria, Kingdom of Belgium, Republic of Bulgaria, Republic of Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Kingdom of Denmark, Republic of Estonia, Republic of Finland, French Republic, Federal Republic of Germany, Hellenic Republic, Republic of Hungary, Ireland, Italian Republic, Republic of Latvia, Principality of Liechtenstein, Republic of Lithuania, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Republic of Moldova, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Kingdom of Norway, Republic of Poland, Portuguese Republic, Romania, Slovak Republic, Republic of Slovenia, Kingdom of Spain, Kingdom of Sweden, Swiss Confederation, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Vatican City State,

meeting in Maastricht, June 2002, for a T-DAB Planning Meeting convened in accordance with Article 11 of the Special Arrangement concluded at the T-DAB Planning Meeting, Wiesbaden, 1995, as revised by the CEPT T-DAB planning meeting (2), Bonn, 1996, under the terms of Article 6 of the ITU Radio Regulations, and following a decision by the Electronic Communications Committee of the CEPT to convene the present Planning Meeting,

have, in signing these Final Acts at this meeting or in application of the provisions of Article 2.2, agreed as follows:

Article 1

The text of the Special Arrangement concluded at the T-DAB Planning Meeting, Wiesbaden, 1995, as revised by the CEPT T-DAB planning meeting (2), Bonn, 1996, shall be replaced by the text annexed to these Final Acts, referred to as the Wiesbaden,1995, Special Arrangement, as revised in Maastricht, 2002.

Article 2

2.1. The Special Arrangement as given in the Annex shall enter into force on 1 September 2002 at 0001 hours UTC and shall be binding only between contracting administrations of the Special Arrangement, Wiesbaden, 1995, as revised, Bonn, 1996, that have signed these Final Acts or have acceded to this Special Arrangement, after its entry into force, in accordance with its Article 7.

2.2. Any Contracting Administration of the Special Arrangement Wiesbaden, 1995, as revised, Bonn, 1996, that has been unable to sign the Final Acts during the present Planning Meeting or has only signed subject to confirmation, may sign or confirm its signature by correspondence not later than 31 August 2002 at 2400 hours UTC. The signature shall be made without reservations, except that it may be subject to ratification. The Radiocommunications Agency of the Kingdom of the Netherlands will notify all contracting administrations not having attended the present Planning Meeting of this possibility. Any contracting administration wishing to make use of this procedure shall accordingly notify the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology of the Federal Republic of Germany, which will immediately take the necessary measures for signature by correspondence.

2.3. Contracting administrations of the Special Arrangement Wiesbaden, 1995, as revised Bonn, 1996, not having signed these Final Acts by 31 August 2002 at 2400 hours UTC, may accede to the Special Arrangement Wiesbaden, 1995, as revised Bonn, 1996, and Maastricht, 2002, in accordance with the provisions of its Article 7.

Article 3

In accordance with No. 6.5 of the Radio Regulations, the Chairman of the ECC, through his administration, shall notify the Secretary-General of the ITU of the conclusion and content of the revision of the Special Arrangement including the names of the administrations that have signed these Final Acts containing the annexed Arrangement or that have acceded to the Wiesbaden 1995 Special Arrangement revised in Maastricht, 2002.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned representatives of CEPT Administrations, having been duly authorised thereto, have signed the originals in each of the English, French and German languages of these Final Acts, which shall be deposited in the archives of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology of the Federal Republic of Germany, which shall forward a copy to each contracting administration.

Done at Maastricht, 18 June 2002

ANNEX

Special Arrangement
of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications
Administrations (CEPT)
relating to the use of the bands
47 – 68 MHz, 87.5 – 108 MHz, 174 – 230 MHz and 230 – 240 MHz
for Terrestrial Digital Audio Broadcasting (T-DAB)

Maastricht, 2002

The Wiesbaden, 1995,
Special Arrangement, as revised in

Maastricht 2002

THE CEPT T-DAB PLANNING MEETINGS,

WIESBADEN, 1995, BONN, 1996 and MAASTRICHT, 2002

Special Arrangement
of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT)
relating to the use of the bands 47 – 68 MHz, 87.5 – 108 MHz, 174 – 230 MHz and
230 – 240 MHz for Terrestrial Digital Audio Broadcasting (T-DAB)

PREAMBLE

The Delegates of the following CEPT Administrations of Member States of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU):

have adopted the following provisions concerning the broadcasting service (T-DAB) in the bands 47 – 68 MHz, 87.5 – 108 MHz, 174 – 230 MHz and 230 – 240 MHz in the Planning Area as defined in Article 1 of this Special Arrangement, and the Allotment Plan for the introduction of T-DAB.

ARTICLE 1

Definitions

For the purposes of this Special Arrangement, the following terms shall have the meanings defined below:

1.1 ITU: The International Telecommunication Union.

1.2 Radiocommunication Bureau: The ITU Radiocommunication Bureau.

1.3 Radio Regulations: The Radio Regulations (edition of 2001).

1.4 CEPT: The European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations.

1.5 ECC: The Electronic Communications Committee of the CEPT. (Until 2001 the predecessor was the European Radiocommunications Committee)

1.6 ERO: The European Radiocommunications Office.

1.7 Special Arrangement: This Special Arrangement and its Annexes.

1.8 Contracting Administration: Any administration of a Member State of the ITU, which has approved or acceded to this Special Arrangement.

1.9 Administration: Unless otherwise indicated, the term administration designates an administration as defined in the ITU Constitution.

1.10 Plan: The Plan forming Annex 1 to this Special Arrangement plus all later modifications agreed since the entering into force of the Wiesbaden,1995, Special Arrangement.

1.11 Planning Area: The territories of the Contracting Administrations.

1.12 Allotment: Entry in the Plan, or in Annex 5 which are not part of the Plan, of a frequency block designated for use by an administration for T-DAB in an Allotment Area under the conditions specified in the relevant annexes. Each allotment may be used for one or more assignments using the technical criteria specified in Annex 4.

1.13 Allotment Area: The coverage area of an allotment, the boundaries of which are defined by geographical co-ordinates associated with this allotment.

1.14 Assignment: Any assignment for which the procedure of Article 6 has been successfully applied.

1.15 T-DAB Assignment List: The list of T-DAB assignments co-ordinated and notified in accordance with this Special Arrangement.

1.16 Plan Management Body: The ERO, tasked by the ECC to manage the procedures of this Special Arrangement.

1.17 The Stockholm Agreement (1961): The “Regional Agreement for the European Broadcasting Area Concerning the Use of Frequencies by the Broadcasting Service in the VHF and UHF Bands” adopted by the European VHF/UHF Broadcasting Conference (Stockholm, 1961).

1.18 The Geneva Agreement (1984): The “Regional Agreement Relating to the Use of the Band 87.5 – 108 MHz for FM Sound Broadcasting (Region 1 and Part of Region 3)” adopted by the Regional Administrative Conference for the Planning of VHF Sound Broadcasting (Region 1 and Part of Region 3) (Geneva, 1984).

ARTICLE 20

Execution of the Special Arrangement

2.1 The Contracting Administrations shall apply for their T-DAB stations in the bands 47 – 68 MHz, 87.5 – 108 MHz, 174 – 230 MHz and 230 – 240 MHz the technical bases specified in Annex 2 to this Special Arrangement.

2.2 The Contracting Administrations shall not modify their allotments, except under the conditions provided for in Article 4 of this Special Arrangement.

2.3 The Contracting Administrations may bring into use assignments in the bands 47 – 68 MHz, 174 – 230 MHz and 230 – 240 MHz in accordance with their allotments in the Plan and only under the conditions set out in Article 6 of this Special Arrangement.

2.4 The Contracting Administrations may, in common agreement with other administrations whose services may be affected, apply the relevant procedures of this Special Arrangement to obtain T-DAB allotments and bring into use T-DAB assignments in the band 87.5 – 108 MHz. However, such allotments do not form part of the Plan and shall be recorded in Annex 5. Corresponding assignments shall be recorded in the T-DAB Assignment List as not being part of the Plan.

2.5 The Contracting Administrations undertake to study and, in common agreement, to put into practice the measures necessary to eliminate any problems that might result from the application of this Special Arrangement.

ARTICLE 3

Annexes to the Special Arrangement

The Special Arrangement contains the following Annexes:

3.1 Annex 1: The T-DAB Frequency Block Allotment Plan

The Frequency Allotment Plan for T-DAB stations of Contracting Administrations in the bands 47 – 68 MHz, 174 – 230 MHz and 230 – 240 MHz containing frequency allotments and associated characteristics of T-DAB stations co-ordinated either during the CEPT T-DAB Planning Meeting or by the application of provisions contained in the Special Arrangement.

3.2 Other Annexes

Annex 2: Technical Bases for T-DAB Planning

Annex 3a: Basic characteristics of a T-DAB allotment to be communicated for a modification to the Allotment Plan

Annex 3b: Basic characteristics of a T-DAB assignments to be communicated for the conversion of a T-DAB allotment into one or more assignments

Annex 4: Technical procedures for co-ordination

Annex 5: T-DAB frequency block allotments in the band 87.5 – 108 MHz agreed between the administrations concerned, but not forming part of the Plan

ARTICLE 4

Procedure concerning modifications to the Plan

4.1 The Allotment Plan for T-DAB established by the CEPT T-DAB Planning Meeting, Wiesbaden, 1995, shall be open to modification in accordance with the procedure of this Article. For that purpose the Plan Management Body, on behalf of the ECC, shall maintain the master copy of the Plan containing all modifications made to the Plan.

4.2 If an administration wishes to modify the Plan, it shall apply the procedure below.

4.3 A proposed modification to the Plan may consist of:

4.3.1 a change in the characteristics of an allotment in the Plan;

4.3.2 the inclusion of a new allotment in the Plan;

4.3.3 the suppression of an allotment in the Plan.

4.4 For the purpose of effecting a modification to the Plan, the administration concerned shall:

4.4.1 identify the affected administrations, having regard to the relevant provisions associated with the Plan;

4.4.2 send a request for agreement to the administrations concerned giving the information listed in Annex 3a;

4.4.3 copy this request to the Plan Management Body, taking into account the provisions in 4.6.

4.4.4 The actions according to 4.4.1, 4.4.2 and 4.4.3 above shall be taken not earlier than four years, but not later than 20 weeks before the date at which the proposed modification is intended to be converted into an assignment.

4.5 The agreement mentioned in 4.4 is not necessary if the proposed modification is:

4.5.1 the suppression of an allotment in the Plan;

4.5.2 any modification which results in a reduction of the Allotment Area.

4.6 The administration proposing a modification to the Plan shall send the information listed in Annex 3a to the Plan Management Body and shall indicate, as the case may be:

4.6.1 the names of administrations which have been consulted according to 4.4;

4.6.2 that it is not necessary to obtain the agreement of any administration according to 4.5.

4.7 The Plan Management Body, upon receiving a copy of the request under 4.4, shall publish the complete information.

4.8 Following receipt of the publication, an administration, believing that it should have been included in the request for agreement, shall inform the requesting administration within six weeks of the date of publication, giving its reasons for doing so, and shall also inform the Plan Management Body, requesting that its name be included.

4.9 The administration seeking agreement and those with which agreement is sought, may request any additional information they consider necessary.

4.10 Replies to a co-ordination request (4.4) shall be given within a period of twelve weeks of the date of publication or direct request.

4.10.1 If no reply has been received within this period, an urgent reminder shall be sent.

4.10.2 If, two weeks after dispatch of the reminder, no reply has been received, the administration with which co-ordination has been sought shall be considered to have agreed to the proposed change. Justification shall be given for rejecting a request.

4.11 When the Plan Management Body has been notified by the administration seeking co-ordination about the results of a co-ordination and finds that this procedure has been successfully concluded, either by obtaining the agreement of the administrations concerned or by the application of 4.10, it shall update the master copy of the Plan. The new or modified allotment in the Plan shall then have the same status as others appearing in the Plan and shall be considered as being in accordance with the Plan.

4.12 If required, the Plan Management Body shall send a copy of the revised Plan together with an updated Assignment List at six-monthly intervals to all Contracting Administrations and the Chairman of the ECC who shall send a copy to the Secretary-General of the ITU.

4.13 If a modification of an allotment, although made in accordance with the provisions of this Article, results in harmful interference to services of other administrations when it is converted into an assignment, the administration which brought the assignment into use shall, in cooperation with the affected administration, take the necessary action to eliminate such interference in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Radio Regulations.

4.14 Administrations shall communicate information to the Plan Management Body in electronic form. For submission of basic characteristics of T-DAB allotments the record-structure specified in Appendix 1 to Annex 3 shall be used.

ARTICLE 5

Compatibility and sharing with other radiocommunication services

Section 1: T-DAB interfering with other radiocommunication services

5.1 Any administration intending to convert an allotment into one or more assignments in accordance with Article 6 of this Special Arrangement, in the bands 47 – 68 MHz, 174 – 230 MHz and 230 – 240 MHz, shall obtain the agreement of Contracting Administrations whose other radiocommunication services are likely to be affected. However, such agreement is unnecessary if the T-DAB assignment is within the corresponding allotment and the limits given in the following sub-sections are not exceeded.

5.1.1 Television stations operating in the bands 47 – 68 MHz and 174 – 230 MHz which are in conformity with the Stockholm Agreement (1961) are likely to be affected by a proposed T-DAB frequency block assignment if the appropriate limits indicated in Annex 2 are exceeded.

5.1.2 FM broadcasting stations operating in the band 66 – 68 MHz which are in conformity with the Stockholm Agreement (1961) are likely to be affected by a proposed T-DAB frequency block assignment if the appropriate limits indicated in Annex 2 are exceeded.

5.1.3 Stations in the mobile service operating in the band 230 – 240 MHz in conformity with the Radio Regulations on a primary basis are likely to be affected by a proposed T-DAB frequency block assignment if the appropriate limits indicated in Annex 2 are exceeded.

5.1.4 Stations in the land mobile service operating in the bands 47 – 68 MHz and 174 – 230 MHz in conformity with the Radio Regulations on a permitted basis are likely to be affected by a proposed T-DAB frequency block assignment if the appropriate limits indicated in Annex 2 are exceeded.

5.1.5 For the protection of the 243 MHz distress and safety frequency administrations will take the appropriate measures to ensure that the limits given in Annex 2 are not exceeded by any T-DAB emission and be ready to immediately shut down any transmitter that appears to be exceeding these limits until it is confirmed that this is not the case.

Section 2: Other radiocommunication services interfering with T-DAB

5.2 Any administration intending to bring into service a station of another radiocommunication service in accordance with this Special Arrangement shall obtain the agreement of other Contracting Administrations whose T-DAB allotments are likely to be affected.

5.2.1 T-DAB allotments in the bands 47 – 68 MHz and 174 – 230 MHz which are in conformity with this Special Arrangement are likely to be affected by a proposed assignment to a television station if the appropriate limits indicated in Annex 2 are exceeded.

5.2.2 T-DAB allotments in the band 66 – 68 MHz which are in conformity with this Special Arrangement are likely to be affected by a proposed assignment to an FM broadcasting station if the appropriate limits indicated in Annex 2 are exceeded.

5.2.3 T-DAB allotments in the bands 47 – 68 MHz, 174 – 230 MHz and 230 – 240 MHz which are in conformity with this Special Arrangement are likely to be affected by a proposed assignment to a station in the mobile service if the appropriate limits indicated in Annex 2 are exceeded.

5.2.4 T-DAB allotments in the bands 223 – 230 MHz and 230 – 240 MHz which are in conformity with this Special Arrangement are likely to be affected by a proposed assignment to a station in the fixed service if the appropriate limits indicated in Annex 2 are exceeded.

Section 3: Sharing between T-DAB and other radiocommunication services in frequency bands not included in the Plan

5.3 Any administration intending to assign frequency blocks to T-DAB stations in accordance with this Special Arrangement shall obtain the agreement of any Contracting Administration whose radiocommunication services are likely to be affected. The limits indicated in Annex 2 may be used by common agreement between the administrations concerned.

5.3.1 FM broadcasting stations operating in the band 87.5 – 108 MHz which are in conformity with the Geneva Agreement (1984) are likely to be affected by a proposed T-DAB frequency block assignment if the appropriate limits indicated in Annex 2 are exceeded.

5.3.2 Stations in the aeronautical radionavigation service operating in the band 108 – 117.975 MHz in conformity with the Radio Regulations on a primary basis are likely to be affected by a proposed T-DAB frequency block assignment in the band 87.5 – 108 MHz. The appropriate co-ordination procedures shall be applied.

5.3.3 T-DAB allotments in the band 87.5 – 108 MHz which are in conformity with this Special Arrangement are likely to be affected by a proposed assignment to an FM broadcasting station if the appropriate limits indicated in Annex 2 are exceeded.

ARTICLE 6

Conversion of an allotment into one or more assignments
and the associated co-ordination and notification procedures

Section 1: Basic principles of the conversion of an allotment into one or more assignments

6.1.1 When an administration intends to convert an allotment which is in accordance with this Special Arrangement into one or more assignments, or to modify a T-DAB assignment, it shall, using the procedures in Annex 4, determine if the assignment exceeds the field strength limits of the corresponding allotment in the Plan. If the limits are not exceeded, co-ordination is not required and the procedure in Section 2 below shall be applied. Otherwise, co-ordination is required and the procedure in Section 3 shall be applied.

6.1.2 When an administration intends to convert an allotment agreed on a bilateral or multilateral basis in the band 87.5 – 108 MHz and listed in Annex 5 into an assignment, it shall use the procedures given in 6.1.1 above. However, following successful completion of these procedures, the assignments shall be recorded in the T-DAB Assignment List as not being part of the Plan.

6.1.3 When an administration intends to suppress an assignment from the Assignment List, the same procedure as for the suppression of an allotment (4.3.3) shall be used.

Section 2: Cases where co-ordination is not required

6.2.1 The administration shall send details of the proposed new or modified assignment to the Plan Management Body who shall publish these details.

6.2.2 An administration considering that co-ordination may be required shall, within six weeks of the date of publication, inform the requesting administration giving its reasons for doing so, with a copy to the Plan Management Body.

6.2.3 If there are no requests for co-ordination within six weeks of the date of publication, the Plan Management Body shall, upon request of the administration, include the assignment in the T-DAB Assignment List.

Section 3: Cases where co-ordination is required

6.3.1 The administration shall, using the procedures listed in Annex 4, identify other administrations likely to be affected and send a request for co-ordination to them. The details listed in Annex 3b of the proposed new or modified assignment, together with the names of administrations with which co-ordination has been sought, shall also be sent to the Plan Management Body who shall publish these details.

6.3.2 Following receipt of this publication, an administration considering that it is also affected shall inform the requesting administration and the Plan Management Body within six weeks, giving its reasons for doing so.

6.3.3 Replies to a co-ordination request shall be given within a period of twelve weeks. If no reply has been received within this period, an urgent reminder shall be sent. If, two weeks after dispatch of the reminder, no reply has been received, the administration with which co-ordination has been sought shall be considered to have agreed to the proposed assignment.

6.3.4 The requesting and affected administrations shall, by mutual agreement, decide whether it is necessary to apply the procedure described in Article 4 to obtain a modification to the Plan.

6.3.5 If the administrations concerned decide that application of the Article 4 procedure is not necessary because an agreement on the technical characteristics of the assignment was obtained in the course of consultations, the requesting administration shall inform the Plan Management Body of these technical characteristics. This assignment shall be considered as in accordance with the Plan and the Plan Management Body shall include it in the T-DAB Assignment List.

6.3.6 If the administrations concerned decide that application of the Article 4 procedure is necessary, the requesting administration shall apply the Article 4 procedure and inform the Plan Management Body accordingly.

Section 4: Co-ordination of new assignments and suppression of assignments to stations of other radiocommunication services

6.4.1 An administration may at any time assign frequencies to stations of other radiocommunication services in the bands 47 – 68 MHz, 174 – 230 MHz and 230 – 240 MHz provided that the relevant limits specified in Annex 2 are not exceeded. If they are exceeded, the agreement of any affected administrations shall be obtained by means of bilateral or multilateral agreements.

6.4.2 When an administration intends to suppress an assignment to a station or, where applicable, a service area of other radiocommunication services in the bands 47 – 68 MHz, 174 – 230 MHz and 230 – 240 MHz, it shall inform the administrations with which co-ordination of the station or service area had been carried out. The administration shall also inform the Plan Management Body.

Section 5: Notification of T-DAB assignments to the Radiocommunication Bureau

6.5.1 When a Contracting Administration proposes to bring into use a T-DAB assignment in accordance with this Special Arrangement, it shall seek the agreement of non-Contracting Administrations whose services are likely to be affected. The result of co-ordination shall be sent to the Radiocommunication Bureau when notifying the T-DAB assignment in accordance with the provisions of Article 11 of the Radio Regulations. The administration shall also indicate that the assignment is in accordance with this Special Arrangement.

6.5.2 Notices of T-DAB assignments in accordance with this Special Arrangement will not be examined by the Radiocommunication Bureau with respect to harmful interference to or from the assignments recorded in the ITU Master Register on behalf of Contracting Administrations.

6.5.3 T-DAB assignments used in accordance with this Special Arrangement and in the frequency bands subject to the provisions of the Stockholm Agreement (1961) will be recorded in the ITU Master Register as not conforming to the Stockholm Agreement (1961).

6.5.4 T-DAB assignments used in the frequency bands subject to the Provisions of the Geneva Agreement (1984) will be recorded in the ITU Master Register as not conforming to the Geneva Agreement (1984). Moreover, assignments in the band 100 – 108 MHz shall include a specific reference to the fact that the station will be operated in accordance with the provisions of No. 4.4 of the Radio Regulations. These assignments will be recorded in the ITU Master Register subject to the provisions of No. 11.42.

6.5.5 Notices of T-DAB assignments in accordance with this Special Arrangement in the band 230 – 240 MHz, for which there is no allocation to broadcasting, shall include a specific reference to the fact that the station will be operated in accordance with the provisions of No. 4.4 of the Radio Regulations in relation to non-Contracting Administrations, except in the case when special arrangements have been concluded and the assignment will be recorded in the ITU Master Register subject to the provisions of No. 11.42.

Section 6: Status of T-DAB assignments in the Assignment List

6.6.1 In relations between Contracting Administrations, T-DAB assignments which are part of the Plan and included in the T-DAB Assignment List have the same status and the degree of protection defined in the technical annexes to this Special Arrangement, irrespective of the date on which they are brought into service.

6.6.2 In the band 87.5 – 108 MHz, the status and protection of T-DAB assignments entered into the Assignment List and marked as not part of the Plan shall be agreed by separate co-ordination between the administrations concerned. However, the provisions of the current Radio Regulations or of other regional agreements shall apply in relations with other administrations.

6.6.3 T-DAB assignments in the band 87.5 – 108 MHz shall not prejudice a future replanning of this band.

Section 7: Exchange of information

6.7 Administrations shall communicate information to the Plan Management Body in electronic form. For submission of basic characteristics of T-DAB assignments the record-structure specified in Appendix 2 to Annex 3 shall be used.

ARTICLE 7

Accession to the Special Arrangement

7.1 Any CEPT Administration which has not signed the Special Arrangement may at any time deposit an instrument of accession with the Chairman of the ECC, who shall immediately inform the other administrations. Accession to the Special Arrangement shall be made without reservations and shall apply to the Plan as it stands at the time of accession.

7.2 Accession to the Special Arrangement shall become effective on the date on which the instrument of accession is received by the Chairman of the ECC.

ARTICLE 8

Scope of application of the Special Arrangement

8.1 The Special Arrangement shall bind Contracting Administrations in their relations with one another but shall not bind those administrations in their relations with non-Contracting Administrations.

8.2 If a Contracting Administration enters reservations with regard to any provision of this Special Arrangement, other Contracting Administrations shall be free to disregard such provisions in their relations with the administration which has made such reservations.

ARTICLE 9

Notification of this Special Arrangement to the ITU

9. In accordance with No. 6.5 of the Radio Regulations the Chairman of the ECC, through his Administration, shall notify the Secretary-General of the ITU of the conclusion and content of this Special Arrangement and shall provide details of:

– any administration which denounces this Special Arrangement;

– the expiry of the Special Arrangement;

– any administration which accedes to this Special Arrangement.

ARTICLE 10

Denunciation of the Special Arrangement

10.1 Any Contracting Administration may denounce this Special Arrangement at any time by a notification sent to the Chairman of the ECC, who shall inform the other Contracting Administrations.

10.2 Denunciation shall become effective one year after the date on which the Chairman of the ECC receives the notification of denunciation.

10.3 On the date on which the denunciation becomes effective, the Plan Management Body shall delete from the Plan the allotments entered in the name of the Administration denouncing the Special Arrangement.

ARTICLE 11

Revision of the Special Arrangement

11. With the exception of modifications to the Plan in accordance with Article 4, a revision of this Special Arrangement shall be decided only by the Contracting Administrations at a CEPT meeting convened by the ECC in accordance with its procedures, to which at least all the Contracting Administrations shall be invited.

ARTICLE 12

Entry into force and duration of the Special Arrangement and other provisions

12.1 This Special Arrangement as revised in Maastricht 2002 shall enter into force on 1 September 2002, at 0001 hours UTC.

12.2 This Special Arrangement and the annexed Plan have been established with a view to meeting the requirements for T-DAB.

12.3 This Special Arrangement shall remain in force until it is abrogated by the Contracting Administrations at a CEPT meeting convened by the ECC in accordance with its procedures, to which all the Contracting Administrations shall be invited.

12.4 This text shall exist in the English, French and German language, each version being authentic.

ARTICLE 13

Cases where ratification is required

13.1 In accordance with the constitutional rules in force in their respective countries, some administrations may only be bound by this Special Arrangement subject to ratification.

13.2 The instrument of ratification shall be deposited, in as short a time as possible, with the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology of the Federal Republic of Germany which shall notify the Contracting Administrations of each deposit of ratification.

ALLEGATO 2

FINAL ACTS
of the CEPT T-DAB Planning Meeting (4)

Maastricht, 2002

Annex

FINAL ACTS
of the
CEPT T-DAB Planning Meeting (4)
Maastricht, 2002

Special Arrangement of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) relating to the use of the band 1452 – 1479.5 MHz for Terrestrial Digital Audio Broadcasting (T-DAB)

PREAMBLE

The Delegates of the following CEPT Administrations of Member States of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU):

meeting in Maastricht, June 2002, for a T-DAB Planning Meeting convened under the terms of Article 6 of the ITU Radio Regulations and following a decision by the Electronic Communications Committee of the CEPT to convene the present Planning Meeting,

have, in signing these Final Acts at this meeting or in application of the provisions of
Article 2.2, agreed as follows:

Article 1

To adopt the text of the Special Arrangement as given in the Annex to these Final Acts, referred to as the Maastricht, 2002, Special Arrangement.

Article 2

2.1. The Special Arrangement as given in the Annex shall enter into force on 1 September 2002 at 0001 hours UTC and shall be binding only between contracting administrations that have signed these Final Acts or acceded to the Special Arrangement, after its entry into force, in accordance with the provisions of its Article 7.

2.2. Any CEPT Administration, that has been unable to sign these Final Acts during the present Planning Meeting, or has only signed subject to confirmation, may sign or confirm its signature by correspondence not later than 31 August 2002 at 2400 hours UTC. The signature shall be made without reservations, except that it may be subject to ratification. The Radiocommunications Agency of the Kingdom of the Netherlands will notify all CEPT Administrations not having attended the present Planning Meeting of this possibility. Any CEPT Administration wishing to make use of this procedure shall accordingly notify the Radiocommunications Agency of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which will immediately take the necessary measures for signature by correspondence.

Article 3

In accordance with No. 6.5 of the Radio Regulations, the Chairman of the ECC, through his administration, shall notify the Secretary-General of the ITU of the conclusion and content of the Special Arrangement including the names of the Administrations that have signed these Final Acts containing the annexed Arrangement or that have acceded to the Maastricht, 2002, Special Arrangement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned representatives of CEPT Administrations, having been duly authorised thereto, have signed the originals in each of the English, French and German languages of these Final Acts, which shall be deposited in the archives of the Radiocommunications Agency of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which shall forward a copy to each contracting administration.

Done at Maastricht, 18 June 2002

ANNEX

Special Arrangement
of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications
Administrations (CEPT)
relating to the use of the band 1452 – 1479.5 MHz
for Terrestrial Digital Audio Broadcasting (T-DAB)

Maastricht, 2002

The Maastricht, 2002,

Special Arrangement

THE CEPT T-DAB PLANNING MEETING (4), MAASTRICHT, 2002

Special Arrangement
of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT)
relating to the use of the band 1452 – 1479.5 MHz for Terrestrial Digital Audio Broadcasting (T-DAB)

PREAMBLE

The Delegates of the following CEPT Administrations of Member States of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU):

have adopted the following provisions concerning the broadcasting service (T-DAB) in the band 1452 – 1479.5 MHz in the Planning Area as defined in Article 1 of this Special Arrangement, and the Allotment Plan for T-DAB.

ARTICLE 1

Definitions

For the purposes of this Special Arrangement, the following terms shall have the meanings defined below:

1.1 ITU: The International Telecommunication Union.

1.2 Radiocommunication Bureau: The ITU Radiocommunication Bureau.

1.3 Radio Regulations: The Radio Regulations (edition of 2001).

1.4 CEPT: The European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations.

1.5 ECC: The Electronic Communications Committee of the CEPT.

1.6 ERO: The European Radiocommunications Office.

1.7 Special Arrangement: This Special Arrangement and its Annexes.

1.8 Contracting Administration: Any administration of a Member State of the ITU, which has approved or acceded to this Special Arrangement.

1.9 Administration: Unless otherwise indicated, the term administration designates an administration as defined in the ITU Constitution.

1.10 Plan: The Plan forming Annex 1 to this Special Arrangement together with all later modifications.

1.11 Planning Area: The territories of the Contracting Administrations.

1.12 Allotment: Entry in the Plan of a frequency block designated for use by an administration for T-DAB in an Allotment Area under the conditions specified in the relevant annexes. Each allotment may be used for one or more assignments using the technical criteria specified in Annex 4.

1.13 Allotment Area: The coverage area of an allotment, the boundaries of which are defined by geographical co-ordinates associated with this allotment.

1.14 Assignment: Any assignment for which the procedure of Article 6 has been successfully applied.

1.15 T-DAB Assignment List: The list of T-DAB assignments co-ordinated and notified in accordance with this Special Arrangement.

1.16 Plan Management Body: The ERO, tasked by the ECC to manage the procedures of this Special Arrangement.

1.17 CEPT T-DAB Planning Meeting, Wiesbaden, 1995: The CEPT meeting that adopted the Final Acts containing the Special Arrangement of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) relating to the use of the bands 47 – 68 MHz, 87.5 – 108 MHz, 174 – 230 MHz, 230 – 240 MHz and 1452 – 1492 MHz for the introduction of Terrestrial Digital Audio Broadcasting (T-DAB).

1.18 CEPT T-DAB Planning Meeting (2), Bonn, 1996: The CEPT meeting that adopted the Final Acts containing the revision of certain parts of the Special Arrangement, Wiesbaden, 1995.

1.19 CEPT T-DAB Planning Meeting (3), Maastricht, 2002: The CEPT meeting that adopted the Final Acts containing the revision of certain parts of the Special Arrangement, Wiesbaden, 1995, as revised, Bonn, 1996.

1.20 Chester Meeting: The meeting that adopted the Chester, 1997, Multilateral Coordination Agreement relating to Technical Criteria, Coordination Principles and Procedures for the introduction of Terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB-T), Chester, 25 July 1997.

ARTICLE 2

Execution of the Special Arrangement

2.1 The Contracting Administrations shall apply for their T-DAB stations in the band 1452 – 1479.5 MHz the technical bases specified in Annex 2 to this Special Arrangement.

2.2 The Contracting Administrations shall not modify their allotments, except under the conditions provided for in Article 4 of this Special Arrangement.

2.3 The Contracting Administrations may bring into use assignments in the band 1452 –1479.5 MHz in accordance with their allotments in the Plan and only under the conditions set out in Article 6 of this Special Arrangement.

2.4 The Contracting Administrations undertake to study and, in common agreement, to put into practice the measures necessary to eliminate any problems that might result from the application of this Special Arrangement.

ARTICLE 3

Annexes to the Special Arrangement

The Special Arrangement contains the following Annexes:

3.1 Annex 1: The T-DAB Frequency Block Allotment Plan

The Frequency Allotment Plan for T-DAB stations of Contracting Administrations in the band 1452 – 1479.5 MHz containing frequency allotments and associated characteristics of T-DAB stations co-ordinated either
·        during the CEPT T-DAB Planning Meeting, Wiesbaden, 1995, or
·        by the application of provisions contained in the Wiesbaden, 1995, Special Arrangement, or
·        during the CEPT T-DAB Planning Meeting (4), or
·        by the application of provisions contained in the Maastricht, 2002, Special Arrangement.

3.2 Other Annexes

Annex 2: Technical Bases for T-DAB Planning

Annex 3a: Basic characteristics of a T-DAB allotment to be communicated for a modification to the Allotment Plan

Annex 3b: Basic characteristics of T-DAB assignment to be communicated for the conversion of a T-DAB allotment into one or more assignments

Annex 4: Technical procedures for co-ordination

ARTICLE 4

Procedure concerning modifications to the Plan

4.1 The Allotment Plan for T-DAB established either
·        by the CEPT T-DAB Planning Meeting, Wiesbaden, 1995, or
·        by the application of provisions contained in the Wiesbaden, 1995, Special Arrangement, or
·        by the CEPT T-DAB Planning Meeting (4)

shall be open to modification in accordance with the procedure of this Article. For that purpose the Plan Management Body, on behalf of the ECC, shall maintain the master copy of the Plan containing all modifications made to the Plan.