For Immediate Release Contact:
Clyde Ensslin
August
7, 2003 202-482-7002
FCC AND NTIA
ANNOUNCE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR
2003 WORLD
RADIOCOMMUNICATION CONFERENCE (WRC-03) FINAL ACTS
The
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today
announced a plan for implementation in the United States of the Final Acts of
the 2003 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-03).
The WRC-03 Implementation Plan
was issued following the biannual summit today at the FCC between FCC Chairman
Michael Powell and Assistant Secretary of Commerce and NTIA Administrator Nancy
Victory and their staffs. It will ensure that federal government, state and local
governments, and commercial spectrum users promptly derive maximum benefits
from the WRC-03 results. This summit
plan follows the Memorandum of Understanding between the FCC and NTIA that
Powell and Victory signed in January 2003 for coordination of spectrum issues
involving both federal and non-federal users.
The International Telecommunication
Union (ITU), under the auspices of the United Nations, convened WRC-03 from
June 9 to July 4, 2003, in Geneva, Switzerland with over 140 countries
participating. The U.S. delegation was led by Ambassador Janice Obuchowski.
WRC-2003 considered 48 conference agenda items concerning the deployment,
growth and evolving use of a broad range of spectrum-based services. The changes adopted by the WRC 2003 will
directly impact global spectrum use for government and commercial use of the
spectrum. The U.S. achieved its goals
at WRC-03 and the FCC, in concert with NTIA, has developed a plan to implement
the results of the Conference.
“The WRC-03 Implementation Plan reflects the continued cooperation
and coordination between the FCC and NTIA,” said Powell. “I am pleased that only weeks after the end
of the Conference itself, we have developed a plan to move forward expeditiously
and bring the benefits of the WRC-03 results to commercial and governmental
spectrum users. The ultimate
beneficiaries will be the American public through increased public safety and
enhanced consumer services.”
“The success of the U.S. delegation to the WRC has
paved the way for new allocations of additional spectrum around the world,”
said Victory. “We are pleased to work
closely with the FCC to initiate proceedings to implement these changes as soon
as possible. Implementing the
recommended changes will stimulate our economy and will help us maintain the
global leadership position the U.S. has established in telecommunications and
technology.”
Under the WRC-03 Implementation
Plan, the FCC, in coordination with NTIA, plans to consider the results of
WRC-03 in several key proceedings:
Fourth Quarter 2003
o
Revisions
of Parts 2 and 15 of the Commission’s rules to permit Unlicensed National
Information Infrastructure (U‑NII) devices in the 5 GHz band -- Report and
Order
o
Procedures to govern the use of satellite earth stations on board
vessels -- Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking
o
Amendment of Parts 2, 25, and 87 of the Commission's rules to implement decisions from World
Radiocommunication Conferences concerning frequency bands between 28 MHz and 36
GHz and to otherwise update the rules in this frequency range -- Report and Order
o
Extension of the allocation to the mobile-satellite
service (Earth-to-space) on a secondary basis in the band 14-14.5 GHz to permit
operation of the aeronautical mobile-satellite service—Report and Order
First Quarter
2004
o
Allocations
and regulatory issues related to the space science services and review all Earth exploration-satellite
service and space research service allocations between 35 and 38 GHz
o
Results
concerning the radionavigation-satellite service (additional issues not covered
by the 28 MHz-36 GHz Report and Order) – Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
o
Amendment
of Part 101 relating to fixed services at 37.5‑43.5 GHz -- Second Report and Order and Third Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking
o
Radiolocation
allocation upgrades in the 2.9-3.1 GHz band – Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
o
Omnibus
proceeding to address several allocation matters resulting from WRC-03-Notice
of Proposed Remaking
Second Quarter 2004
- Allocation and designation of spectrum for high
density fixed-satellite and other services at 37.5-50.2 GHz - Further
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
o
Amendment of Parts 13 and 80 of the Commission’s rules concerning
maritime distress and safety communications -- Second
Report and Order, Sixth Report and Order, and Second Further Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking
Fourth Quarter 2004
o
Regulatory
and technical provisions for satellite networks using highly elliptical orbits
– Notice of Proposed Remaking
There are a number of other WRC-03 agenda items and associated
issues that may require additional proceedings. NTIA and FCC staff will develop a schedule for the remaining
issues by year end 2003. These include:
- Maritime mobile
service identity numbering resource
- Considering the use of
the band 108-117.975 MHz for the transmission of radionavigation satellite
differential correction signals
by ICAO standard ground-based systems
- Measures to address
harmful interference in the bands allocated to the maritime mobile and
aeronautical mobile (R) services, and Review the frequency and channel
arrangements in the maritime MF and HF bands concerning the use of new digital technology
- Amendment of Part 97 of the Commission’s rules
regarding auxiliary operation in the Amateur Service -- Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking
The Communications Act assigns joint jurisdiction for
spectrum management to the FCC and the NTIA at the Department of Commerce. The FCC is responsible for non-Federal
spectrum uses, e.g., broadcast, commercial, public safety, and
state and local government users, and NTIA is responsible for Federal spectrum
uses.
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