Highlights and Activities for Weeks 3 & 4

International Activities

1. A meeting was held between the Hon. Minister Austin Gatt, representatives from the MCA, the Chinese Vice Minister Liu Lihua and representatives from Smart City and Malta Enterprise. The scope of the meeting was to initiate bi-lateral dialogue between the two countries on matters of mutual interest in the ICT field.

1. Representatives from the MCA also participated in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC) in Geneve. 3,500 delegates from 195 different countries are participating in this conference where the main topics being discussed are divided into 9 main work streams. Each work steam has its own respective Sub-Committees. The main work streams are the following:

a.       Radio Location

b.      Aeronautical

c.       Maritime

d.      Science

e.      Satellite

f.        Fixed Mobile and Broadcasting

g.       Regulations

h.      Future Work Programme for WRC15

i.         General Issues

 

The first meeting with the heads of Delegation was held on Sunday 22^nd January. The agenda for this conference is available below.

3. A representative from the MCA also attended a meeting on eSignatures in Brussels.

 

MCA Publications

 

1. Decision regarding applicable refund subsequent o the return of GO’s set top box: This decision entitles consumers to a full pro-rata refund of the leased set-top-box when returning such equipment to GO when terminating their service as a result of changes proposed by GO to the contractual terms and conditions of the service.  (See http://www.mca.org.mt/article/mcas-decision-regarding-applicable-refund-subsequent-return-gos-set-top-box)
    
2. Postal survey results: the MCA carried out two separate surveys in recent months to gauge perceptions and the level of satisfaction of households and small businesses on the local postal service. (see the following link for results of the survey amongst households http://www.mca.org.mt/article/consumer-perception-survey-households-postal-services and the following for those for the small businesses http://www.mca.org.mt/article/micro-businesses-perception-survey-postal-services)

 

Publication updates

1. National Frequency Plan (see: http://www.mca.org.mt/national-frequency-plan)
    
2. Number Portability Specification for Premium Rate Numbers (MCA/O/12-0720) (see: http://www.mca.org.mt/article/number-portability-specification-premium-rate-number-mcao12-0720)

 

Licences issued

1. 1^st test and trial licence issued: Aeromobile AS of Norway was granted a licence to use radio frequency spectrum and related radiocommunications apparatus to carry out tests on innovative products being developed for the electronic communications sector, in Malta. These radio frequencies will be used to conduct installation and certification testing on board aircrafts that are being equipped with wireless systems used to provide in-flight mobile communications services.  This is the first licence of this kind to be issued by the MCA.

 

Frequency requests

1. Vodafone submitted an application for use of channels in the 11 GHz frequency band in order to provide fixed radio links. Interested parties are invited to submit their feedback on such a request by no later than Thursday, 9^th February 2012. (See: http://www.mca.org.mt/article/notice-mca-re-fixed-radio-links-1)

 

Other regulatory developments

1. The appeal by Global Parcels Limited (GPL) before the Communications Appeals Board  follows a decision issued by the MCA as a result of a complaint by MaltaPost Plc. In its complaint, MaltaPost plc alleged that GPL is providing postal services which fall within the scope of the universal services and that GPL do not have the requisite authorization to do so.  After affording GPL to make its submissions in response to the complaint lodged by MaltaPost, the MCA decided that GPL is indeed offering postal services which fall within the scope of the universal service and therefore requires an individual licence giving GPL a timeframe within which to apply for such a licence.

 

 

Agenda: WRC - 12

 

The Council,

 

noting

 

that Resolution 805 of the World Radiocommunication Conference (Geneva, 2007):

 

a)            resolved to recommend to the Council that a world radiocommunication conference be held in2011 for a period of four weeks;

 

b)            recommended its agenda, and invited the Council to finalize the agenda and arrange for the convening of WRC-11 and to initiate as soon as possible the necessary consultation with Member States,

 

resolves

 

to convene a World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12) in Geneva (Switzerland) from 23 January to 17 February 2012, preceded by the Radiocommunication Assembly from 16 to 20 January 2012, with the following agenda:

 

1                     on the basis of proposals from administrations, taking account of the results of WRC-07 and the Report of the Conference Preparatory Meeting, and with due regard to the requirements of existing and future services in the bands under consideration, to consider and take appropriate action with respect to the following items:

 

1.1          to consider and take appropriate action on requests from administrations to delete their country footnotes or to have their country name deleted from footnotes, if no longer required, taking into account

Resolution 26 (Rev.WRC-07);

 

1.2               taking into account the ITU-R studies carried out in accordance with Resolution 951 (Rev.WRC-07), to take

appropriate action with a view to enhancing the international regulatory framework;

 

1.3               to consider spectrum requirements and possible regulatory actions, including allocations, in order to support the safe operation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), based on the results of ITU-R studies, in accordance with Resolution 421 (WRC-07);

 

1.4               to consider, based on the results of ITU-R studies, any further regulatory measures to facilitate introduction of new aeronautical mobile (R) service (AM(R)S) systems in the bands 112-117.975 MHz, 960-1 164 MHz and 5 000-5 030 MHz in accordance with Resolutions 413 (Rev.WRC-07), 417 (WRC-07) and 420 (WRC-07);

 

1.5               to consider worldwide/regional harmonization of spectrum for electronic news gathering (ENG), taking into account the results of ITU-R studies, in accordance with Resolution 954 (WRC-07);

 

 to review No. 5.565 of the Radio Regulations in order to update the spectrum use by the passive services between 275 GHz and 3 000 GHz, in accordance with Resolution 950 (Rev.WRC-07), and to consider possible procedures for free-space optical-links, taking into account the results of ITU-R studies, in accordance with Resolution 955 (WRC-07);

 

1.2               to consider the results of ITU-R studies in accordance with Resolution 222 (Rev.WRC-07) in order to ensure long-term spectrum availability and access to spectrum necessary to meet requirements for the aeronautical mobile-satellite (R) service, and to take appropriate action on this subject, while retaining unchanged the generic allocation to the mobile-satellite service in the bands 1 525-1 559 MHz and 1 626.5-1 660.5 MHz;

 

1.3               to consider the progress of ITU-R studies concerning the technical and regulatory issues relative to the fixed service in the bands between 71 GHz and 238 GHz, taking into account Resolutions 731(WRC-2000) and 732 (WRC-2000);

 

1.4               to revise frequencies and channelling arrangements of Appendix 17 to the Radio Regulations, in accordance with Resolution 351 (Rev.WRC-07), in order to implement new digital technologies for the maritime mobile service;

 

1.5               to examine the frequency allocation requirements with regard to operation of safety systems for ships and ports and associated regulatory provisions, in accordance with Resolution 357 (WRC-07);

 

1.6               to consider a primary allocation to the space research service (Earth-to-space) within the band 22.55-23.15 GHz, taking into account the results of ITU-R studies, in accordance with Resolution 753(WRC-07);

 

1.7                to protect the primary services in the band 37-38 GHz from interference resulting from aeronautical mobile service operations, taking into account the results of ITU-R studies, in accordance with Resolution 754 (WRC-07);

 

1.8               to consider the results of ITU-R studies in accordance with Resolution 551 (WRC-07) and decide on the spectrum usage of the 21.4-22 GHz band for the broadcasting-satellite service and the associated feeder-link bands in Regions 1 and 3;

 

1.9               to consider requirements for new applications in the radiolocation service and review allocations or regulatory provisions for implementation of the radiolocation service in the range 30-300 MHz, in accordance with Resolution 611 (WRC-07);

 

1.10            to consider possible allocations in the range 3-50 MHz to the radiolocation service for oceanographic radar applications, taking into account the results of ITU-R studies, in accordance with Resolution 612 (WRC-07);

 

1.11            to consider the needs of passive systems for lightning detection in the meteorological aids service, including the possibility of an allocation in the frequency range below 20 kHz, and to take appropriate action, in accordance with Resolution 671 (WRC-07);

 

1.12            to consider results of sharing studies between the mobile service and other services in the band 790-862 MHz in Regions 1 and 3, in accordance with Resolution 749 (WRC-07), to ensure the adequate protection of services to which this frequency band is allocated, and take appropriate action;

 

1.13            to consider extending the existing primary and secondary radiodetermination-satellite service (space-to-Earth) allocations in the band 2 483.5-2 500 MHz in order to make a global primary allocation, and to determine the necessary regulatory provisions based upon the results of ITU-R studies, in accordance with Resolution 613 (WRC-07);

 

to consider regulatory measures and their relevance, in order to enable the introduction of software-defined radio and cognitive radio systems, based on the results of ITU-R studies, in accordance with Resolution 956 (WRC-07);

 

 

1.2               to consider the results of ITU-R studies and spectrum identification for gateway links for high altitude platform stations (HAPS) in the range 5 850-7 075 MHz in order to support operations in the fixed and mobile services, in accordance with Resolution 734 (Rev.WRC-07);

 

1.3               to consider a primary allocation to the radiolocation service in the band 15.4-15.7 GHz, taking into account the results of ITU-R studies, in accordance with Resolution 614 (WRC-07);

 

1.4               to examine the effect of emissions from short-range devices on radiocommunication services, in accordance with Resolution 953 (WRC-07);

 

1.5               to consider an allocation of about 15 kHz in parts of the band 415-526.5 kHz to the amateur service on a secondary basis, taking into account the need to protect existing services;

 

1.6               to consider the existing allocation to the meteorological-satellite service in the band 7 750-7 850 MHz with a view to extending this allocation to the band 7 850-7 900 MHz, limited to nongeostationary meteorological satellites in the space-to-Earth direction, in accordance with Resolution 672 (WRC-07);

 

1.7               to consider possible additional allocations to the mobile-satellite service, in accordance with Resolution 231 (WRC-07);

 

2                     to examine the revised ITU-R Recommendations incorporated by reference in the Radio Regulations communicated by the Radiocommunication Assembly, in accordance with Resolution 28 (Rev.WRC-03), and to decide whether or not to update the corresponding references in the Radio Regulations, in accordance with principles contained in the Annex 1 to Resolution 27 (Rev.WRC-07);

 

3                     to consider such consequential changes and amendments to the Radio Regulations as may be necessitated by the decisions of the Conference;

 

4                     in accordance with Resolution 95 (Rev.WRC-07), to review the resolutions and recommendations of previous conferences with a view to their possible revision, replacement or abrogation;

 

5                     to review, and take appropriate action on, the Report from the Radiocommunication Assembly submitted in accordance with Nos. 135 and 136 of the Convention;

 

6                     to identify those items requiring urgent action by the Radiocommunication Study Groups in preparation for the next world radiocommunication conference;

 

7                     to consider possible changes in response to Resolution 86 (Rev. Marrakesh, 2002) of the Plenipotentiary Conference: “Advance publication, coordination, notification and recording procedures for frequency assignments pertaining to satellite networks”, in accordance with Resolution 86 (Rev.WRC-07);

 

8                     in accordance with Article 7 of the Convention:

 

8.1          to consider and approve the Report of the Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau:

 

8.1.1      on the activities of the Radiocommunication Sector since WRC-07;

 

8.1.2      on any difficulties or inconsistencies encountered in the application of the Radio Regulations; and

 

8.1.3      on action in response to Resolution 80 (Rev.WRC-07);

 

8.2          to recommend to the Council items for inclusion in the agenda for the next WRC, and to give its views on the preliminary agenda for the subsequent conference and on possible agenda items for future conferences, taking into account Resolution 806 (WRC-07),

 

instructs the Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau

 

to make the necessary arrangements to convene meetings of the Conference Preparatory Meeting and the

Special Committee on Regulatory/ Procedural Matters and to prepare a report to WRC-12,

 

instructs the Secretary-General

 

1                     to make all the necessary arrangements, in agreement with the Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau, for the convening of the Conference;

 

2                     to communicate this Resolution to international and regional organizations concerned.