**United States of America**

**PRELIMINARY VIEWS ON WRC-07**

**Agenda Item 1.11** to review sharing criteria and regulatory
provisions for protection of terrestrial services, in particular the
terrestrial television broadcasting service, in the band 620-790 MHz
from broadcasting-satellite service networks and systems, in accordance
with Resolution **545** (WRC‑03);

**ISSUE**

In Region 2 the 620-790 MHz band is used only by terrestrial services.
This band has been mostly used by the broadcasting services; however,
with the transition to digital TV, other terrestrial users in the mobile
service will start to use parts of this band.

Given the possibility that satellites using the HEO orbit may be
deployed in the band in other Regions, it is important to ensure that
the protection of Region 2 terrestrial services from harmful
interference from broadcast-satellite transmissions

**BACKGROUND**

This matter actually had its genesis in discussions surrounding agenda
item 1.37 **(**to consider the regulatory and technical provisions for
satellite networks using highly elliptical orbits) at WRC-03. Proposal
EUR/13A37/3, a draft Resolution on the study of provisional pfd limits
and studies concerning regulatory and technical provisions for satellite
systems using highly elliptical orbits (HEOs), included a *resolve* on
provisions applicable to HEO satellite systems using the 620-790 MHz BSS
allocation. Likewise, Arab administrations proposed that HEO use in the
620-790 MHz band also be studied for WRC-07 (see ARB/27A31/3).

**These proposals resulted in WRC-03 establishing agenda item 1.11 for
WRC-2007 and resolution,** Res. 545(WRC-03), ***"****Technical and
regulatory procedures relating to the broadcasting-satellite service
networks operating in the 620-790 MHz band**."***

Resolution **545** details the technical and regulatory procedures
relating to the operation of BSS networks in this band. In summary, BSS
networks that were not operational at the end of WRC-03, will neither be
coordinated, nor notified, nor brought into use until the end of WRC-07,
so that this WRC can reach a conclusion based on the agenda item 1.11
studies. Under *resolves 6)* of Resolution **545**, the relationship
between GSO and non-GSO networks in this band will be decided by WRC-07.
In the interim, No**. 22.2** applies to networks received by the Bureau
before WRC-03. Even though the US does not use this band for BSS, which
type of network would have precedence over the other in coordination is
of interest to the US, since non-GSO (such as HEO) and GSO networks
impact terrestrial networks differently in terms of interference
mechanisms.

BSS operation can occur in the 620-790 MHz band via the provision
**5.311 (WRC-03)** of the Radio Regulations, subject to agreement by
affected administrations and with a pfd constraint.

In the United States two band plans; one for 698-746 MHz, the lower 700
MHz band plan (former UHF broadcasting channels 52-59); and the upper
700 MHz plan for the 746-806 MHz band (former UHF channels 60-69) are
available for commercial terrestrial services. The upper 700 MHz band
has 36 MHz allocated for commercial use (746-794 MHz), and the remaining
24 MHz allocated for public safety use. The U.S. Congress established 31
December 2006 as the target date for the completion of the transition to
digital TV. The FCC has already auctioned off 18 MHz of the lower 700
MHz band, and no auction date for the remaining spectrum in this segment
has been announced. A 6 MHz channel in the upper 700 MHz spectrum has so
far been auctioned.

The 620-698 MHz band (UHF channels 39-51) will constitute a major part
of the total bands allocated to television broadcasting, particularly as
the US transitions from analog to digital television.

For further details on the reallocation of the 698-790 MHz band in the
US, see Doc. 8A-160, *"Information paper on the reallocation of the
698-806 MHz frequency band in the United States,"* April 11-15, 2005
meeting of ITU-R WP 8A.

**US VIEW**

Recognizing a long history of terrestrial broadcasting in the band
620-790 MHz, and the future use of this band will continue to be for
terrestrial applications; the US is first and foremost concerned with
the unconstrained and unhindered development and of these applications,
be they broadcasts, public safety, and other mobile applications in the
reallocated segment. The BSS operations in the 620-790 MHz band must not
negatively impact the current and future use of this band by terrestrial
services.