The comments reflect the views of industry/public interests in Norway, as well as the views of the spectrum administrator, the Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority (NPT). Some of the comments are referred to the questions in the FM document FM(98) 139.
a) The Norwegian operator providing the analogue service NMT 900 is licensed until year 2001. Their licensing conditions impose them to notify their customer's 3 years before the service is shut down. That means they have to apply for a prolonged license or notify their customers before end of 1998. The operator has announced that the service will be shut down by the end of year 2001. There have been several transfers of frequencies from analogue to digital services. The latest transfer entered into force at October 1st 1998, which left 2 x 4.5 MHz for NMT 900. After 2001, the freed up spectrum will be transferred to GSM. Norway has signed the ERC Decision, (ERC/DEC/(94)01) which gives GSM priority before NMT 900 in this band. (The NMT 450 license expires in 2003, but it may be extended if there is a market need. The combination of GSM and LEOs may replace the need for NMT 450. If the service expires, the spectrum should be used for TETRA or other mobile services).
b) Replacement of GSM by UMTS: This process will take time. GSM might in the long term be replaced by the UMTS, but at this stage it is not possible to predict when. One does not preclude coexistence of GSM Phase 2+ facilities (GPRS and EDGE) and UMTS. Politically, rural coverage requirements have been important. Because of the propagation properties of radio waves at the UMTS frequencies, rural coverage might not be appropriate. One way to provide most of the inhabitants with the same minimum of services, could be to upgrade the existing GSM networks allowing for (high speed) packet switched data services in rural areas.
c) Both the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands are freed up for mobile use only. We have been licensing an amount of 2 x 32 MHz in the 1800 MHz band (a total of 2 x 75 MHz), apportioned to three operators (two of these operators already have a GSM 900 license). 2 x 18 MHz of the remaining spectrum is earmarked DCS 1800, whilst 2 x 25 MHz of this frequency band is intended for future mobile systems (for example UMTS or enhanced GSM). It is uncertain whether the third DCS 1800 operator actually will establish a network.
d) Substitution from fixed services onto mobile: Growth rates as high as 50 % are not currently experienced in Norway. There is probably sufficient spectrum for mobile services in the GSM 900 and DCS 1800 bands unless a very rapid and significant growth in broadband data services develops.
e) Introduction of cordless applications (CTS) in the GSM standards: With regard to spectrum, the E-GSM band could be used for this. We still also have a lot of capacity in the 1800 MHz band. However, we have not concluded as to whether or not the spectrum will be sufficient for mobile operators. We would await the development of mobile broadband use, and not license any other applications than mobile in the short run.
Norway is likely to follow the EC`s time schedule for the establishment of authorisation procedures for UMTS (there is a proposal which states that EU members shall establish harmonised authorisation procedures before 2000, and prepare for co-ordinated introduction of UMTS in 2002). A working party (WP) with the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority (NPT) has been established. This WP will work out the authorisation procedures during 1999. The tender process and selection of operators will most likely take place in early 2001.
During the second half of 1998 PT has arranged meetings with the three incumbent mobile operators, with the aim to clarify many of the uncertainties pointed out in the DSI Phase III process. The meetings covered topics like regulatory aspects/regulation of services, licensing conditions/number of licenses, infrastructure/network, demand for frequencies and availability of dual band/mode terminals among other things. We have also send out a questionnaire to a broader set of interested parties in the mobile market. This questionnaire shall be answered by mid January 1999.
The core band for UMTS are available in Norway. We also have a reserve of 2 x 25 MHz in the 1800 MHz band, which can be used for this purpose. With regard to the possible extension band for UMTS, we have decided that these bands can be used by other services until 2005. They will later be made available for UMTS in Norway, at least in the dense populated areas.
Spectrum pricing: A working party (WP) with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority (NPT) has investigated the use of spectrum pricing as an instrument for efficient spectrum utilisation for mobile, fixed links, FWA and PMR. In general, the WP does not recommend spectrum pricing. They are arguing that the process of determining convenient fee levels will involve large resources, and that the possibility to fail is large, and that pricing does not increase spectrum efficiency. Because the costs linked to efficiency improvements (changing to new and more spectrum efficient technology, or building denser networks to decrease frequency reuse distances) usually are high, the WP states that the fee levels must be relative high in order to be frequency efficient. High fee levels might imply higher prices for the end users. Of the four services where spectrum pricing has been evaluated, the mobile service seems to be least complicated. However, in Norway one does not expect any substantial lack of frequencies for these services. The profit of spectrum pricing is not thought to be in accordance with the cost related to spectrum pricing. The WP recommends that one maintains the existing frequency regulation.
Rollout schedules and coverage requirements are under discussion in Norway. Traditionally, rollout schedules and coverage requirements for a large part of Norway have been important in our licensing. We have not yet come to any decision, but see regulatory challenges because one will have two different classes of operators: Existing 900/1800 MHz operators who also want to provide UMTS, and new UMTS operators. The first class can easily fulfil any rollout schedule and coverage requirement by using their existing networks to cover the rural areas (with fewer services/lower bit rates), and only develop UMTS in the cities. New operators providing only UMTS are in quite another situation as they have no infrastructure.
Overall demand
NPT regards S-PCS as an important supplementary service to terrestrial networks.
Due to the extremely good coverage of mobile networks in Norway, we do believe
however, that S-PCS will cover a limited share of the mobile radio market. Based
on the experiences in CEPT MRC so far, we do believe that there is enough spectrum
allocated.
Users
We think that users will be heavily influenced by cellular services. On the
other hand, S-PCS might have an important influence on the future of the NMT-450
network.
Spectrum and licensing
NPT have no intention of auctioning licenses for satellite networks. We do believe
that pricing should be cost orientated and that it is difficult, and maybe impossible,
to standardise spectrum pricing practices for S-PCS in Europe.
Licenses should be allocated when the milestone process is fulfilled and when possible interference issues are solved.
Incumbent spectrum users should be given a long notice to vacate the frequency bands to reduce the cost of this operation. In general, we think it is difficult to standardise the cost of re-farming in Europe.
In general, for S-PCS, we think it is important for CEPT to contribute to the solution of all possible interference scenarios between this service and other services.
The topographic and population patterns of Norway require use of the long-range lower frequencies in certain areas. However, the availability of these frequencies is scarce, and the density of traditional fixed links is high in these areas. We are considering FWA in two bands within the range 862-3400 MHz. These bands are 2025-2110/2200-2290 MHz (T/R13-01 Annex C) and 2520-2670 MHz (T/R13-01 Annex D). Both bands have been discussed as extension bands for UMTS. Due to sharing difficulties with space science services in the 2.0 GHz band, this band has been withdrawn from the European list of UMTS candidate bands. It has not been evaluated whether there will be sharing difficulties between FWA and space science services in this band. In the 2520-2670 MHz band one foresees sharing between FWA (rural areas) and UMTS in dense populated areas. Because of the scarcity of frequencies, and the uncertainty of future use of the band, each system in the band is licensed individually.
a) Norway does not have fixed wireless services in the mobile bands 800 and 1800 MHz.
b) Because of the favourable propagation properties of frequencies below 3.4 GHz, FWA providers would probably prefer some of their spectrum to be in this range. However, these frequencies are scarce (see the above). It is therefore anticipated that most spectrum demand for FWA will be above 3.4 GHz. Three operators have already acquired spectrum in the 3.5 GHz range. The 10 GHz range is occupied by ENG/OB links. In the future, however, development of more frequency efficient equipment may make room for fixed wireless services in the band. We are in the process of determining a policy for licensing of fixed wireless services in bands above 20 GHz, in accordance with harmonised European allocations.
c) No views on Eastern Europe as such, but it could be beneficial to increase the use of DECT in these and other countries.
d) There may be technical and political barriers in regard to local loop unbundling. The Ministry of Transport and Communications arranged a public inquiry on the question of LLUB in October 1998. Different solutions were discussed. The Norwegian Government concludes in a proposal to the National assembly that LLUB should not be implemented in Norway for the time being. An alternative solution is to give the operators access to the capacity in the network and an opportunity to connect their own electronic equipment to the individual copper pairs providing local loops. Conventional LLUB may be introduced at a later stage, if so required. The proposed solution may be regarded as special kind of leased lines, adapted to meet the needs of the new operators. The proposal will be considered in the National assembly during the first half of 1999. A positive decision may in turn lead to less pressure on spectrum for FWA applications.
e) Traditionally, frequency assignments are linked to designated services in Norway. The licensing conditions specify the kind of services allowed for the assigned spectrum. For the spectrum to be used for other purposes than originally assigned, approval in advance from the NPT is required. Use of eventually spare spectrum in mobile allocations to deliver fixed services, have not been thoroughly evaluated. There is no tradition for geographical sharing between services in Norway. The density of mobile use is relatively high, and the traffic is mostly voice traffic. This might change in the near future. If and when, the demand for broadband services is growing, we plan to have spectrum in reserve for mobile operators.
f) The scarcity of resources hardly encourages fixed wireless operators to deliver mobile services. The operators may deliver local mobility with their assigned frequencies, and if possible, arrange interconnection agreements with the mobile networks, but this may not be in the interest of the mobile operators. See e).
g)
Even though the DECT frequency range is suitable for fixed wireless access, it seems that DECT mainly will be used for home-zone and corporate site mobility in Norway. The new telecom operators generally seem to prefer to plan their own system with possibility for broadband applications, and apply for exclusive bands, rather than use the free, unlicensed DECT frequencies. Because of the unlicensed use of the band, re-farming of the band would be a lengthy and costly process. It is not considered practical in the short run to re-allocate some of the spectrum for other services.
a) We have implemented the CEPT Recommendation T/R13-01. Annex B (1375-1400/1427-1452 MHz) will not be used in Norway. Due to the planning of DAB in the 1.5 GHz range, there will be a migration of fixed links from this range into the band 1350-1375/1492-1517 MHz (T/R13-01 Annex A). The same is true for the fixed links within the band planned for DVB-T (790-862 MHz). In accordance with T/R13-01 Annex C, we are planning fixed links (P-P and P-MP) in the band 2025-2110/2200-2290 MHz and FWA (P-MP) in the band 2520-2593/2597-2670 MHz. Only a few systems are licensed in the 2.0 and 2.5 GHz range. Due to possibly sharing difficulties with space science services in the 2.0 GHz band, there will be no further use of fixed links in this band in the near future.
b) Continued spectrum for fixed links in the range 862-3400 MHz is needed. In Norway, the telecommunication market was fully liberated 1.1 1998, and the demand for fixed links applications in this frequency range is rather increasing than decreasing. Fixed links connecting oil platforms in the 1.5 GHz range are important applications. Also because of our long and sparsely populated country, operating at these frequencies gives advantages (distances between fixed points often become long). The need for traditional fixed links is not decreasing. Even though additional spectrum for mobile services and tactical military services increases, NPT does not intend to reduce the use of fixed links in the frequency range 862-3400 MHz further.
c) ?
d) Norway does not use block allocations for civil applications in the frequency range 862 to 3400 MHz.
e) As being discussed for UMTS, NPT does not believe in spectrum pricing as a tool for frequency management.
The future Terrestrial Flight Telecommunication System is considered a part of a mobile telephone system.
Linking TFTS and GSM together, and seen in connection with the future UMTS, the need for an aeromobile link will still exist. The allocated spectrum should be maintained to facilitate the telecommunication link between the ground and the aircrafts.
a) Traditionally the Ministry of Cultural Affairs is responsible for licensing broadcasting services, whereas the Ministry of Transport and Communications administers licenses of telecom services. The physical networks must confirm to the plans and standards set by the spectrum administrators (NPT). This existing regulating regime may not cover the new situation of convergence of services on the same platform, and creates an insecure environment for potential investors. This in turn leads to slow progress when it comes to the introduction of DAB, but even though some issues are unresolved, the license process for national DAB-services in the VHF range is on-going in Norway. The question of how quickly DAB services will be introduced in the 1.5 GHz range depends on the development of future regulatory framework, along with the economy and priorities of the broadcast operators.
b) As being discussed for UMTS, NPT does not believe in spectrum pricing as a tool for frequency management.
c) Norway plans to use the L-band for regional (local) broadcasting in the future, but there are many unresolved issues, funding in particular.
d) The public want to be able to use their receiver equipment as long as possible. The industry, regulators and operators, however, has a common interest to make use of available spectrum in a most efficient way. This can only be accomplished by rolling out the DAB network sooner rather than later. It is expensive in terms of money and frequencies to maintain a parallel analogue broadcasting network. The network operator will thus be encouraged to minimise the interim situation of two parallel networks.
The DME and TACAN system is not foreseen to be phased out in the near future. Even if GNSS can fulfil the same tasks, the existing systems are needed as back-up for security reasons.
Systems for radionavigation by satellite, (GPS and GLONASS) are increasingly important, and the allocated spectrum needs to be maintained. The 2.0 GHz allocation to space science services is also regarded important. The band 2025-2110/2200-2290 MHz is co-allocated to fixed, mobile and space science and the possibilities for sharing between these services needs to be resolved.
Norway is a part of NATO, and regards it important to continuously review the use of spectrum for military services. The need for communication and co-operation in frequency matters between civil and military authorities is maintained in the joint working group of CEPT and NATO countries. There is however, a need for harmonisation with the countries outside NATO.
This band is opened for unlicensed use all over the country, as long as the equipment adheres to the technical standard in the band. The view of NPT is that the 2.4 GHz ISM band provides sufficient spectrum for SRD-applications in Norway. Because of new technologies using spread spectrum, better sharing opportunities are provided. This technology improves immunity of the equipment and reduces the risk of interference into other systems. SRD-applications seem to develop internationally (USA and Australia outside Europe).
The availability and protected free use of the 2.4 GHz ISM band is considered of vital importance for various reasons. Introduction of new services in the conventional telephone network has proved to be a lengthy and costly process due to the voice oriented design and implementation of this network. Maintaining the free use of the ISM band spurs the development of new wireless solutions and new services. This is beneficial also for the future developments of the standard systems like GSM and the future UMTS because the ISM band may serve as a testbed for new services and new technology. Another consideration is the growing international market for short range communications or equivalently object-to-object communications. Unlicensed ISM bands (the 2.4 GHz) is a very important framework for developing such mini systems to serve many individuals and groups of users.
Scientific use, research and development
Norway has a special interest in the use of radio waves as a scientific research
tool in the polar regions. In particular, this is true for the use of incoherent
scatter radars, which is considered an important tool to provide the scientific
community with information of the ionosphere, ozone problems and conditions
of the environment in general. Located near the city of Tromsoe in northern
Norway, there is an EISCAT radar operating at 931.5 ± 4 MHz, with a peak power
of 1.5 MW into a 32 m diameter dish antenna. The signals are received in Tromsoe,
Kiruna (Sweden) and Sodankylä (Finland). Several European countries take part
in the project.
Incoherent scatter radars must operate in the 50-1000 MHz range and are very sensitive towards interference. Protected frequency assignments are therefore required. Because of the major use of GSM in the 935-960 MHz range, and the possibly future extension to include 925-935 MHz, it is important that protection of scatter radars are done on a national level. A possibility is to impose restrictions on the mobile operators, by determining co-ordination zones around the EISCAT sites.
Meteorological aids
Spectrum allocation for meteorological aids is still needed within the DSI Phase III range. The band 1675-1710 MHz is used as a downlink to read data from meteorological satellites. This band is also a future candidate for replacement of meteorological activity in the 400 MHz range.