Presented by Simon Pike, Vodafone in the UK Spectrum Policy Forum Cluster 1 meeting on the 23rd March 2016.

1. Long term use of UHF spectrum below 694MHz
Mobile implementation challenges and global
harmonisation
Simon Pike
Vodafone
Spectrum Policy Forum – Cluster 1
23 March 2016

2. • Global economies of scale
– The EU now barely has critical mass
– Less than half the population of China or India
– More fragmented than USA and lower ARPU
• Easy to implement in terminals
– Within a frequency range already supported
– By the PA, front end and antenna
– Does not clash with other frequency arrangements
– For FDD, easy to implement in the duplexer (which separates transmit and receive)
– Uplink or downlink less than 4-5% fractional bandwidth
– Uplink and downlink separated by greater than 1-2% fractional bandwidth
– Favourable for carrier aggregation
– Any combination of one band <1GHz and another >1700MHz can be aggregated
– Two bands <1GHz or two band >1700MHz require a specific solution for the combination
• Straightforward to add to cell sites
– Can use existing antennas
– Band combination is straightforward (especially for remote RF heads at the tower
top)
– Channel combinations, for passive intermodulation (PIM) and infrastructure sharing
What makes a successful ecosystem for a mobile
band?
Spectrum Policy Forum Cluster 1; Long term future of UHF– C1 (Public)

3. Spectrum Policy Forum Cluster 2; mmWaves; - 5G access – C1
(Public)
Potential of sub-700MHz downlink-only (1)
• Uncertain and small market size
– National option within EU Decision
– Countries may see different priorities for UHF spectrum (PMSE, TVWS, DVB-T2 SFNs, etc)
• Not easy to implement in terminals
– Wide frequency range would almost certainly require antenna tuning
– Assume that full 470-694MHz range would be needed
– This would probably reduce efficiency for 800MHz and 900MHz band
– Could not carrier aggregate downlink-only with 700MHz, 800MHz or 900MHz
– An antenna can only be tuned to one frequency
– May be a gap at top of TV spectrum that cannot be used (due to filters in terminal)
– Receiver blocking from broadcast transmissions would need to be investigated
– Potential clash with 600MHz band implementation in global terminals
– BUT no transmit chain required in terminal
• Base stations would probably require separate antennas
– Unlikely that a single panel could support an octave below 1GHz plus two higher
frequency ranges
– Variability of frequency makes planning of intermodulation more difficult

4. Spectrum Policy Forum Cluster 2; mmWaves; - 5G access – C1
(Public)
Potential of sub-700MHz downlink-only (2)
• Patchy coverage
– Experience with TVWS suggests that transmit power could be limited in some locations
• Unclear revenue stream
– What would this spectrum be used for?
• Complicates long term optimal use of spectrum
– Could make eventual release of UHF spectrum more difficult

5. Spectrum Policy Forum Cluster 2; mmWaves; - 5G access – C1
(Public)
Sub-700MHz band – global developments
• US Incentive auction
– Due to start on 29th March
– Two separate but interdependent auctions:
– A reverse auction, to determine the price at which broadcasters will voluntarily relinquish their
spectrum
– forward auction, for flexible use wireless licenses.
– TV channels will be “repacked” , in order to create contiguous blocks of cleared spectrum
– This auction process is fundamentally incompatible with global harmonisation
– Different outcomes in each country
• Mobile allocation and identification of spectrum at WRC-15
– 470-698MHz: Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, the United States, Mexico and 4 Pacific
islands
– 610- 698MHz: Belize, Canada, Colombia, , Bangladesh, New Zealand
– In the Region 2 countries (the Americas) this band was also given a primary mobile
allocation
– India and Pakistan also wanted to be included, but were blocked.
• Development of a bandplan
– New Zealand has initiated development of a bandplan in ITU-R WP5D.

6. • The bandwidth released will depend on the bids of both broadcasters and mobile
operators
– If more than 2X35MHz, the downlink will be split by Channel 37 (radio astronomy)
– FCC retains option to leave broadcast stations in mobile spectrum in some markets
– Results in stringent blocking requirements for mobile receivers
• Not a good basis for global harmonisation
Spectrum Policy Forum Cluster 2; mmWaves; - 5G access – C1
(Public)
The US 700MHz bandplan
Note: US TV channels are 6MHz

7. • New Zealand has
proposed that ITU-R
WP5D starts to develop a
bandplan for the sub-
700MHz band
• It should have the following
characteristics:
Spectrum Policy Forum Cluster 2; mmWaves; - 5G access – C1
(Public)
New Zealand proposal
Radiocommunication Study Groups
Received: 15 February 2016 Document 5D/34-E
15 February 2016
English only
SPECTRUM ASPECTS
New Zealand
PROPOSAL FOR THE REVISION OF RECOMMENDATION ITU-R M.1036-5 TO
INCLUDE FREQUENCY ARRANGEMENT IN THE BAND 470-698 MHz
– Ensure coexistence with an IMT network above 698 MHz
– Take into account compatibility with other existing terrestrial services
– Suitable for possible deployment scenarios implement IMT in the band 470-
698 MHz, as well as in the band 610/614-698 MHz, or parts thereof.

8. Spectrum Policy Forum Cluster 2; mmWaves; - 5G access – C1
(Public)
Potential 600MHz bandplan for Region 3
663
703
4G/LTE 700
MHz
MHz
698652617
Mid-band gap
Guard band
Radio astronomy
in 608-614 MHz
(largely Region
2)
FDD FDD
Supplementary Downlink
. . . . .
668
FDD FDD
FDD FDD
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Optional for
SDL use
Possibl
e band
plan
options
: