Compromise Steers Away from the Call for WRC Resolution on Cognitive Radio Systems

GENEVA -- Talks stymied at the World Radiocommunication Conference, on how to handle concerns with use of cognitive radio systems (CRS) raised by Russia and certain other countries, will focus on a compromise approach that doesn’t include a conference resolution, officials said. Discussions are continuing, the chairwoman of the sub-working group on the agenda item told us.

Talks will focus on a compromise proposal to have the director of the Radiocommunication Bureau (BR) highlight any problems in his usual report to a future conference. Russia said the concerns could also be expressed in a recommendation. It wasn’t clear whether Russia agreed to have its concerns addressed only in the director’s report. Other options may be discussed later, an official said.

There were two views in detailed discussions on whether a new resolution is needed, an official said. One is that a resolution on CRS isn’t necessary, that other studies are ongoing, and not enough is known to begin studying regulatory issues, the official said. Some questioned whether studies were needed at all. Another view was that a WRC resolution is necessary because other studies don’t address regulatory issues, the official said. Three regional groups support no change to the Radio Regulations, an official said. Two regional groups support a WRC resolution on the matter, he said.

A draft text of a proposed resolution said, “any radio station implementing CRS technology within any radiocommunication service shall operate in accordance with the provisions of the Radio Regulations applicable for that specific service in the related frequency band.” All stations have to operate within parameters of the Radio Regulations, said an official who didn’t support the resolution. A compromise approach is for the BR director to report any difficulties in his usual report to future conferences, officials said, referring to the proposal that is forming the basis for a possible compromise.

Countries in the Americas support no change to the Radio Regulations, an official said. The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) also wants no change to the Radio Regulations. A Radiocommunication Assembly agreement last month that skirted regulatory matters satisfied the APT, so its proposal for a WRC resolution was dropped, an official said.

Canada said a technology operating within radiocommunication services does not dictate a need for a WRC resolution. Canada said many technologies are used that change their operating parameters, but they didn’t prompt resolutions. Finland said existing regulations are adequate. It said the BR director’s report approach is an acceptable compromise. The Netherlands said a resolution on a general technology is off-beat.

Russia said studies indicated that use of dynamic spectrum access may lead to problems. It said the issue relates to stations using CRS technology. Kyrgyzstan said the WRC resolution was a compromise. Iran and Saudi Arabia supported the resolution. Armenia said there is no assurance that the expected widespread use of CRS will not create security problems. The United Arab Emirates said the resolution was an acceptable compromise.

Brazil said further regulatory measures may be needed. It supported the BR director’s report approach and not the WRC resolution. Russia early on had said the director’s approach wasn’t sufficient. One official said Russian concerns may be addressed through a slight change to an administrative procedure for coordination. A special group was set up to further consider and refine the BR director’s approach as a viable compromise.