The IEEE 802.18™ Radio Regulatory Technical Advisory Group (RR-TAG) supports the wireless Working Groups in the IEEE 802 community by interfacing with regulatory agencies and industry groups working on regulatory issues.  Administrations constantly upgrade their radio rules and regulations, providing brief opportunities for public comment.  The RR-TAG monitors those with potential impact on IEEE 802 wireless standards groups and creates appropriate comment documents.  The RR-TAG is also the liaison to other standards bodies on radio regulatory matters of mutual interest.  <http://ieee802.org/Regulatory/index.html>

Executive Committee Approves PAR for Unused TV Spectrum for Forwarding to NesCom
IEEE 802.18’s Study Group 1, which was chartered to prepare a PAR and 5 Criteria for a standard addressing the unlicensed use of unused TV broadcast spectrum, completed its PAR and 5 Criteria at the May interim meeting in Garden Grove, California, with active and cooperative participation by representatives from the TV Broadcast and Public Safety communities.  The PAR and 5 Criteria were submitted to the Executive Committee for circulation to the other IEEE 802 Working Groups on May 15th.  At the July IEEE 802 Plenary, in Portland, Oregon, the Study Group responded to comments from four other IEEE 802 Working Groups, submitted the PAR and 5 Criteria to the Executive Committee, and gained the Executive Committee’s approval to forward the PAR to NesCom. 

Proposed Contribution to ITU-R Working Party 9B
IEEE 802.18 and the Executive Committee approved a proposed contribution to ITU-R Working Party 9B that originated in the IEEE 802.16 Working Group.  The Chair of IEEE 802.18 was authorized to seek the approval of the IEEE-SA to properly format the contribution and submit it to the next meeting of ITU-R Working Party 9B, which will be held at ITU headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland in September.

Proposed Contribution to ITU-R Working Party 8A
IEEE 802.18 and the Executive Committee approved, in principle, the substance of a proposed contribution to ITU-R Working Party 8A that originated in the IEEE 802.11 Working Group.  This contribution will, if approved in its final form after further editing, be a follow-on to an earlier contribution, providing additional technical material in support of the development of a Preliminary Draft New Recommendation.  The IEEE 802.18 RR-TAG will create a final draft of the contribution and forward it to the Executive Committee for review, prior to seeking the approval of  the IEEE-SA to properly format the contribution and submit it to the next meeting of ITU-R Working Party 8A, which will also be held at ITU headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland in September.

Comments Planned to Be Sent to FCC
The IEEE 802.18 RR-TAG reviewed an FCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) on the unlicensed use of unused TV broadcast spectrum (related to the PAR that was approved by the Executive Committee) and prepared a high-level outline of proposed comments.  The RR-TAG plans to finalize the comments via correspondence and conference calls over the next several weeks and submit the final document approved by the RR-TAG to the Executive Committee for a final review, per the provisions of the LMSC Policies and Procedures, prior to filing with the FCC.  The comment deadline is currently September 1, 2004, with reply comments due October 1, 2004.

For additional details on these items, contact Carl R. Stevenson, IEEE 802.18/802.18SG1 Chair, at carl.stevenson@ieee.org

 

Upcoming IEEE 802.18 Meetings:
* 13-17 September 2004  Interim Meeting in
Berlin, Gernmany
* 15-19 November 2004 -- IEEE 802 Plenary Meeting in
San Antonio, TX, USA