Global Circulation of IMT-2000 Terminals

ERC Report 60, 1999

Conclusions

Throughout this report a number of recommendations have been developed. These are grouped here for ease of reference.

Conclusion 1:
To achieve the objective of global circulation of IMT-2000 terminals, the removal of existing barriers is to be pursued. Many of these barriers cannot be justified from a technical perspective (e.g. harmful interference) nor from an economic perspective (no risk of by-pass in the absence of an IMT-2000 net-work).

Conclusion 2:
The constraints to circulation can and should be overcome. By deregulation, proper system-design and quantification of the economic effects, it should be possible to arrive at a true global circulation of IMT-2000 terminal equipment.

Conclusion 3:
The world-wide terminal requirements should provide umbrella requirements covering IMT-2000 and potential fellow modes of multimode terminals to protect other systems and services. The detailed specifications to achieve the umbrella requirements should be developed by regional standard bodies, whilst remaining mutually compatible.

Conclusion 4:
Initially it may be necessary to establish categories of IMT-2000 terminal equipment (including multimode terminals), with only equipment fully complying with the receive-before-transmit principle having unrestricted global circulation. However other arrangements may then be developed to cater for equipment that does not comply with this principle.

Conclusion 5:
Informal arrangements like GSM MoU do not alone give regulatory certainty that users can circulate their terminals in different countries. However, in the case of GSM they have provided a workable solution.

Conclusion 6:
The GMPCS MoU has addressed global circulation for satellite terminals. Although this approach might not be the best solution for IMT-2000, it contains elements that are thought to be useful to achieve a solution for global circulation for IMT-2000 terminal equipment.

Conclusion 7:
Existing mechanisms enabling global circulation for the 2nd generation may not be sufficient to meet third generation markets and services. An innovative approach to regulation for the third generation is required.

Conclusion 8:
The prospect of a single global conformity assessment regime appears unrealistic at this time but recognition of national and regional type approvals on a mutual basis is both highly desirable and practically achievable.

Conclusion 9:
Administrations should work together to develop a policy document along the lines detailed above, as a first step towards the facilitation of global circulation for IMT-2000 terminal equipment.