Comparative Telecommunications Law

Spring, 2007Prof. Karl Manheim

11: Wireless Telephony

Copyright © 2007

Spring 2007 2

Wireless Telephony - A Primer

A form of 2-way radio communication Each handset is a transmitter and receiver Low-power, short-range

Base stations (cell towers) must be closely spaced

Private networks (PMRS) E.g., transportation companies; public safety

Common carriers (subscribers) (CMRS) Connected to Public Switched Telephone

Network Which serves as the hub for most calls

Except those between subscribers on same network

Spring 2007 3

Comparison of Wireless & Radio

Wireless Telephony Radio CommunicationPoint-to-point Point-to-multipoint

Connects to PSTN Not networked

End user not licensed End user licensed

Secure frequency Open & shared frequency

Duplex (2 channel) Half-duplex (1 channel)

Wireless Telecom Bureau

Mass Media Bureau

Official Glossary

Spring 2007 4

Evolution of Wireless Telephony

Remote PatchesMobile TelephonesCellular (AMPS)Personal Communications Service (PCS)Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR)Third Generation Wireless (3G)

Tutorial 1 Tutorial 2 Tutorial 3

Spring 2007 5

Remote Patch (repeater)

2-way radio connected to a phone 47 CFR § 22.573 widely used by ham (amateur) radio telephone side:

private line connected to PSTN radio side:

private radio service; limited to non-commercial traffic single frequency use

half-duplex

Spring 2007 6

Cell Concept

Frequency reuse low power transmitters allow same frequency

to be reused in small nearby areas

1973 Motorola Patent

Spring 2007 7

Modern Cell NetworkComputerized cell networkbase stations (mobile telephone switching office - MTSO) linked by land lines to form a network;

MTSO intercon-nects with PSTN

graphic

Spring 2007 8

Cell Splitting

• Typical cell sizeTypical cell size• Analog: 1-50kmAnalog: 1-50km• PCS & GSM: < 10kmPCS & GSM: < 10km

Macro, Micro, Pico cells

Spring 2007 9

Spring 2007 10

Wireless TerminologyPMRS Private Mobile Radio Svc (not PSTN connected)

CMRS Commercial Mobile Radio Svc (common carrier)

Cellular (1st Generation) (analog) CMRS (800, 850 Mhz bands)

PCS (US) / GSM (EU) (2nd Gen) (digital) CMRS (1900 Mhz band) (900, 1800 MHz)

2.5 generation broadband: EDGE GPRS

IMT-2000 (3rd Generation - 3G) (digital) Broadband wireless (Int’l Mobile Telecom 2000)

Including UMTS (Europe), W-CDMA (Japan), EV-DO (US)

Spring 2007 11

Advanced Mobile Phone Svc (AMPS)

Cellular in US (47 CFR § 22.900) analog band: 824.04 MHz - 893.7 MHz (70

MHz) Control channels (forward and reverse)

forward: paging channel reverse: registration (ESN, tel #) other control data

Voice channels (forward and reverse) frequency modulation (FM) full duplex Graphic

frequency division duplexing (FDD) Graphic mobile & base on different frequencies separated by a “guard band”

simultaneous 2-way

Spring 2007 12

Cellular Frequencies - US

800 MHz band800 MHz band

Spring 2007 13

Early Cellular Regulation - USCellular treated as common carrier at first, extension of ILEC monopoly “duopoly” after MFJ

2 “facilities-based” cell carriers per market

2 licenses per market (A band, B band) A Band reserved for non-wireline carriers B Band reserved for wireline (i.e., ILECs)

Restrictions on resale prohibited Encourage competition by “value-added”

telcos

Spring 2007 14

Early Cellular Regulation - EUITU Allotments & CEPT Allocations Analog national networks (early 80s) Groupe Special Mobile (GSM) (late 80s)

Council Directive 87/372/EEC Allocation for pan-European digital network Common specification (GSM) enables roaming

Council Resolution 90/C329/09 Members to facilitate mobile use

Interconnection; compensation & tarrifs Promote use in Central Europe

Spring 2007 15

Cellular and EU Open Networks

Council/Parliament Directive 97/33/EC Interconnection requirements

Interoperability, non-discrimination, privacy Compare interconnection in US - cell/PSTN

Right of access Negotiated terms, rates (both FPTN & PMTS) Unbundled access if telco has >25% market share

Principles of transparency & cost orientation (unbundled)

Limited exceptions; not for anti-competitive purpose Universal Service

Subsidy obligations of telcos for public telecom svcs

Spring 2007 16

CMRS/LEC Interconnection - US

Mutual exchange of traffic Calls originating on mobile (wireless) unit

unless calling another mobile unit, MTSO must interconnect with PSTN

Calls originating on wireline (LEC) if calling a mobile unit, LEC must intercon w. MTSO

Compare Europe FPTN & PMTS interconnection obligations

Fixed Public Telephone Network (comp. PSTN)Public Mobile Telephone Service (comp.

CMRS/MTSO)

Spring 2007 17

Personal Com’n Service (PCS)

Broadband PCS 120 MHz in 6 blocks (A-F) Telephony plus other services

data (paging, text) internet (graphics, email)

Narrowband PCS 3 MHz in 12.5-50 KHz blocks general uses

paging & messaging telemetry (remote monitoring of

field equipment) other data

Spring 2007 18

Broadband PCS Frequencies

2 GHz band2 GHz band

Spring 2007 19

Interconnection Fixed to Mobile

Rates in selected non-European countries in USD/minITU 2000 Regulatory Survey

0.293

0.208

0.205

0.078

0.070

0.20

0.047

0.034

0.017

0.293

0.052

0.051

0.042

0.050

0.026

0.047

0.034

0.017

Antigua

Botswana

Philippines

Dom. Rep.

Cambodia

Mexico

Guatemala

Malaysia

Costa Rica

Mobile-to-fixedinterconnect rate

Fixed-to-mobileinterconnect rate

CPP countries

Calling Party Pays (CPP) In US$ per minute.

0.105

0.005

0.020

0.056

0.010

0.020

0.009

0.008

0.008

0.007

0.0012

0.000

0.000

0.008

0.000

0.0096

CPP

RPP

USA

Sri Lanka

Singapore

HK SAR

Canada

China

Mobile-to-fixedinterconnect rate

Fixed-to-mobileinterconnect rate

RPP countries

Average

Receiving Party Pays (RPP) In US$ per minute.

Spring 2007 20

Third Generation Wireless (G3)

Features Bandwidth on demand

Asymmetric rates up to 2 Mbits/sec Multi-use wireless

Data, multimedia NTIA 3G web site

Digital Air Interfaces (advanced multiplexing; CDMA)

Frequency allotment in US Current (approx 210 MHz in various bands) Additional bandwidth needed for buildout

Public Notice NOI

Spring 2007 21

3G Possibilities

Spring 2007 22

Deploying 3G - EUDecision 128/1999/EC Member states to authorize UMTS by 1/1/2000 And deploy UMTS by 1/1/2002 (coord. by

CEPT) Interoperability/interconnection (roaming)

UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecom’n System) Mobile multimedia capabilities IP-based services (bandwidth on demand) Full convergence with FPTN

Spring 2007 23

Deploying 3G - EU

Decision 128/1999/EC Relation to Authorization Directive

Is it necessary to limit the number of UMTS users to promote efficient use of frequencies?

If not, UMTS should be unlicensed

Is it still necessary to license 3G wireless?

Spring 2007 24

Deploying 3G - US [FCC 2002]

Band Clearing (reallocation & relocation) Lower 700 Mhz (TV channels 52-59) [FCC 2001] 1710-1755 MHz band relinquished by fed gov’t 2110-2155 MHz previously for fixed microwave These bands have good characteristics for 3G

Per ITU report and coordination request

Creating a new Band Plan Relocation of incumbent users Development of Secondary Markets (R&O 2003)

Spring 2007 25

Comparing 3G in US, Europe, Asia

US (as of 2001) Advanced CMRS up to 144 Kbs (typically 25-

60) GPRS (General Packet Radio Service); EDGE

Band clearing required for further deployment

Japan W-CDMA (wideband CDMA) up to 384 Kbs

Europe GPRS UMTS

Spring 2007 26

Physics of Wireless Broadband

Challenge: Increase information capacity of existing

bands

Background Signal to Noise Ratio

Signal = information encoded onto EM waves intentionally modulated waves

Noise = unencoded waves Unintentional modulations (lack useful information)

Scarcity/interference are products of S/N High S/N ratios needed for “dumb” receivers

Spring 2007 27

Physics of Wireless Broadband

Shannon Information Theory Low S/Ns are useable if bandwidth is high

Achieved through “antenna gain” Achieved through “processing gain” (eg,

addressing) The more sophisticated (costly) the receiver’s processor is,

the lower the power needed & greater the band’s capacity DSS (Direct Sequencing [Digital] Spread Spectrum) is an

example of higher information capacity

Lower power requirements enable the use of micro and pico cells in cell networks

See Yochai Benkler (NYU Law)

Spring 2007 28

Further Advancements in Wireless

Distributed Networking (“Mesh Networks”) “Diversity” or “Cooperation” Gain Each receiver acts as repeater for others

Frequency re-use Adding users adds capacity (as well as demand)

Lowers power requirements

Implications for spectrum management? Is property rights model (licensing) still best? Or has technology (open wireless networks)

removed need for regulation?

Spring 2007 29

Spectrum Flexibility & Deregulation

Open Wireless Networks (per Benkler) Not adopted yet

Non-exclusive Primary Licenses (US) Gov’t : Non-Gov’t

Site-specific coordination required Non-Gov’t : Non-Gov’t

Ad hoc registration priority Because non-exclusive, no competitive

allocation

Secondary Licenses (US) Allows negotiated interference plans

Spring 2007 30

EC v. Luxembourg (ECJ 1999)

Directive 87/372/EEC Requires member states to implement pan-

European GSM frequency bands Transposition by Règlement Grand-Ducal

25/4/97 Court finds this adequate for terrestrial GSM

networks but not for satellite communications