Rationalization for a Better Management of the Radio Frequency Space Allocated to Radiocommunications between Specified Fixed Points and Mainly to Point to Point Microwave Links [and Discussion]

The frequency spectrum for radio services is physically limited and cannot be arbitrarily extended, whereas in industrialized countries radio services develop particularly fast and exert pressure leading to the fact that a radio station no longer has the exclusive right to its own frequency. The elements of this paper are to look at spectrum management, especially for microwave relay systems. In their national preparations for the 1979 I.T.U. conference, civil administrations will probably receive many competing demands for more frequency space. Two classical problems appear likely to have a significant impact upon frequency allocation: frequency bands allocation to services, and geographical assignment and frequency channel arrangements for each service. The overall aim is to assemble a picture of the frequency requirements. We have to take into account three main aspects: (i) technical - relative to the frequencies (propagation data); (ii) geographical; (iii) functional - relative to the services. The objective of such a regulation will be: to increase and improve the proposed services; to achieve a high degree of bandwidth efficiency; to enhance spectrum management by making easier the checking of recommendations; to facilitate the development of new technology (by, for example, the use of s.s.b. in microwave relay systems or s.s.m.a. in v.h.f. band). Radio relay links form a considerable part of the entire public telecommunications network. With television, and in particular because of the need for large groups of circuits for subscriber-dialled trunk calls, the demand for radio relay links and consequently for frequencies increases tremendously. Therefore planning which makes the most economical use of the available frequencies is more than ever necessary.