COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2021/1730

of 28 September 2021

on the harmonised use of the paired frequency bands 874,4-880,0 MHz and 919,4-925,0 MHz and of the unpaired frequency band 1 900-1 910 MHz for Railway Mobile Radio

(notified under document C(2021) 6862)

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Decision No 676/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on a regulatory framework for radio spectrum policy in the European Community (Radio Spectrum Decision) (1), and in particular Article 4(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) The radio communication system currently used for railway operations, namely Global System for Mobile Communications – Rail (GSM-R), is based on specifications that were finalised 20 years ago and, due to technological obsolescence, industrial support for GSM-R is unlikely to be assured much after 2030. The Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) will succeed GSM-R as one of the essential elements of the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS). It will support railway digitalisation and service innovation. GSM-R and its successor(s), including FRMCS, are designated as Railway Mobile Radio (RMR).

(2) Compared to GSM-R, FRMCS offers a higher quality of service, uses spectrum more efficiently and is more cost effective. The system is also planned to deliver more in terms of applications such as Automatic Train Operation (ATO) or the Connected Driver Advisory System (C-DAS). Further applications are expected to be introduced progressively. Critical FRMCS railway applications like monitoring and control of critical infrastructure may be operated efficiently using narrow band IoT. FRMCS should be capable of integrating new applications and technological developments over an extended period of time as railway communication systems have a much longer life cycle compared to public electronic communications networks and services.

(3) Therefore, frequency bands should be harmonised to allow for the introduction of FRMCS.

(4) In order to enable parallel operation of GSM-R and its successor during an approximately 10-year migration phase from GSM-R to FRMCS and to benefit from new railway critical applications during and beyond migration, access to sufficient harmonised spectrum for RMR is essential.

(5) In order to support a common approach to spectrum for RMR across the Union, on 12 July 2018, the Commission issued under Article 4(2) of Decision No 676/2002/EC (the Radio Spectrum Decision) a Mandate to the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT).

(6) In response to that mandate, the CEPT delivered its CEPT Report 74 of 3 July 2020 and its CEPT Report 76 of 20 November 2020. These reports are based on feasibility studies and assess the required amount of spectrum, identify the appropriate spectrum bands, and propose harmonised technical conditions for FRMCS.

(7) CEPT Report 74 in particular assesses coexistence with all applications in the adjacent frequency bands including electronic communications services in the 900 MHz and 2 GHz frequency bands, short range devices subject to Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1538 (2) and Digital European Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) subject to Council Directive 91/287/EEC (3). It also takes into account the possible introduction of unmanned aircraft systems in the 1 880-1 920 MHz frequency range.

(8) The harmonised technical conditions for RMR (FRMCS) base stations operating in the 1 900-1 910 MHz band as defined in CEPT Report 76, assume that base stations providing electronic communications services, which use frequencies above 1 920 MHz for reception under Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/667 (4), have enhanced selectivity compared to the current Harmonised European Standards. Base stations providing electronic communications services, which are located in the vicinity of a RMR base station and do not meet the enhanced selectivity criterion, should, where necessary, be adapted, in order to mitigate harmful interference.

(9) CEPT Report 74 considered the technical feasibility of using commercial mobile networks, taking into account wireless coverage and reliability needs of the railway system. It confirmed the possibility of using commercial mobile networks for all relevant railway applications, including critical railway applications under the condition that the relevant parts of the commercial mobile network fulfil the service requirements of railway systems.

(10) RMR receivers (base stations and cab-radios) should be robust against emissions in adjacent frequencies. Member States may implement additional measures at national level such as to ensure co-existence with relevance to DECT within 1 880-1 900 MHz and RMR in the 1 900-1 910 MHz frequency band or a 200 kHz frequency separation between RMR and electronic communications networks at the 925 MHz frequency border.

(11) FRMCS systems using active antenna systems have not been considered in CEPT Report 76. Additional studies should be performed in case active antenna systems are considered for FRMCS deployment.

(12) As long as a Member State does not have railway lines in operation, it should be allowed to postpone the implementation of RMR spectrum harmonisation measures until such operation is planned.

(13) Based on national demand, Member States, in compliance with EU law, should be allowed to vary the implementation date of RMR spectrum harmonisation measures in the frequency band 1 900-1 910 MHz to 1 January 2025 at the latest.

(14) The implementation of this Decision is without prejudice to the right of Member States to organise and use their radio spectrum for the purposes of public order and public security and defence in line with Article 1.4 of the Radio Spectrum Decision, in compliance with EU law.

(15) Reporting from all Member States to the Commission on the implementation of this Decision, including any developments in the area of spectrum management having a negative impact on interoperability as well as the immediate reporting on the application, if any, of Article 1.4 of the Radio Spectrum Decision and the justification thereof, would help assess its impact at Union level as well as its timely review.

(16) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Radio Spectrum Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

This Decision establishes the harmonised conditions for the availability and efficient use of radio spectrum for the Railway Mobile Radio (RMR) in the bands 874,4-880,0 MHz, 919,4-925,0 MHz and 1 900-1 910 MHz.

Article 2

For the purposes of this Decision, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) ‘RMR terminal’ is an item of mobile radio equipment under the control of the RMR network;

(b) ‘cab-radio’ means a RMR terminal installed on board the train capable of supporting voice and data applications;

(c) ‘equivalent isotropically radiated power (‘e.i.r.p.’)’ means the product of the power supplied to the antenna and the absolute or isotropic gain in a given direction relative to an isotropic antenna.

Article 3

1.   By 1 January 2022, Member States shall designate and make available on a non-exclusive basis the paired frequency bands 874,4-880,0 MHz and 919,4-925,0 MHz for Railway Mobile Radio, in accordance with the technical conditions set out in the Annex.

2.   At the latest by 1 January 2025, based on national demand, Member States shall designate and make available on a non-exclusive basis the unpaired frequency band 1 900-1 910 MHz for Railway Mobile Radio, in accordance with the technical conditions set out in the Annex.

3.   Member States shall ensure that networks using the frequency bands referred to in paragraph 1 give appropriate protection to systems in adjacent bands.

4.   Member States where no rail services are provided at the date of 1 January 2022 shall only apply paragraph 1 as soon as a rail line is planned to be activated.

Article 4

Member States shall report to the Commission on the implementation of this Decision by 1 January 2025.

Member States shall monitor the use by RMR of the frequency bands subject to this Decision and report their findings, including any impacts on interoperability related to spectrum issues, to the Commission upon request or at their own initiative to allow a timely review of this Decision, where needed.

Article 5

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 28 September 2021.

For the Commission

Thierry BRETON

Member of the Commission

(1)  

OJ L 108, 24.4.2002, p. 1

.

(2)  Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1538 of 11 October 2018 on the harmonisation of radio spectrum for use by short-range devices within the 874-876 and 915-921 MHz frequency bands (

OJ L 257, 15.10.2018, p. 57

).

(3)  Council Directive 91/287/EEC of 3 June 1991 on the frequency band to be designated for the coordinated introduction of digital European cordless telecommunications (DECT) into the Community (

OJ L 144, 8.6.1991, p. 45

).

(4)  Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/667 of 6 May 2020 amending Decision 2012/688/EU as regards an update of relevant technical conditions applicable to the frequency bands 1 920-1 980 MHz and 2 110-2 170 MHz (

OJ L 156, 19.5.2020, p. 6

).

ANNEX

PART A

TECHNICAL CONDITIONS FOR GSM-R IN 874,4-880,0 MHZ and 919,4-925,0 MHZ BANDS

For GSM-R, the following parameters apply:

GSM-R Downlink centre frequency f

DL

 = 921 MHz +

n

× 0,2 MHz (1) where

[Bild bitte in Originalquelle ansehen]

GSM-R Uplink centre frequency f

UL

= f

DL

– 45 MHz

GSM-R channel bandwidth is 200 kHz

Table 1

In-block requirements for GSM-R Base Stations in 919,4-921 MHz uncoordinated deployment

PART B

TECHNICAL CONDITIONS FOR A SINGLE WIDEBAND RMR CARRIER IN 874,4-880,0 MHZ and 919,4-925,0 MHZ BANDS

Technical conditions for RMR Base Stations using wideband technologies

The technical conditions defined in this section are in the form of a block-edge mask (BEM) applicable to wideband RMR Base Stations. The technical conditions defined in this section are valid for a single RMR carrier using wideband technologies. The BEM is developed on the basis that detailed coordination and cooperation agreements would not be required to be in place prior to network deployment. To allow multiple carriers or higher e.i.r.p. for RMR BS than stated in the harmonised technical conditions, the implementation of a coordination procedure or other mitigation measures must be applied. Base Stations using active antenna systems are prohibited.

For radio access technologies other than GSM-R, the following parameters apply:

— The lower edge of the lowest Resource Block shall be ≥ 919,6 MHz.

Table 2

General in-block requirement – not mandatory

Table 3

Specific in-block requirements for 5,6 MHz and 5 MHz channels mandatory for uncoordinated deployment

Table 4

Specific in-block requirements for 1,4 MHz and 200 kHz channels mandatory for uncoordinated deployment

Table 5

Out-of-band requirements

Table 6

Baseline requirement

Technical conditions for RMR cab-radio using wideband technologies

For radio access technologies other than GSM-R, the following parameters apply:

Maximum output power: higher than 23 dBm and up to 31 dBm;

ACLR (2): 37 dB minimum;

Uplink power control is mandatory and shall be activated.

Technical conditions for RMR terminals other than cab-radios, using wideband technologies

For radio access technologies other than GSM-R, the following parameters apply:

Maximum output power: 23 dBm;

ACLR: 30 dB minimum;

Uplink power control is mandatory and shall be activated.

Technical conditions for RMR receivers using wideband technologies

The band can be accessed if techniques to access spectrum and mitigate interference that provide an appropriate level of receiver performance to comply with the essential requirements of Directive 2014/53/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (3) are used. Where relevant techniques are described in harmonized standards or parts thereof the references of which have been published in the

Official Journal of the European Union

in accordance with Directive 2014/53/EU, performance at least equivalent to the performance level associated with those techniques shall be ensured.

Table 7

Requirements on wideband RMR Base Station receiver characteristics

Table 8

Requirements only for wideband RMR cab-radio receiver characteristics

PART C

TECHNICAL CONDITIONS FOR WIDEBAND RMR IN 1 900-1 910 MHZ (TDD) BAND

Technical conditions for RMR Base Stations using wideband technologies

The technical conditions defined in this section are in the form of a block-edge mask (BEM) applicable to wideband RMR BS. The BEM is developed on the basis that detailed coordination and cooperation agreements would not be required to be in place prior to network deployment. Base Stations with active antenna systems are prohibited.

The following parameters apply:

Table 9

General in-block requirement mandatory for uncoordinated deployment

Table 10

Baseline requirement

Technical conditions for RMR cab-radio using wideband technologies

The following parameters apply:

Maximum output power: 31 dBm;

ACLR: 37 dB minimum;

Unwanted output power in 1 920-1 980 MHz:

 

-25 dBm/MHz maximum in 1 920-1 925 MHz,

 

-30 dBm/MHz maximum in 1 925-1 980 MHz;

Uplink power control is mandatory and shall be activated.

Technical conditions for RMR terminals other than cab-radios, using wideband technologies

The following parameters apply:

Maximum output power: 23 dBm;

ACLR: 30 dB minimum;

Uplink power control is mandatory and shall be activated.

Technical conditions for RMR receivers using wideband technologies

The band can be accessed if techniques to access spectrum and mitigate interference that provide an appropriate level of receiver performance to comply with the essential requirements of Directive 2014/53/EU are used. Where relevant techniques are described in harmonized standards or parts thereof the references of which have been published in the

Official Journal of the European Union

in accordance with Directive 2014/53/EU, performance at least equivalent to the performance level associated with those techniques shall be ensured.

Table 11

Requirements on wideband RMR Base Stations receiver characteristics

Table 12

Requirements only for wideband RMR cab-radio receiver characteristics

(1)  GSM-R channel raster of 200 kHz.

(2)  ACLR: Adjacent Channel Leakage power Ratio.

(3)  Directive 2014/53/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of radio equipment and repealing Directive 1999/5/EC (

OJ L 153, 22.5.2014, p. 62

).

(4)  Requirements for RMR terminal receiver other than cab-radio are not covered in this table

(5)  Requirements for RMR terminal receiver other than cab-radio are not covered in this table.