Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: Adjustment of 700MHz frequency band frequency usage planning

Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the "Notice on Adjusting the Frequency Use Plan of the 700MHz Band" (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice"). The "Notice" shows that in order to promote the accelerated development of 5G and promote the effective use of radio spectrum resources, in accordance with the "Radio Management Regulations of the People's Republic of China", combined with the relevant situation of the frequency use of radio and television services in the 700MHz band, the following adjustments are made to the frequency use plan of the 700MHz band.

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1. The frequency use plan of the 702-798MHz frequency band will be adjusted for mobile communication systems, and the 703-743/758-798MHz frequency band will be planned for mobile communication systems in frequency division duplex (FDD) mode. From now on, the national radio management agency will no longer accept and approve new applications for model approval licenses for broadcasting business radio transmission equipment in the 702-798MHz frequency band, and the radio management agencies of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government will no longer accept and approve new applications for the installation and use licenses of radio and television transmitters (stations) in the 702-798MHz frequency band.

2. Mobile communication systems operating in this frequency band shall not cause harmful interference to the broadcasting services and other radio services that have been legally carried out in the same or adjacent frequency bands . Otherwise, they should immediately stop transmitting signals and may not carry out effective transmissions until the interference is eliminated; they shall not make interference protection claims against radio stations that have been legally set up and used in the same or adjacent frequency bands.

3. The radio frequency use license for mobile communication systems in the 702-798MHz frequency band shall be implemented by the national radio management agency. To apply for a radio frequency use license for mobile communication systems in this frequency band, the conditions stipulated in Article 5 of the "Radio Frequency Use License Management Measures" shall be met, and coordination shall be completed with relevant radio frequency users or radio station (station) installation and users in the same or adjacent frequency band on matters such as frequency migration, station site relocation, equipment modification, technical solutions and related expenses. The radio frequency utilization rate shall be implemented in accordance with the "Interim Provisions on Radio Frequency Utilization Rate Requirements and Verification Management" (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology No. 〔2017〕322).

4. In order to avoid harmful interference with mobile communication systems, necessary frequency migration, site relocation, equipment modification and other work shall be carried out on existing legal radio stations. In principle, the expenses incurred shall be borne by the frequency users of the 700MHz frequency band mobile communication system.

5. The installation and use permits of mobile communication system base stations in the 702-798MHz frequency band shall be implemented by the radio management agencies of each province, autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government. When applying for the installation and use of mobile communication system base stations, station installers and users shall complete the interference coordination with relevant legal radio stations in the same and adjacent frequency bands under the guidance of the relevant radio management agencies. If the interference coordination is not completed, effective transmission shall not be carried out, and protection requirements from harmful interference shall not be made.

6. The radio frequency technical index requirements and test methods for mobile communication system equipment in the 702-798MHz frequency band will be announced separately.

7. Matters involving interference coordination, interference protection, etc. with military system radio stations shall be implemented in accordance with relevant military and local coordination regulations.

Why should it adjust the planning of the 700MHz frequency band? The Radio Administration Bureau said that the 700MHz frequency band is a traditional radio and television system frequency band. In recent years, with the advancement of technology, terrestrial digital television technology is gradually replacing traditional analog television technology, and part of the frequency band originally occupied by analog television can be released. At present, most countries in the world, including my country, have completed or are in the process of "analog-to-digital conversion" of terrestrial television in the 700MHz frequency band, and will use the released spectrum for mobile communication systems with higher spectrum utilization. On the other hand, the 700MHz frequency band has good propagation characteristics and is a golden frequency band for mobile communication services. In addition, the domestic mobile communication industry has formed a relatively complete network equipment and terminal industry chain in this frequency band. Taking into account the industrial development of the 700MHz frequency band, the progress of the "analog-to-digital conversion" of domestic terrestrial television, and the frequency use needs of mobile communication systems, our department will adjust part of the 700MHz frequency band for mobile communication systems.

The Radio Administration Bureau pointed out that since 2017, our department has planned the 3000-5000MHz frequency band for 5G, providing mid-frequency spectrum resources for the development of 5G in my country. At the same time, our department has also started planning the 5G millimeter wave frequency band. Planning the 700MHz frequency band for mobile communication systems will provide valuable low-frequency spectrum resources for the development of 5G, which can promote the coordinated development of 5G high, medium and low frequency bands. The low frequency band below 1GHz has good propagation characteristics, which can better support the communication experience of 5G wide-area coverage and high-speed mobile scenarios and the connection of a large number of devices, further promoting the multi-scenario application of 5G.

In addition, is the adjusted frequency use plan of the 700MHz band compatible with the international mainstream plan? The Radio Administration Bureau stated that currently, more than 56 countries or regions in the world have begun or plan to deploy 4G networks in the 700MHz band in frequency division duplex (FDD) mode. From the 700MHz band planning schemes announced by various countries, the 703-748/758-803MHz scheme is the most widely used frequency planning scheme with the most comprehensive use of spectrum resources, and supports the evolution to 5G systems. Planning the 703-743/758-798MHz band for FDD mobile communication systems is compatible with the global mainstream planning schemes and is conducive to sharing the global industrial foundation.