November 17, 2003,Vol. 14, No. 15 ISSN 1346-5317

On October 29, 2003, MPHPT made an inquiry of the TelecommunicationsCouncil (Chair: Mr. AKIYAMA Yoshihisa, Chairman of Kansai Electric PowerCo., Inc.) concerning "Technical Conditions for 5-GHz Band Wireless AccessSystem."
In recent years, wireless LAN systems have been rapidly introduced,for which a simplified access environment to the Internet at affordableprice levels is deployed at home and office.  In parallel with developmentof high-speed ADSL and deployment of FTTH, additional frequency allocationshave been urged in order to respond to demands for higher speed wirelessaccess systems and hot-spot services.
Under these circumstances, at the World Radiocommunication Conference2003 (WRC-03) held in July 2003, 5 GHz bands (5150 - 5350 MHz and 5470- 5725 MHz) for wireless access systems, including wireless LAN systems,were allocated on a global basis.  In line with these allocations,MPHPT inquired of the Telecommunications Council about the technical conditions,etc. of wireless facilities, for establishing domestic legal frameworksfor wireless access systems, including wireless LAN systems, in those frequencybands.  The Telecommunications Council will compile the outcomes asa report around October 2004.

 

MPHPT, through its Satellite Application Experiment Promotion Conference(Chair; Prof. YASUDA Yasuhiko, Waseda University) is inviting various applicationsfrom participants to run experiments using WINDS (Wideband InterNetworkingEngineering Test and Demonstration Satellite), which is due to be launchedin FY2005; on October 30, 2003, the ministry announced the requirementsfor said applications.
In 1997, MPHPT set up the Satellite Application Experiment PromotionConference, comprising specialists from industry, academia and the government,in order to verify the practical performance of satellite communicationstechnology and promote the development of satellite applications.
In line with the ministry's announcement, the Conference, so as tocontribute to the development of multiple applications, also announcedthe requirements for applicants on October 30, 2003.
WINDS is a high-performance experimental satellite that enables gigabit-classcommunications and will be used for R&D of satellite communicationsnetworks that can complement terrestrial Internet communications networks,making use of a satellite's wide coverage, multicast ability and disasterresistance.
 

Guidelines for applying to carry out experiments

2. Time period for application experiments
After the initial checkout of WINDS to completion of operations thereof

3. Major conditions for participation in applicationexperiments
1) Experiments shall be ones for advancing satellite communicationsand contributing to development of applications.
2) Participants in the experiments shall, upon operations of earthstations, etc., abide by technical standards and operation methods as specifiedunder radio laws and regulations, etc. (in cases of participants in a foreigncountry, radio laws and regulations in said foreign country).
3) The experiments shall not be used for commercial purposes.

4. Matters to be noted by participants in theexperiments
There are cases where time ranges of experiments, schedules, etc. maybe restricted due to the status of WINDS, namely basic experiments andother application experiments.

5. Facilities for experiments
Facilities for experiments are as follows:
1) Participants may use WINDS transponders free of charge.
2) Earth station facilities shall be prepared in principle by participants.
3) Costs generated upon implementation of experiments shall be borneby participants.

6. Procedures for application
Procedures for application are as follows:
1) Those wishing to participate in an experiment shall submit the applicationdocuments. 
2) The application documents must arrive between April 1, 2004, andApril 30, 2004.

(For detailed information including the application documents, pleasesee the next website:
http://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/joho_tsusin/eng/Releases/Telecommunications/news031030_1.html(English))

Overview of WINDS
Characteristics of WINDS (Target)

Orbit	Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO): 143 degrees East Longitude (tentative)
Mass	Approximately 2,700kg (In orbit, at the beginning of mission life)
Size	2m x 3m x 8m (Solar Array Paddles deployed: 21.5m)
Design Life	5 years (targeted life)
Power	More than 5,200W
Attitude Control	3-axis stabilized
Accuracy of Attitude Control	pitch and roll:  +/- 0.05 degrees; yaw:  +/- 0.15 degrees
Launch Vehicle	H-II A
Launch Site	Tanegashima Space Center
Launch Date	FY2005

Figure 1.  Coverage of MBA and APAA (Plan)

Figure 2.  Overview of WINDS in orbit


 

The 27th Session of the Management Committee (27th MC) was heldin Macao Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China fromOctober 21 through 24, 2003.  At the 27th MC, a work program, annualbudget, etc. were approved by Members after discussions thereon.
In addition, the 27th MC decided to convene the Asia Broadband Summit(Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Broadband & ICT Development)in 2004 for the commemoration of APT's 25th Anniversary.  At the Summit,with the purpose of deploying broadband platforms at an early stage inthe Asia-Pacific region, telecommunications ministers from around the Asia-Pacificregion will convene and deliberate upon broadband policies, regulations,technologies, etc. in order to announce action guidelines for the introductionof broadband platforms.
At the MC, a work program for 2004 was adopted that includes i) holdingof an "Asia Pacific Telecommunication Development Forum (ADF)" for bridgingthe digital divide, ii) frequency coordination in the wireless servicefield, iii) standardization activities, iv) holding of the "APT WirelessForum" for the purpose of effective collaboration on activities for humanresources development, etc.

[Results of 27th MC]
1) Holding of the "Asia Broadband Summit"
The Asia Broadband Summit will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, in July2004, with the purpose of enabling all people in the Asian region to haveaccess to broadband and to use applications and content making the mostof broadband features.  Ministers in charge of telecommunicationswill get together at the Summit and adopt action guidelines for the introductionof broadband platforms in the Asia-Pacific region.  In parallel withthe Summit, the "Asia-Pacific Telecommunication Development Forum" willbe convened.

2) Holding of the "APT Wireless Forum"
The "APT Wireless Forum" with the attendance of stakeholders will beheld in the Republic of Korea for the purposes of i) coordinating radio-relatedactivities of frequency coordination, standardization activities, studygroups, human resources development, etc. at APT, and ii) efficiently implementingradio-related activities.

3) Implementation of security-related activities
It was decided that with respect to security-related activities, "Workshopon ENUM," "Workshop on IDN" and "Workshop on CERT best practices" be convenedand that upon implementing human resources development programs, one ofAPT's major activities, security and e-governments shall be focused upon.

Notes:
1: ENUM (Telephone Number Mapping) is a communications protocol thatallows a user to use various types of communications, including telephony,e-mail, etc., over IP-based networks through use of a telecommunicationsnumber.
2: IDN (Internationalized Domain Name: multilingual domain names):In the past, characters to be used in web addresses were limited to alphanumericones (ASCII characters: e.g., soumu.go.jp).  At present, however,in addition to alphanumeric ones, characters used in various countriesand economies have been in use (e.g., Japanese and Chinese characters). Midst international trends for facilitating access to the Internet, introductionof IDNs is in progress (Japanese-language domain names are part of theseIDNs).
3: CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team) is a generic term of organizationsfor responding to computer security incidents and for raising the publicawareness of computer security issues.

[Outline of APT]
1. Purpose
The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) was established in May 1979 asa regional telecommunications organization under the auspices of the Economicand Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).  The objectiveof APT shall be to foster the development of telecommunications servicesand information infrastructure throughout the region with a particularfocus on the expansion thereof in less developed areas.  APT offershuman resources development programs through training and seminars, regionalpolicy coordination on standardization and wireless communications, andresolutions of regional telecommunications disputes.

2. Members
¥ Members: 32 countries
¥ Associate Members: 4 economies
¥ Affiliate Members (Companies/Organizations): 96 (telecommunicationscarriers, manufacturers, industry organizations: including 26 Japanesecompanies/organizations)

3. APT Secretariat 
Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand
Secretary General: Mr. Amarendra Narayan (India)
Deputy Secretary General: Mr. G. Hugh Railton (New Zealand)
and 20 staff members including Mr. TANUMA Tomoyuki (Program Officer)

4. The General Assembly, the Management Committee
¥ The General Assembly ordinarily meets every three years (the latestassembly was held in 2002), and establishes general policies as well asprinciples in order to achieve the objectives of the Telecommunity.
The Management Committee
¥ The Management Committee meets once a year.  It pursues thepolicies and principles of the General Assembly, supervising the Secretariat'sfunction while reviewing as well as providing approval for work programs,for the annual budget and for accounts; in addition it draws up regulations,etc.
Chairman: Mr. YAMADA Toshiyuki (Director-General, Institute for Informationand Communications Policy, MPHPT, Japan)

On October 29, 2003, MPHPT granted renewed broadcasting stationlicenses to the broadcasters that had filed for renewal of their broadcastingstations; and those licenses came into force as from November 1, 2003.
NHK and other broadcasters filed applications for renewal of licensesfor broadcasting stations and broadcasting satellite stations, the five-yearvalid term of which would become invalid as of October 31, 2003, with MPHPT. In accordance with the provisions of the Radio Law (Law No. 131 of 1950),MPHPT decided to grant the renewed broadcasting station licenses underspecified conditions.
These broadcasting station licenses were handed from the Minister torepresentatives of 16 broadcasters, including NHK, headquartered in Tokyo;and broadcasters headquartered in other areas than Tokyo were granted licensesfrom relevant Directors-General of Regional Bureau of Telecommunicationsand Okinawa Office of Posts and Telecommunications
Upon granting these renewed licenses, written requests in the nameof the Minister for Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunicationswere handed to the broadcasters.  In particular, private broadcastersare requested to i) abide by the Broadcast Law and the standards of broadcastprogramming, ii) broadcast captioned (or closed captioned) programmingand explanatory programming as many as possible, iii) enhance and increaseprogramming on disasters, and iv) make active efforts to introduce digitalbroadcasting. 

Following broadcasters were granted renewed licenses:
1. NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corp.)
2. The University of the Air Foundation
3. 196 general terrestrial broadcasters
4. 5 satellite broadcasters including WOWOW

For details refer to the Japanese website at:
http://www.soumu.go.jp/menu_news/s-news/2003/031029_1.html

Conditions for renewed licenses
1. NHK (standard television broadcasting stations: general broadcasting)and general broadcasters (standard television broadcasting stations)
<Conditions>
Upon edition and broadcasting of broadcast programming, as describedin the application form, the programming quota shall stand at a minimumof 10% being educational programming and a minimum of 20% being culturalprogramming.

2. NHK (standard television broadcasting stations: educational broadcasting)
<Conditions>
Upon edition and broadcasting of broadcast programming, as describedin the application form, the programming quota shall stand at a minimumof 75% being educational programming and a minimum of 15% being culturalprogramming.

3. NHK (satellite broadcasting stations: BS 1)
<Conditions>
Upon edition and broadcasting of broadcast programming, as describedin the application form, the programming quota shall stand at a minimumof 10% being educational programming and a minimum of 20% being culturalprogramming.

5. NHK (satellite broadcasting stations: BS 2)
<Conditions>
Upon edition and broadcasting of broadcast programming, while ensuringroles of broadcasting for eliminating poor reception, the programming quotashall stand at a minimum of 30% being educational programming and a minimumof 20% being cultural programming, as described in the application form.

6. NHK (satellite broadcasting stations: high-definition televisionbroadcasting)
<Valid term>
The valid term of the license shall be December 31, 2007.
<Conditions>
When the Minister for Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunicationsdesignated the day before the license expires as the day (limited to theday of January 1, 2007, or later) when broadcasting commences in orderto smoothly shift to digital broadcasting, this license shall expire asof said day.

7. World Independent Networks Japan (satellite broadcasting stations)
<Valid term> 
The valid term of the license shall be October 31, 2004.