October 3, 2007

Radio Regulatory Council Consulted and Public Comment Invited on Draft MIC Ordinance to Amend Part of the Rules for Regulating Radio Equipment

Introduction of radio equipment to be installed on ships or vehicles
concerning the Inmarsat BGAN system
MIC today consulted the Radio Regulatory Council (Chair: Prof. HATORI Mitsutoshi, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University) in regard to the draft MIC ordinance to amend part of the Rules for Regulating Radio Equipment to introduce radio equipment to be installed on ships and vehicles concerning the Inmarsat BGAN system.
MIC therefore invites public comment on that draft MIC ordinance and the draft partial amendment of the associated ordinances and notices during the period from today to November 5 (Mon.), 2007.

1. Background of the Amendment
For the Inmarsat BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) systems at Inmarsat portable mobile earth stations, telecommunications carriers have provided services for mobile terminals at the maximum transmission rate of 492 kbps. As ship- and/or vehicle-installed services are globally introduced, there has been increasing demand for providing such services in Japan. Therefore, MIC improves the related regulations concerning the Rules for Regulating Radio Equipment (Radio Regulatory Commission Rules No. 18 of 1950), the Ordinance concerning Technical Regulations Conformity Certification for Specified Radio Equipment (MPT Ordinance No. 37 of 1981) and MIC Notice No. 1226 of 2005 (for Specifying Technical Requirements for Radio Equipment at Inmarsat Portable Mobile Earth Stations) to introduce radio equipment that uses an antenna with an automatic tracking function for artificial satellite stations and that can be installed on ships and vehicles, as well as existing mobile terminal radio equipment.

2. Overview of the Amendment
  (1) Ordinance on which Radio Regulatory Council was consulted
    Rules for Regulating Radio Equipment
For technical requirements for Inmarsat BGAN radio equipment at Inmarsat portable mobile earth stations, the requirements for the antenna with an automatic tracking function for artificial satellite stations shall be added if any.
  (2) Associated ordinances and notices
    a. Ordinance concerning Technical Regulations Conformity Certification for Specified Radio Equipment
Technical documents on an antenna directivity diagram shall be attached to the construction design forms for radio equipment to be used at portable mobile earth stations if Inmarsat BGAN radio equipment contains the antenna to be mounted mainly on automobiles and other land mobile units with an automatic tracking function for artificial satellite stations.
    b. MIC Notice No. 1226 of 2005
With regard to technical requirements for Inmarsat BGAN radio equipment at Inmarsat portable mobile earth stations, requirements for equivalent isotropic radiated power shall be added in the case where the antenna with an automatic tracking function for artificial satellite stations is used.

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International Policy Division,
International Affairs Department
Telecommunications Bureau, MIC
TEL: +81 3 5253 5920 / FAX: +81 3 5253 5924