Agenda

Morning

08:30 – 09:00

Coffee and Registration

09:00 – 10:35

Keynote Presentations: Where next for Spectrum Policy in Europe?

Against the backdrop of the proposed single telecoms market package, the ongoing radio spectrum policy package and the prospect of a new Commission beginning in November, this session will look generally at the current status of spectrum policy in Europe and priorities for the future.

- What is the current status with regards to the single telecoms market package, and the proposed timing of its implementation?
- What are the implications of this for the ongoing implementation of the Radio Spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP) and is it time to start thinking about a 2nd RSPP?
- With the new Commission taking office in November, what are the major challenges that they can be expected to face, and where should their priorities lie?

09:00 – 09:05

Introduction from the moderator

09:05 – 09:30

Keynote Presentation: View from the European Commission

Roberto Viola, Deputy Director General, DG CONNECT, European Commission

09:30 – 10:00

Keynote Presentation

Gilles Brégant, Director General, ANFR; and Chair, RSPG

10:00 – 10:30

Keynote Presentation: The International Perspective

Jesada Sivaraks, Secretary to the Vice Chairman, National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC)

10:30 – 11:00

Morning Break

11:00 – 12:30

Session 2: To what extent should there be increased co-ordination of spectrum licensing and awards at a European level?

Whilst the Commission’s proposals for the single telecoms markets stopped short of proposing pan-European spectrum licenses and award processes, the push for further synchronisation of spectrum authorisation opens the interesting question of to what extent a more centralised approach should be considered.

- To what extent should the Commission hold a veto right over spectrum policy in member states?
- Would a single European regulator potentially be more effective than 28 separate authorities, and if so, what should its make-up be?
- Should Europe look at moving towards a more centralised approach to spectrum awards in terms of both timing and licence duration, and what role should the Commission play in this?
- Are harmonised auction formats something that should also be considered?
- What would be the effect of holding multiple spectrum auctions at the same time for operators and on driving competition?
- How can it be ensured that specific national differences in terms of both markets and policy goals are considered?
- Are pan-European awards and multi-country spectrum authorisations something that is likely to be seen in the future?

Moderator: Amit Nagpal, Partner, Aetha Consulting

Chris Woolford, Director of Spectrum and International Policy, Ofcom
Andreas Geiss, Acting Head of Unit, Radio Spectrum Policy, European Commission
Stephen Pentland, Head of Spectrum Policy, Vodafone Group
Johanne Lemay, Co-President , Lemay-Yates Associates

Afternoon

12:30 – 13:50

Lunch

13:50 – 15:20

Session 3: A long term vision for the UHF band - creating a ‘win-win’ situation

The development of a co-ordinated European approach in the 700MHz band and its possible harmonisation for wireless broadband services is something that is already being hotly discussed. This session will look at the current situation with this, but also widen the discussion to the UHF band as a whole, and ask if there is there also a need to consider options for a more joined-up approach in the band in general. If so, how can it be ensured that the needs of all spectrum users in the band be considered and met?

- What is the current situation within the 700Mhz band – will we have a co-ordinated approach or will spectrum be awarded on a country by country basis?
- Are there risks if some countries push ahead with awarding spectrum in specific bands too early?
- Is now the time to take a step back and re-consider not just the 700 MHz band plan, but at architecting a properly integrated and harmonised band plan for the entire 470-790 MHz UHF band?
- How can it be ensured that the spectrum needs of DTT platforms and PMSE are fully met, and consideration is also given to capacity for future convergent broadcasting-mobile platforms?
- Do we need more mobile spectrum in the UHF band, or can additional demand be met by increasing the efficiency of existing mobile spectrum or by offloading?
- To what extent can the deployment of a converged platform in the UHF band provide a win-win solution for stakeholders, and what issues would still need to be addressed before this option could be considered?
- What is the long-term future shape of the UHF band?

Moderator: Gerard Pogorel, Professor of Economics and Management , Telecom ParisTech (ENST)

Nick Blades, Chief Regulatory Officer, Telefónica Europe
Mark Colville, Principal, Analysys Mason
Christoph Dosch, Chairman of ITU-R Study Group 6 (Broadcasting Service), Institut für Rundfunktechnik GmBH (IRT)
Jaime Afonso, Chairman of Task Group on UHF Band, ECC; and Head of Planning & Spectrum Engineering , ANACOM
Jonathan Thompson, CEO, Digital UK
Richard Womersley, Director of Spectrum Consulting, LS Telcom

15:20 – 15:50

Afternoon Break

15:50 – 17:20

Session 4: Breakout Sessions

Delegates will have the option of attending one of the two following parallel breakout sessions:

Breakout 1. Promoting the use of WiFi, Small Cells and other offloading technologies
Breakout 2. Combinatorial Auctions: Success or Failure?

15:50 – 17:20

Breakout 1. Promoting the use of WiFi, Small Cells and other offloading technologies

In order to promote the use of WiFi and small cell devices, the Commission is proposing to get rid of all regulatory barriers relating to permits to roll out small cells.

- To what extent are these proposed new stream lining measures likely to be successful in promoting the rollout of small cells, and what impact can this have on mobile broadband traffic?
- What should be considered as a small cell?
- Which spectrum bands should be used for small cell deployments and for WiFi?
- Is there a need to identify additional spectrum for WiFi, and could this be done through extending the 5Ghz band to reduce demand for traditional mobile spectrum?
- What technical and market developments are being seen in traffic off-loading technologies and how could this influence the need for spectrum?

Moderator: John Burns, Principal Consultant , Aegis Systems Ltd

Branimir Stantchev, Spectrum Policy Developer, Wireless Broadband at DG CONNECT, European Commission
Chris Gow, Senior Manager, Government Affairs, Cisco
Simon Forge, Director, SCF Associates Ltd
Stephen Priestman, Regulatory Group Chairman, Small Cell Forum
Valenti Roca, Mobile Broadband Product Manager, Abertis Telecom

15:50 – 17:20

Breakout 2. Selecting the Auction Mechanism - Combinatorial Auctions vs. Simultaneous Multiple-Round Auctions

The recent wave of spectrum awards has seen significant innovation in auction design. Whereas most countries used either SMRAs or simple sealed bids for the award of 3G spectrum, many regulators switched to combinatorial formats to sell LTE and refarmed 2G bands. The most popular new format, the combinatorial clock auction (CCA), used in eight European countries, has proved controversial: proponents argue that it promotes straightforward bidding and efficient outcomes, whereas critics have suggested it encourages overbidding, and is often associated with unpredictable outcomes in terms of both prices and spectrum allocations across operators. This session will look at the advantages and disdvantages of the CCA and SMRA formats, as well as bringing the discussion onto a European level and looking at the scope for possible co-ordination of auction design.

- What are the comparative advantages and disadvantages of CCA and SMRA auction formats?
- As European countries begin their preparations for the next wave of spectrum awards (eg 700MHz), what lessons can be learnt from the design and results seen in recent 800MHz and 2.6GHz auctions?
- Overall, have the recent auctions using the combinatorial formats have been a success or failure?
- Is it feasible to consider increased sharing of best practice in auction design across Europe, and taking things a step further, even the co-ordination of auction design at either a European level or within regional sub-sets?
- If common auction formats were to be adopted in Europe, what mechanisms should be used?

Moderator: Soren Sorensen, Senior Consultant, NERA Economic Consulting

Scott McKenzie, Director, Coleago Consulting
Andy Hudson, Director of Spectrum Policy, Ofcom
Karl-Heinz Laudan, Vice President Spectrum Policy and Projects, Deutsche Telekom
Adam Hatfield, Director, Spectrum Regulatory Best Practices, Industry Canada

17:20 – 19:00

Cocktail Reception

Morning

08:30 – 09:00

Morning Coffee

09:00 – 15:35

Session 5: WRC-15 and beyond – policy decisions to meet the long term needs of Europe’s spectrum users

Split into 3 parts, this session will provide the opportunity to look at the future shape and needs of 3 key spectrum users – broadcast, mobile broadband, and public sector; and at what needs to be done to secure the long-term future of these sectors in Europe.

09:00 – 09:25

Keynote Presentation - WRC-15: The global milestone ahead

François Rancy, Director, Radiocommunication Bureau, ITU

09:25 – 10:50

Session 5 a: What is the future shape of the broadcasting industry as a user of spectrum?

As was discussed in session III., spectrum in the UHF band that has traditionally always been thought of as ‘broadcast’ spectrum is now increasingly being considered as options to be refarmed to mobile use. This means that when discussing their spectrum needs, the broadcast community often find themselves on the defensive over this rather than actively focussing on the increasing need for spectrum that they too are facing as they look beyond HD to deliver the next generation of television. This session will look to address this, and look at the future shape of the broadcast, PMSE and satellite sectors, their spectrum requirements, and how these can be met.

- What mix of technologies are needed to deliver services as we move to 4K and beyond - to the next generation of television and broadcast?
- Are some technologies more suitable to meet future broadcast needs than others?
- What are the future spectrum needs of the terrestrial broadcast, SatComs and PMSE industries in order to meet consumer demands?
- Given the increasing demands of mobile broadband and possible band re-organisation proposed by regulators to take care of this, where can this spectrum be found?

Moderator: Lee Sanders, Partner, Aetha Consulting

Matthias Kurth, Executive Chairman, Cable Europe
Ethan Lavan, Member, Regulatory Working Group, ESOA
Lars Backlund, Secretary General, Broadcast Networks Europe
Alan March, Vice President, Association of Professional Wireless Production Technologies, APWPT
Oliver Fueg, Policy Officer, Audiovisual Media Services at DG CONNECT, European Commission

10:50 – 11:15

Morning Break

11:15 – 13:00

Session 5 b: Beyond 4G – Spectrum for 5G and the future networked society

Even as industry and policymakers continue to work to drive 4G adoption, many are already starting to look forward towards 5G technologies, and at meeting the spectrum requirements for a technology touted to be several 100-times faster than fourth-generation networks.

- What is meant by ‘5G’ and how will it affect how we use spectrum?
- What will the shape of a future 5G system be, and is any additional spectrum needed in order to meet capacity requirements?
- To what extent can shared solutions be used to meet spectrum needs?
- What spectrum and technology requirements will be necessary to deliver the required services, and can spectrum above 6GHz help to provide a solution?
- What are the aims of the 5G Public and Private Partnership, and how can EU policymakers work together with industry to make Europe the leaders in the 5G field?

Moderator: Ruprecht Niepold, Independent Spectrum Expert

11:15 – 11:30

What is meant by ‘5G’ and how will it affect how we use spectrum?

Peiying Zhu, Leader of 5G Research , Huawei

11:30 – 11:45

Presentation

Olav Queseth, Senior Researcher, Ericsson

11:45 – 12:00

Presentation

Alistair Urie, Architecture Strategy Director, Wireless CTO Office, Alcatel-Lucent

12:00 – 12:15

Presentation

Thibaut Kleiner, Head of Unit, Network Technologies, European Commission

12:15 – 12:45

Discussion with speakers from the session

Afternoon

12:45 – 13:45

Lunch

13:45 – 14:00

Presentation: Next generation valuation and pricing for next generation spectrum access

Gerard Pogorel, Professor of Economics and Management, Telecom ParisTech (ENST)

14:00 – 15:20

Session 5 c: Public Sector Spectrum – Balancing efficiency with the future requirements of vital public sector users

Public safety, military and other Government use of spectrum across Europe accounts for more than 50% of the available bandwidth below 15Ghz, and whilst it is vital that access to this spectrum is maintained during the periods and at locations where it is needed, at other times or location, much of the available bandwidth is not used. This session will explore to what extent some of this spectrum could be made available to commercial users on a shared basis, through framework such LSA, and how it can be ensured that any potential for interference is properly managed and the needs of vital public sector users are fully protected. Taking things one step further, it will consider which spectrum could be released to enable commercial use, and how this could be achieved.

- What bands are currently allocated for public sector use across member states, and what potential could these offer for shared-use with commercial sector users?
- What technical and commercial considerations need to be agreed on before authorising shared access rights?
- What approaches to sharing, LSA or licence exempt, including dynamic access,would offer the most feasible approach to release additional bandwidth?
- What precautions need to be taken to manage any possible interference and meet the protection criteria for existing public users?
- What proposals to facilitate the increased sharing of spectrum are currently being developed within Europe and globally?
- What bands are being considered for this?
- In addition to public-private sharing of spectrum, to what extent could sections of public spectrum be completely released and made available for commercial use?
- In which countries is this release of public spectrum already being considered or taking place, and what methods are being used to achieve this?
- What co-ordination for sharing or release of public sector spectrum is needed at an EU level?

Moderator: Chris Buist, Director, Coleago Consulting

14:00 – 15:20

Panel Discussion

Lisa Roper, Defence Spectrum Release PM, UK Ministry of Defence
Hans Borgonjen, Vice Chair, TCCA
Thomas Weilacher, Chairman WGFM, ECC, CEPT
Darrin Mylet, Business Operations and Regulatory Affairs, Adaptrum
Seppo Yrjola, Senior Principal Innovator, Nokia
Wassim Chourbaji, Senior Director, Government Affairs, Qualcomm Technologies Inc.

15:20 – 15:35

Coffee Break

15:35 – 17:20

Session 6: Looking long-term: Is the WRC-15 agenda future-proof for Europe’s needs?

WRC-15 is considered by many to be the most important for many years, with many crucial spectrum and bandplan issues up for discussion. Against the backdrop of the previous three sessions, which have looked at the future shape and needs of broadcast, mobile, and public sector users of spectrum respectively, this session will offer the opportunity to look in detail at some of the key agenda items for WRC-15, and what the decisions that are taken now will mean for the long-term future of spectrum users in Europe.
- To what extent can the agenda items at WRC-15 be expected to address the key long term objectives of the 3 sectors discussed above, or are we currently considering only the next few years?
- When considering common European positions and policy objectives, how can it be ensured that the long term objectives of all European stakeholders are being considered and a balanced and future-proof approach is achieved?
- What are the key areas for discussion at WRC-18 likely to be?

Moderator: François Rancy, Director, Radiocommunication Bureau, ITU

15:35 – 15:45

Introductory Presentation

Alexander Kühn, Chairman, WRC-15 Conference Preparatory Group, CEPT

15:45 – 15:55

Presentation: WRC-15: The Americas perspective

Luis Lucatero, Chief of Regulatory Policy, IFT Mexico

15:55 – 17:05

Panel Discussion

Steffen Ring, Senior Director, Legal, Government Affairs & Communications, Motorola Solutions
Gerry Oberst, Senior Vice President, Global Regulatory & Governmental Strategy, SES
Simon Fell, Director of Technology and Innovation, European Broadcasting Union
Steve Blythe, Director of Spectrum Strategy, Orange

17:05 – 17:15

Conference Summary and Conclusions

Moderator: Amit Nagpal, Partner, Aetha Consulting

Moderator: Ruprecht Niepold, Independent Spectrum Expert