ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)

Satellite Earth Stations and Systems (SES); Overview of present satellite emergency communications resources

DTR/SES-00285

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 25-Aug-2008
• Technical Committee: SES SatEC - Satellite Emergency Communications
• Current Stage: 12 - Completion
• Due Date: 31-Aug-2008
• Completion Date: 26-Aug-2008
• Mandate: M/496

Standards Content (Sample)

Technical Report
Satellite Earth Stations and Systems (SES);
Overview of present satellite emergency
communications resources
2 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)

Reference
DTR/SES-00285
Keywords
broadband, emergency, satellite
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3 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)
Contents
Intellectual Property Rights.5
Foreword.5
Introduction .5
1 Scope.6
2 References.6
2.1 Normative references.6
2.2 Informative references.7
3 Abbreviations.7
4 Position of the problem .9
4.1 Categories of emergency considered.9
4.2 Emergency response.9
4.2.1 Vigilance and anomaly assessment.10
4.2.2 Alert.11
4.2.3 Operations.11
4.2.3.1 Involved parties.11
4.2.3.2 Coordination and support of rescue Teams.12
4.2.3.3 Information feedback from the field of operations.13
4.2.4 Return to normal situation .13
4.3 Method of distribution.13
4.3.1 Unicast.13
4.3.2 Multicast.14
4.3.3 Broadcast.14
4.4 Nature of the content (operations).14
4.4.1 Basic signals.14
4.4.2 Speech.14
4.4.3 Video teleconferencing.14
4.4.4 Images.14
4.4.5 Data.14
5 Review of resource to cope with the need.14
5.1 Operational emergency networks using satellite .14
5.1.1 Experience of Katrina Hurricane .14
5.1.2 Cospas/Sarsat system.15
5.2 Relevant Regulations.15
5.2.1 ITU-R and other regulation bodies .15
5.2.2 Regions of concern .16
5.2.3 Services of concern.16
5.2.3.1 The concept of service in ITU-R.16
5.2.3.2 Relevant services.17
5.3 Available technology and commercial access .17
5.3.1 Available technology.17
5.3.1.1 Types of satellites and payloads.17
5.3.1.2 Multimedia by satellite.18
5.3.1.2.1 Narrowband.18
5.3.1.2.2 Broadband .19
5.3.2 Commercial access.20
5.3.2.1 Observation satellites.20
5.3.2.2 Telecommunication satellites.20
5.3.2.3 Positioning systems by satellite.21
5.4 Standardization effort.21
5.4.1 EMTEL.22
5.4.2 MESA.22
5.5 Initiatives related to SatEC all over the world.22
5.5.1 PSC forum.23
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4 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)
5.5.2 ISI.23
5.5.3 Télécom sans frontières .24
5.5.4 International Charter "Space and Major Disasters" .24
5.5.5 UNO.24
5.5.5.1 The Working Group on Emergency Telecommunications and Tampere convention .24
5.5.5.2 UNESCO/IOC/TEWS.25
6 Recommendations for future work.27
6.1 On SatEC positioning.27
6.2 Redeployment.28
6.3 Interoperability.28
6.4 Resource sharing.28
Annex A: Types of messages .29
History .31

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5 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)
Intellectual Property Rights
IPRs essential or potentially essential to the present document may have been declared to ETSI. The information
pertaining to these essential IPRs, if any, is publicly available for ETSI members and non-members, and can be found
in ETSI SR 000 314: "Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs); Essential, or potentially Essential, IPRs notified to ETSI in
respect of ETSI standards", which is available from the ETSI Secretariat. Latest updates are available on the ETSI Web
server (http://webapp.etsi.org/IPR/home.asp).
Pursuant to the ETSI IPR Policy, no investigation, including IPR searches, has been carried out by ETSI. No guarantee
can be given as to the existence of other IPRs not referenced in ETSI SR 000 314 (or the updates on the ETSI Web
server) which are, or may be, or may become, essential to the present document.
Foreword
This Technical Report (TR) has been produced by ETSI Technical Committee Satellite Earth Stations and Systems
(SES).
Introduction
Recent major catastrophes have raised awareness of the need for effective emergency telecommunication networks. For
instance:
• The Tsunami of Christmas 2004.
• Katrina hurricane.
Satellite has definitely turned out to be a cornerstone in such networks since satellites are not damaged by disasters
occurring on the surface of the earth. Beside, satellites have the capability to broadcast their signal which is helpful in
mass alert. Based on these considerations, TC SES has created in September 2006 a new working group dedicated to
Satellite Emergency Communications, namely SatEC, and requested SatEC to start its work by a survey on satellite
emergency communications.
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6 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)
1 Scope
The present document is an overview of all the resources, in a broad sense, which could contribute to the design and set
up of effective networks for emergency telecommunications, including:
• Review of Spectrum allocation and Spectrum allocation studies, regulatory situation and perspective.
• Overview of access to commercial capacity.
• Overview of present satellite emergency communication systems architectures.
• Overview of available relevant technologies, off-the-shelf technologies or promising standards.
• Standardization bodies, fora and Working groups working on the subject.
As a conclusion, the present document will provide recommendations for future work.
2 References
References are either specific (identified by date of publication and/or edition number or version number) or
non-specific.
• For a specific reference, subsequent revisions do not apply.
• Non-specific reference may be made only to a complete document or a part thereof and only in the following
cases:
- if it is accepted that it will be possible to use all future changes of the referenced document for the
purposes of the referring document;
- for informative references.
Referenced documents which are not found to be publicly available in the expected location might be found at
http://docbox.etsi.org/Reference.
For online referenced documents, information sufficient to identify and locate the source shall be provided. Preferably,
the primary source of the referenced document should be cited, in order to ensure traceability. Furthermore, the
reference should, as far as possible, remain valid for the expected life of the document. The reference shall include the
method of access to the referenced document and the full network address, with the same punctuation and use of upper
case and lower case letters.
NOTE: While any hyperlinks included in this clause were valid at the time of publication ETSI cannot guarantee
their long term validity.
2.1 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of the present document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For non-specific references, the latest edition of the referenced document
(including any amendments) applies.
Not applicable.
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7 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)
2.2 Informative references
The following referenced documents are not essential to the use of the present document but they assist the user with
regard to a particular subject area. For non-specific references, the latest version of the referenced document (including
any amendments) applies.
[i.1] ETSI TS 102 181: "Emergency Communications (EMTEL); Requirements for communication
between authorities/organizations during emergencies".
[i.2] A/CONF.184/BP/2: "Disaster Prediction, Warning and Mitigation".
[i.3] Report ITU-R Recommendation M.2033: "Radiocommunication objectives and requirements for
public protection and disaster relief".
[i.4] ETSI EN 300 421: "Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB); Framing structure, channel coding and
modulation for 11/12 GHz satellite services".
[i.5] ETSI EN 302 307: "Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB); Second generation framing structure,
channel coding and modulation systems for Broadcasting, Interactive Services, News Gathering
and other broadband satellite applications".
[i.6] ETSI TR 102 187: "Satellite Earth Stations and Systems (SES); Broadband Satellite Multimedia;
Overview of BSM families".
[i.7] ETSI EN 301 790: "Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB); Interaction channel for satellite
distribution systems".
[i.8] ETSI TR 102 444: "Emergency Communications (EMTEL); Analysis of the Short Message
Service (SMS) and Cell Broadcast Service (CBS) for Emergency Messaging applications;
Emergency Messaging; SMS and CBS".
3 Abbreviations
For the purposes of the present document, the following abbreviations apply:
AAA Authentication, Authorization, Accounting
BGAN Broadband Global Area Network
BSS Broadband Satellite Services
C Citizens
CAP Common Alerting Protocol
CEN Comité Européen de Normalization
CENELEC Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
CEPT Conférence Européenne des Postes et Télécommunications
CGC Complementary Ground Component
COLT Cell On Light Truck
DMR Digital Mobile Radio
DVB Digital Video Broadcasting
DVB-H DVB for Handheld terminals
DVB-RCS Return Channel by Satellite in a DVB-S system
DVB-RCS+M DVB-RCS as adapted to Mobiles
DVB-S DVB by Satellite
DVB-SH DVB for Handheld by Satellite
DVB-S2 DVB-S release 2
DVB-T DVB for Terrestrial television
EGNOS European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service
EIRP Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power
EMTEL EMergency TELecommunications
ESA European Space Agency
ETSI European Telecommunication Standardization Institute
EU European Union
FEC Forward Error Correction
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8 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)
FCC Federal Commission for Communications
FSS Fixed Satellite Services
G/T Gain over noise Temperature ratio
GMES Global Monitoring of Environment and Security
GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System
GPS Global Positioning System
GSM Global System for Mobiles
ICG International Coordination Group
ICT Information and Communication Technology
IOC International Oceanographic Commission
ISI Integral Satcom Initiative
IP Internet Protocol
IT Intervention Team
ITU International Telecommunication Union
ITU-R International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Sector
LA Local Authorities
LBS Location Based Services
MBMS Multimedia Broadcast and Multicast Services
MF-TDMA Multiple Frequency and Time Division Multiple Access
MPE Multi Protocol Encapsulation
NGO Non Governmental Organization
NCC Network Control Centre
PMR Private Mobile Radio
PPDR Public Protection and Disaster Relief
PSAP Public Safety Answering Point
PSC Public Safety Communication
PSTN Public Switched Telephony Network
RCST Return Channel Satellite Terminal
RR Radio Regulations
SAR Search and Rescue
SatEC Satellite Emergency Communications
SC Satellite Component
SCPC Single Channel Per Carrier
SG Study Group
TEWS Tsunami Early Warning System
TIA Telecom Industry Association
TSF Télécom Sans Frontières
UDLR Uni-Directional Link Return
UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunication System
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNO United Nations Organization
UNOCHA United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
VHF Very High Frequency
WGET Working Group on Emergency Telecommunications
WP Working Party
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9 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)
4 Position of the problem
4.1 Categories of emergency considered
According to ETSI EMTEL working group, emergency is "an urgent need for assistance or relief" (see
http://www.emtel.etsi.org). Emergencies are roughly categorized as (a) daily emergencies which are handled by regular
emergency services (fire brigades, emergency medical services, …) and (b) disaster emergencies (disasters for short)
which are "a serious disruption of the functioning of society, posing a significant, widespread threat to human life,
health, property or the environment, whether caused by accident, nature or human activity, and whether developing
suddenly or as the result of complex, long-term processes".
The examples cited in the introduction refer to disasters mainly characterized by:
• a wide area is affected;
• human lives are in danger;
• … but daily emergencies infrastructures, if available, are damaged as well and can not ensure their mission:
hospitals do not have any more power supply, roads are cut etc.;
• in particular, the terrestrial telecommunication infrastructures are not operational or not available.
Satellite was then used to connect the devastated area with infrastructure for medical care, for backing rescue teams in
general, for connecting persons with their relatives.
Satellite turn out to an unrivaled solution in case of disasters and that is why the emphasis will be put on such scenarios
in the present document. However there is a tight interlacing between disaster emergencies and daily emergencies. Both
situations share a lot of similarities in terms of organization and resources.
There will be no restriction regarding the cause of the disaster.
The present document focuses on the following phases of disaster management:
1) Preparedness should be to some extent envisaged:
- Satellite networks should be operational when some disaster occurs.
- To observe the Earth, to detect hazards at an early stage.
2) Crisis is central in the study, from break-out (decision to respond) to immediate disaster aftermath, when lives
can still be saved. Emergency response is understood as the reaction of the Society to a disaster; it should be
distinguished from the disaster itself.
3) Return to normal situation should be envisaged with provisory networks based on satellite links.
Satellite is useful in general when persons are isolated (e.g. persons living on remote islands).
It can be useful for some specific usages such as Location Based Services (LBS) or remote observation of the disaster
area.
4.2 Emergency response
Figure 1 represents the successive phases of an emergency response.
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10 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)

Figure 1: Emergency response state diagram
The reasons for the transition from one state to the next one are not in the scope of SatEC's work. This state diagram
just intends to highlight the need for telecommunications in the different states of the emergency response.
4.2.1 Vigilance and anomaly assessment
The vigilance system has two main functions:
• Detection and location of anomaly and possible disaster threats.
• Communication between and, in case, alert to authorities with a view to assess the situation and take any
appropriate decision including the launch of an alert. This communication can be extended to professionals
such as the responsible of industrial plants or of big meeting places who have a professional need to be
advertised of the threat in advance.
Detection of a hazard may be done by several means:
• Emergency call: this is the case where a Citizen is calling a dedicated Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP)
e.g. dialling 112 in Europe to witness of the outbreak of a hazard.
• Systematic watch by professionals e.g. helicopters flying over forests in summertime to detect fires. Satellite
can play a role to that respect by means of observation and scientific satellites. A typical case when satellites
can detect hazards prior to any other means is meteorological hazards.
• Sensors involved in a complex network with machine-to-machine connections. Sensors are useful in places
where human being can not go (nuclear reactor) or actually rarely goes (water level sensor upward a river to
detect inundations). Satellite is then a relevant solution to connect the sensors to an expertise centre.
As for location, satellite is nowadays the best means to provide the geographical coordinates of any object thanks to
GNSS and GPS/Galileo/Glonass constellations. The idea is to have terrestrial sensors coupled with a
GPS/Galileo/Glonass sensor; for example a so-called "tsunameter" which sends its coordinates when it is overwhelmed.
Vigilance is part of a wider phase called "preparedness" which includes:
• Maintenance of the system.
An emergency system should be ready to start at any time. To that end, it should be tested at regular time intervals in
quiet times from end to end.
• Training and education of authorities, rescue teams and citizens.
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11 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)
4.2.2 Alert
There are basically two kinds of alert: alert to authorities (which can be extended to some professionals) and alert to
citizens; the requirements are not the same.
Following the example of the International Oceanographic Commission (IOC), the concept of Early Warning is
introduced. Early Warning means that there is an evidence of an abnormal situation but that is has not yet turned to a
hazard. IOC suggests to disseminate an Early Warning of a tsunami when the seismographs reveal abnormal activity in
critical places; and to disseminate an Alert once and only once a big wave has risen.
Note that when the tsunami begins to rise, far abroad from coasts, there is still time to respond efficiently.
Alert makes sense if and only if there is a delay between the very break out of the hazard and the damages it could
cause which leaves time to people to escape.
Alert to citizens is always the authorities' responsibility since they are the only one who can clearly appreciate the
danger depending on local circumstances.
Deciding that the situation is critical may be taken at governmental, national level. This is the case for examples for
earthquakes in all European countries.
In every stage, satellite could be an efficient way to propagate alert to the citizens. Mass Alert could be a typical
mission of a satellite based emergency system.
4.2.3 Operations
4.2.3.1 Involved parties
This clause lists the involved parties in an emergency operation as well as the communication flows. In the discussion,
the following terms are used:
• Fixed: the telecommunications equipment can be pre-installed at a given place (typically a coordination
center).
• Transportable: the telecommunication equipment will be set up in a place not known in advance, still during
the time of the crisis it will be fixed or – at least – will not have to be operating while being moved.
• Mobile: the telecommunications equipment will possible be operated while moving.
In a situation of crisis the involved parties can be classified in the following way:
• The administration authorities (fixed): the local, regional or national authorities which are responsible for
rescue operations.
• The temporary task force for coordination (fixed): an ad-hoc task force set up for coordination purposes and
featuring representatives of all the disciplines on the field. This task force is usually located far from the field
in direct contact with the administration authorities. If necessary, a field task force (transportable) may be set
up closer to the field which coordinates with the (back) coordination task force.
• The emergency control centre (fixed): each center coordinates the rescue means of a given discipline during
daily operations. As soon as the emergency – daily or not – reaches a critical mass in terms of engaged
resources, field emergency control centres (transportable) are deployed close to the field.
• The rescue teams (mobile): teams in charge of rescuing Citizen in danger, preventing hazard extension or any
time critical mission just after the break out of the crisis; in charge of caring injured people once the crisis is
over.
• The citizens (fixed and mobile): the citizens are directly or indirectly affected by the disaster. They rely on
telecommunications means in order to be informed of situation, get in touch with their (injured) relatives etc.
• Additional infrastructure specific to the emergency situation (fixed hospitals, energy and telecommunication
operators etc.)
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12 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)
Figure 2 shows the communication flows that are likely to take place among the parties. This graph is inspired from
TS 102 181 [i.1] but tries in addition to highlight the difference between operational authority and employer authority.
For example a fireman could have to report to the Field Temporary Task Force for Coordination and to its ordinary
Control Centre. By the way, it shows the need for connections.
Administration
Citizens
authorities
Fixed hospitals, Temporary Emergency
energy & telco task force for control centres
operators, … coordination discipline a
Emergency
control centres
discipline b
Field
Temporary
task force for
coordination
Field Field
emergency emergency
control centres control centres
discipline a discipline b
Rescue teams Rescue teams
FIELD
discipline a discipline b
Figure 2: Communication flow among involved parties in case of disaster emergency
An example of the types of messages that could be exchanged within this flow is given in annex A.
4.2.3.2 Coordination and support of rescue Teams
Coordination of rescue teams begins when the crisis breaks out. The authorities alert them just before the population
and then hand over supervision to task forces for coordination and emergency control centres.
Later on, field structures (task force for coordination, emergency control centres) still receive instructions from their
back structures. In general, instructions are transmitted through a back-up network made up by a satellite terminal
which links the disaster field to terrestrial backbones.
It is worth to create a "cell" surrounding the field within which rescue teams communicate by terrestrial mobile radio
means. It is a very flexible solution based on a lot of radio mobile communication devices that could be packed in a
container and transported to the field of operations by helicopter or any other means. In such a communication cell, one
could for example recreate a GSM communication cell by means of a mini Base Transceiver Station linked to a Mobile
Switch Centre of any operator. Other technologies are possible too (e.g. Wi-Fi, WiMAX, TETRA, UMTS, analog PMR,
DMR).
ETSI
Field & near field
Back
0-10 km
10-1000s km
13 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)
Link with
infrastructure
Health Centre
Risk Centre
Intervention
Teams
Local wireless communication cell

Figure 3: Communication between Intervention Teams and backing infrastructures
4.2.3.3 Information feedback from the field of operations
Intervention Teams return information to Local authorities, to the on-the-Field Risk Management Centre, to any
additional infrastructure about the situation and request for help. They use one and the same network for receiving
instructions and returning feedback.
Note that this is the general case with an outpost on the field. But in the case there is no outpost, direct communication
with backing infrastructure should be possible (e.g. scouting operations).
4.2.4 Return to normal situation
At that point, the crisis is over and the situation has come back to a stable and livable point. The ordinary networks are
down and it is necessary to set up a network able to work on a regular basis.
The main functions of the network are as follows:
• to coordinate rescue teams and to return feedback from the field which is still necessary at that point;
• as far as possible to enable the same services as before the crisis and to offer public access.
The architecture may be the same as the one outlined above with a satellite link but the network should be more stable
and powerful.
4.3 Method of distribution
4.3.1 Unicast
Support, Requests, Reports are unicast messages.
Instructions may be unicast messages.
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14 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)
4.3.2 Multicast
Multicast is in essence dissemination of a message to a selected group of users.
Targeted Alerts, Instructions are multicast messages.
4.3.3 Broadcast
Alert to the citizens is a broadcast message i.e. this message targets everyone.
4.4 Nature of the content (operations)
There may be different types of contents justifying the use of different communication technologies. The goal of this
clause is to refine this analysis.
4.4.1 Basic signals
The use of very basic signals has proven effective in Emergency Calls (SOS) or Broadcast Alert (stressing sounds,
flashing lights).
4.4.2 Speech
Speech is the minimum that all involved parties demand. It is the most common medium of interaction.
4.4.3 Video teleconferencing
It is useful:
• to provide Support to Intervention teams for example by demonstrating how to practice emergency surgery or
handling of dangerous substances;
• for intervention teams to report on what is going on around them.
4.4.4 Images
Images e.g. maps are an important type of content.
4.4.5 Data
Data covers all the remaining cases of digital communications: short text messages, location data, triage data etc.
Data communication is useful when very specific information is required e.g. blood typing. It seems relevant for
communicating the output of sensors (which can be analysed as a Report message).
5 Review of resource to cope with the need
5.1 Operational emergency networks using satellite
5.1.1 Experience of Katrina Hurricane
Though this experience was extreme, it has highlighted the importance of satellite telecommunication during the relief
of a disaster. This clause gathers return of experience about it.
As one could have predicted, satellite cell phones (from Globalstar) were the telecom device that kept the best service.
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15 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)
Sprint operator deployed so-called COLTs (Cells On Light Trucks), a concept very similar to that described in
clause 4.2.3.2.
An interesting initiative consisted for Bell South to redirect incoming phone calls to a voice mail system giving the
ability to people to consult them at a later time, once they could do it. This gave a contact point to relatives and
insurance companies.
Old-fashioned walkies-talkies remain a must for communications on the field with more pros than cons: easiness to use,
no third party (operator) involved, no need for license; as for cons, poor services (only analog voice) and possible
interference with other users.
Wi-Fi and WiMAX were being deployed initially to support relief efforts but served then to enable basic services and
make a link between people struck by the disaster and their relatives. WiMAX has been used to feed Wi-Fi hot spots.
The FCC has been instrumental in coordinating and easing the work of Wireless Internet Services Providers.
The first point was not to restore the networks as they were; people were gathered in provisory shelters and the priority
is to supply them with telecommunication services.
It turned out that the biggest problem for telecommunication within the area hit by the hurricane or between this area
and the rest of the world was electrical power. To cope with that, operators had delivered fuel provisions in advance.
5.1.2 Cospas/Sarsat system
Cospas-Sarsat is a satellite system designed to provide distress alert and location data to assist search and rescue (SAR)
operations, whether at sea, in the air or on land, using spacecraft and ground facilities to detect and locate the signals of
distress beacons.
This satellite system was initially developed under a Memorandum of Understanding among Agencies of the former
USSR, USA, Canada and France, signed in 1979.
The System was then declared operational in 1985 following the successful completion of the demonstration and
evaluation phase. On 1 July 1988, the four States providing the space segment signed the International Cospas-Sarsat
Programme Agreement which ensures the continuity of the System and its availability to all States on a non-
discriminatory basis. In January 1992, the government of Russia assumed responsibility for the obligations of the
former Soviet Union. A number of States, Non-Parties to the Agreement, have also associated themselves with the
Programme and participate in the operation and the management of the System.
Crafts or persons in distress emit a beacon either at the 121,5 MHz frequency (first frequency available historically for
this purpose) or at 406 MHz frequency (offering better performances). This signal is captured by near polar orbit
satellites (geostationary satellites have proven to be capable to provide the service as well) then forwarded to the
appropriate Search and Rescue Point of Contact through the Cospas-Sarsat Mission Control Centres network.
Since 1982, the System has been used for thousands of SAR events and has been instrumental in the rescue of over
20 000 lives worldwide.
5.2 Relevant Regulations
5.2.1 ITU-R and other regulation bodies
Radio spectrum, either dedicated to satellite or not, is managed all over the world according to a set of rules called the
Radio Regulations (RR). These RR have the value of an international treaty and are compelling for the signatories.
Administrations negotiate and establish the RR within the Radiocommunication sector of the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU-R), an international body attached to UNO and based in Geneva.
Within ITU-R, the work is organized by Study Groups. Let us quote the definition of Study Groups as it is stated by
ITU-R itself:
"ITU-R Study Groups are established and assigned study Questions by a Radiocommunication Assembly to prepare
draft Recommendations for approval by ITU Member States."
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16 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)
There are study groups specializing in the following areas:
• SG 1 Spectrum management;
• SG 3 Radiowave propagation;
• SG 4 Satellite Services;
• SG 5 Terrestrial Services;
• SG 6 Broadcasting Service;
• SG 7 Science Services.
"Subgroups, such as Working Parties (WP) and Task Groups (TG) are established to study the Questions assigned to the
different Study Groups. This structure allows smaller entities to select the areas of competence to which they wish to
contribute."
The reader is referred to ITU-R literature for further details.
Study groups whose work is relevant for emergency satellite communications are SGs 1, 4, 6 and 7.
Among the different services, satellite services have a special status since space is a no man's land: they are not
submitted to control by any national authority (see below). They are only subject to agreements between satellite
operators (or specifically Administrations acting on behalf of them). An other essential duty of ITU-R is to organize the
agreeing procedure, called frequency coordination, by fixing the rules for it, by recording requests for frequencies and
eventually recording the agreements between operators.
National Administrations through their National Regulatory Authority control terrestrial radiocommunications in their
territory in the sense that they allow or forbid emissions. They are concerned with space communications as far as these
may interfere with (or be subject to interference from) terrestrial communications; in particular, they control Earth
stations.
CEPT countries have felt the need to coordinate frequency usage between them. They have created the European
Radiocommunication Office (ERO) which works on harmonization measures; it edicts decisions and recommendations
consistent with ITU-R rules but restricted to the European continent.
This regulatory issue is critical for example when several countries are affected by one disaster.
5.2.2 Regions of concern
This survey is valid for the whole world unless otherwise specified.
5.2.3 Services of concern
5.2.3.1 The concept of service in ITU-R
The ITU-R regulation rules define a service as follows:
"radiocommunication service: A service (…) involving the transmission, emission and/or reception of radio waves for
specific telecommunication purposes."
When there is no ambiguity, we will speak of service in place of radiocommunication service.
Formally, a service is fully defined by:
• a set of frequency bands;
• a certain power flux distribution (an antenna diagram) which constrains emission in certain directions and
prevents interference in certain other ones in these bandwidths.
A service is associated a number of tasks that all devices declared as operating in this service should carry on. In
common sense, the word service refers to such a set of tasks.
ETSI
17 ETSI TR 102 641 V1.1.1 (2008-08)
5.2.3.2 Relevant services
A number of services are relevant in emergency communications (based on satellite or not). They are listed on ITU-R
web site (http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/) and can be found out by launching a search on the word emergency. The list is
reproduced here below.
Disaster phases Major radiocommunication services Major tasks of radiocommunication
involved services
Prediction and Detection • Meteorological services Weather and climate prediction. Detection
and tracking of earthquakes, tsunamis
(meteorological aids and
hurricanes, typhoons, forest fires, oil leaks
meteorological-satellite
service) etc. Providing warning information
• Earth exploration-satellite
service
Alerting
Amateur services Receiving and distributing alert messages
Broadcasting services terrestrial and Disseminating alert messages and advice to
satellite (radio, television, etc.) large sections of the public

Fixed services terrestrial and satellite Delivering alert messages and instructions
to telecommunication centres for further
dissemination to public
Mobile services (land, satellite, Distributing alert messages and advice to
maritime services, etc.) individuals
Relief Amateur services Assisting in organizing relief operations in
areas (especially when other services are
still not operational)
Broadcasting services terrestrial and Coordination of relief activities by
satellite (radio, television, etc.) disseminating information from relief
planning teams to population
Earth exploration-satellite service Assessment of damage and providing
information for planning relief activities

Fixed services terrestrial and satellite Exchange of information between different
teams/groups for planning and coordination
relief activities
Mobile services (land, satellite, Exchange of information between

maritime services, etc.) individuals and/or groups of people involved
in relief activities
5.3 Available technology and commercial access
This clause discusses the actual means to
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