Future public land mobile telecommunication systems

In March 1992, the World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), identified global bands 1885-2025 and 2110-2200 MHz for future public land mobile telecommunication systems (FPLMTSs), including 1980-2010 and 2170-2200 MHz for the mobile satellite component. The potential for all FPLMTS radio interfaces to be in the same band provides a strong incentive for trying to maximize the commonality between the satellite and terrestrial component of FPLMTSs. This would simplify multimode mobile equipment and also greatly increase the utility of FPLMTSs for the provision of basic telecommunication needs in underdeveloped regions of the world. Extension of integrated voice, video and data telecommunications to a person rather than a place will have a dramatic effect on everyday life, and on the organizations which currently provide these services. The author outlines some of the international standards work in this area being carried out by the International Radio Consultative Committee/International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCIR/CCITT), in particular that of CCIR TG8/1 (formerly IWP8/13) on FPLMTS.