The 1977 WARC on Broadcasting Satellites: Spectrum Management Aspects and Implications

Broadcasting satellites are allocated as a primary service in the band 11.7-12.2 GHz (11.7-12.5 GHz in Europe, Africa, and the USSR), but the band is also allocated on a primary basis (equal sharing) to other services-fixed, mobile, broadcasting, and fixed satellite. Presented with these difficult sharing situations, delegates from over 100 countries met at an ITU World Administrative Radio Conference in 1977 to develop a plan for broadcasting satellites. Many nations wanted a plan that would assign to them now, reserved orbital locations and channel assignments for their future use. Other countries wanted a plan adopted now for future broadcasting satellites which assigned specific channels to specific areas on the ground so that they could use the remaining frequencies to provide terrestrial service right away. This paper describes the "Plan" developed at the conference and points out how the principles of spectrum management were employed. It also discusses the implications for future international management of the spectrum growing out of this meeting.