The electronic version (PDF) of this article was scanned by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Library & Archives Service. Journal Title: Telecommunication Journal Journal Issue: Vol. 54, no. 12(1987) Article Title: The Mobile services conference. Page number(s): pp. 779-782 QDDQD®DQ MMflasB The Mobile Services Conference he World Administrative Radio Conference for the mobile services (MOB-87), Purposes of the Conference T which started at the Geneva International Conference Centre (CICG) on 14 September 1987 (see the Telecommunication Journal, November 1987, pages 720- The Conference had the task of examin­ 722) completed its work on 17 October with the signing of the Final Acts. ing and, where appropriate, revising the provisions of the Radio Regulations governing the mobile services, the mobile-satellite services and the radio- More than 800 delegates from 108 coun­ Vergara (Argentina), Z Song (China), navigation-satellite and radiodetermina- tries attended this Conference, together H. A. Kieffer (Switzerland), A. Toumi tion-satellite services with a view to the with observers representing the follow­ (Morocco), D. J. Markey (United horizon of the year 2000, while bearing ing organizations: United Nations, States) and Y. A. Tolmachev (USSR). in mind the requirements and inte­ International Civil Aviation Organiz­ rests of all countries, both developed or ation (ICAO), International Maritime developing. Organization (IMO), World Meteoro­ logical Organization (WMO), European Conference of Postal and Telecommuni­ Results of the Conference cations Administrations (CEPT), Arab Telecommunication Union (ATU), Pan The results of the Conference are African Telecommunications Union contained in the Final Acts, amounting (PATU), Agency for the Safety of Air to some 400 pages. Navigation in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA), European Space Agency (ESA), International Air Transport Questions relating to distress and safety Association (IATA), International Asso­ at sea ciation of Lighthouse Authorities One of the main items on the agenda of (IALA), International Chamber of Ship­ this Conference was to follow up the ping (ICS), International Committee of provisional or experimental measures the Red Cross (ICRC), International adopted by the World Administrative Maritime Radio Committee (CIRM), Radio Conference for the mobile International Electrotechnical Commis­ services, 1983, concerning the proposed sion (IEC), International Transport Global Maritime Distress and Safety Workers' Federation (ITF), Internati­ System (GMDSS) developed by IMO, onal Maritime Satellite Organization with which ICAO is concerned and for (INMARSAT), International Telecom­ munications Satellite Organization which the International Radio Consulta­ (INTELSAT), International Society for tive Committee (CCIR) has carried out Aeronautical Telecommunications studies in the field of radio. (SITA) and International Amateur In this connection, Chapter IX of the Radio Union (IARU). Radio Regulations, dealing with distress 870177 and safety communications, was revised Mr J. W. Egan (Canada) was elected in order to delete the provisions relating Chairman of the Conference, the six Signature of the Final Acts: M. C. T. to frequencies and applicable to Vice-Chairmen being: Messrs H. J. Ndiongue (Senegal) the GMDSS. TELECOMMUNICATION JOURNAL - VOL. 54 - XIII1987 779 A new Chapter IX dealing with distress mobile-satellite service were re­ earth stations using the frequencies and and safety communications in the examined and modified according to techniques prescribed for distress and GMDSS was established containing all requirements in the following particular safety communications and for public the provisions with a specific bearing on fields: operator certificates, personnel of correspondence. It also established four the GMDSS: aeronautical stations and aeronautical new categories of certificates for the earth stations, station operating periods, personnel of ship stations and ship earth - general provisions; communications of aircraft stations with stations using the frequencies and tech­ - frequencies for distress and safety stations of the maritime mobile service niques prescribed for distress and safety and the maritime mobile-satellite communications in the GMDSS and for communications in the GMDSS; service. public correspondence: first- and - operational procedures for distress second-class radio electronic certifi­ and safety communications in The general procedure for communica­ cates, general operator's certificate and the GMDSS; tions in the aeronautical mobile service restricted operator certificate. It estab­ lished the conditions for obtaining these - operational procedures for urgency was completely reviewed. certificates and fixed the class and and safety communications in minimum number of personnel in ship the GMDSS; Finally, the Conference adopted provi­ sions which will enable the evolution of stations and ship earth stations. - alert signals. public correspondence with aircraft (APC) in the frequency bands allocated MOB-87 adopted conditions to be In the service documents, the List of to the aeronautical (R) mobile service fulfilled by ship stations using narrow­ coast stations will contain a list of coast (national or international civil aviation band direct-printing telegraphy. It stations and coast earth stations taking routes), with first priority always to be revised, in their entirety, the provisions part in the GMDSS. The Conference given to safety traffic and flight regular­ governing the use of frequencies in the also decided on the documents to be ity communications. The Conference maritime mobile service to allow for the supplied to ship stations compulsorily adopted two Resolutions for public increasing use of automatic narrow-band equipped with a GMDSS installation correspondence, one relating to the direct-printing telegraphy (international under the terms of an international development of a global system of public NAVTEX system) and the new bands agreement. correspondence with aircraft, and the available in the VHF range. other concerning the use of the frequ­ A number of Resolutions were adopted, ency bands allocated to this service. relating in particular to: The procedure for selective calling in the maritime mobile service was studied - the introduction of provisions for the with a particular view to permitting the GMDSS and the continuation ofthe development of digital selective calling. Maritime mobile and maritime mobile- existing distress and safety provi­ (Selective calling implies the allocation satellite services sions; to each ship of a coded signal similar to a The Conference accomplished a consi­ telephone number, which belongs to - the study and implementation of a derable task of updating the provisions that ship, and the provision of an auto­ global land and maritime safety governing the maritime mobile and matic receiver which responds to the system; maritime mobile-satellite services in the transmission of this coded signal by a - the co-ordination of the use of light of technical progress (decreasing calling station.) Procedures were estab­ HF maritime mobile frequencies for importance of Morse telegraphy in lished in particular for digital selective broadcast of high seas marine safety favour of narrow-band direct-printing calling. information; telegraphy and selective calling) coupled with the increasing use of radio- The general radiotelephony procedure - the coast stations and coast earth telephony and also in the light ofthe fact in the maritime mobile service was like­ stations assuming watch-keeping that the World Administrative Radio wise reviewed, together with the ques­ responsibilities on certain frequen­ Conference (WARC-79) allocated new tion of accounting. On the latter subject, cies in connection with the imple­ HF frequencies to the maritime mobile a Resolution was passed relating to the mentation of distress and safety service. inclusion in the new Telecommunica­ communications for the GMDSS. tion Regulations to be adopted by the The Conference revised Article 55 relat­ World Administrative Telegraph and ing to the certificates ofthe personnel of Telephone Conference (Melbourne, Aeronautical mobile service and aeronau­ ship stations and ship earth stations, 1988) of provisions governing charging tical mobile-satellite service maintaining the classes of certificate and and accounting for maritime radiocom­ The provisions governing the aeronauti­ conditions for obtaining certificates for munications in the maritime mobile cal mobile service and the aeronautical the operators of ship stations and ship service and the mobile-satellite service 780 TELECOMMUNICATION JOURNAL - VOL. 54 • X11I1987 except for distress and safety communi­ links associated with this service as various abbreviations and signals for cations. operated in the bands 1610-1626 MHz or the maritime mobile service 2483.5-2500 MHz. (Appendix 14); tables of frequencies for various Land mobile service Technical cooperation bands used in the maritime mobile Chapter XII of the Radio Regulations, The Conference reviewed the Resolu­ service (Appendices 16 and 18); hitherto entitled "Land mobile service", tion contained in the Radio Regulations equipment characteristics (transmit­ will henceforth be called "Land mobile on technical cooperation with the devel­ service and land mobile-satellite ters, receivers) (Appendices 17, 19 oping countries in connection with mari­ and 20); service". A section has been inserted time telecommunications,