INPUT
International Resolution Benefits Wireless
Microphone Operators
By Joe Ciaudelli
Joe Ciaudelli, Sennheiser’s Director of Spectrum
Affairs, was selected to be a member of the U.S.
State Department delegation to the Interna-
tional Radiocommunication Assembly, leading
the effort to enact Resolution ITU-R 59 that
could prove highly beneficial to future wireless
microphone operations. This article explains the
process and significance of the Resolution.
E
very three to five years, government
delegations from around the globe
gather at the Radiocommunication
Assembly (RA) and World Radio-
communication Conference (WRC)
conducted by the International Telecommu-
nications Union (ITU) – the United Nations
(U.N.)’s specialized agency for information and
communication technologies.
Their mission is to review emerging tech-
nologies, negotiate use of radio frequencies
(RF) that enable wireless devices, harmonize
frequency bands to specific applications, and
codify binding international treaties. This fa-
cilitates cross-border, interference-free wireless
communications among different services such
as broadcasting, live events, mobile broadband,
satellite, aviation, ship-to-shore, public safety,
and new applications such as smart cars.
This year, these events, designated RA-19
and WRC-19, took place from October 21 to
November 22 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. A pri-
mary issue at RA-19 was Resolution ITU-R 59.
Calling for harmonization of radio frequency
bands used for electronic news gathering
(ENG) and related content, Resolution ITU-R
59 is the fruit of a multi-year collective effort
by audio industry manufacturers, associations,
and thought leaders.
With their support, Sennheiser has been
active in the relevant ITU working parties during
the past four years leading up to RA-19/WRC-
19, contributing technical reports and recom-
mendations that document the exponential
growth of news and entertainment program-
ming during this era when radio frequency
spectrum available for wireless microphones
has been constrained.
Within the U.S. ITU delegation, many prac-
tical solutions developed through industry col-
laboration with the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) were integrated into ITU
reports and recommendations. These include
allowing wireless microphones to operate
in suitable alternate frequency bands and
refining regulations that factor in real-world
conditions, such as permitting wireless mi-
crophone transmission on channels used for
TV broadcast if the local terrain or building
shielding makes such operation feasible. These
efforts were reinforced in Europe through the
ITU delegation from Germany and the As-
sociation of Professional Wireless Production
Technology (APWPT).
ITU reports, recommendations, and reso-
lutions become global standards. Their ratifi-
cation is very difficult and time-consuming
because they require full consensus at every
stage. They must be reviewed and approved
without objections, first domestically by the
U.S. delegation comprised of the FCC, the
National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA), the U.S. State Depart-
ment, and private sector delegates from indus-
tries that often have conflicting interests other
than those of the content creation industries.
A convincing point is the preeminent role
that content creation plays in the economic
vibrancy of the nation. The U.S. is the undis-
puted leader in TV/radio broadcasting, motion
pictures, professional sports, performing arts,
and other live cultural events. Copyrighted
programming contributes well over $1 trillion
to the U.S. economy, supports more than five
million high-paying jobs, and has the highest
export-to-import ratio of any American-made
product or service.
Wireless microphones are indispensable
tools that fuel this ecosystem. In promoting
Resolution ITU-R 59 in particular, the fact that
electronic news gathering is an essential service
during emergency situations such as natural di-
sasters was emphasized. At such times, wireless
microphones are the front end of a broadcast
chain that delivers life-critical information to
the public. Regional and global harmonization
is essential for spontaneous cross-border news-
worthy events and will benefit any production
team that operates internationally.
If consensus for a proposed ITU contribu-
tion is gained within the U.S. delegation, it
is submitted to the ITU for debate, possible
refinement, and (hopefully) adoption by the
entire 200-plus members of this U.N. agency.
International approval of a contribution is an
extremely high hurdle because it is scrutinized
through the ears and eyes of the gamut of
global viewpoints.
The U.S. proposal for Resolution ITU-R 59
was vigorously debated during the Radiocom-
munication Assembly with points raised by
many administrations, including the Russian
Federation, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom,
and Australia. In the end, the proposal from
the U.S. was ratified with only minor edits.
Resolution ITU 59-2 now instructs the ITU to
post a publicly-accessible database of links to
the relevant regulatory information regarding
wireless microphones from the U.N. member
nations. It also calls for charts and other docu-
mentation that will aid in harmonization of
permitted frequency bands among countries.
The next step is to encourage other
countries to contribute their information for
inclusion in the ITU database. The ITU only ac-
cepts information about a country if it comes
directly from that country’s administration.
Wide international participation throughout
the four-year study cycle leading up to the
next RA and WRC in 2023 will be a key ele-
ment to harmonization. Towards that goal, an
informational technical paper was presented
through the U.S. State Department delega-
tion to the conference of the Inter-American
Telecommunications Commission (CITEL) that
took place in August. CITEL is a regional coali-
tion for North, Central, and South America that
forms ITU proposals with consensus from the
Americas. It’s noteworthy that Canada recently
finalized a proceeding that largely harmonizes
wireless microphone operation with the U.S.,
including portions of the 941.5-960 MHz band.
Also, an invitation to provide the information
for the ITU database was distributed to the
member nations attending WRC-19.
This is all part of a grassroots effort by a
wide variety of stakeholders within the con-
tent creation industries. Milestones such as
this resolution would not have been achieved
without the backing of individuals and asso-
ciations who included their names in industry
petitions or, better yet, wrote to the FCC, State
Department, or their elected officials directly.
PROFESSIONAL SOUND 9