The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) accepted the proposal for a unique orbital position located at 26.7ºW and radio frequency channels for future satellite networks of the Republic of Serbia in the Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) and the Broadcast Satellite Service (BSS).

According to the Radio Regulations, certain radio frequency bands, allocated to the satellite service, are used for the development of satellite Plans, namely: the Fixed-Satellite Service Allotment Plan – Appendix 30B and the Broadcasting-Satellite Service and Associated Feeder Link Allotment Plan – Appendices 30&30A. The Republic of Serbia, as an ITU member state, is entitled to the assignment of geostationary satellite orbits and corresponding radio frequency channels, as well as having its future satellite network registered in the appropriate plan (without any time obligation as to the putting into operation of the satellite network).

The current situation regarding Appendix 30B and Appendices 30&30A for the Republic of Serbia is the following:

1. Within Appendix 30B, the Republic of Serbia has no registered allotment. Within this plan, there is a network in orbital position 43.04ºE, shared currently by the countries of the region (allotment made for the former SFR Yugoslavia). After the unique orbital position is assigned to the Republic of Serbia and following its registration in the Appendix 30B Plan, the Republic of Serbia will be excluded from the above shared allotment.
2. Within Appendices 30&30A, the Republic of Serbia has one assigned orbital position at 7ºW, including the right to use 10 radio frequency channels of bandwidth 27 MHz (with an extremely unfavorable equivalent protection margin).

One of the outcomes of the World Radio Communication Conference (WRC-19) was a change to Annex 7, namely the Appendices 30&30A, enabling certain administrations, among which the Republic of Serbia, to apply for new assignments in orbital positions from 37ºW to 10ºE, which have not been available so far. A new Resolution 559 (COM5/3) was adopted at the Conference, prescribing the manner of application, including the submittal of data for a new satellite network, both for downlink and feeder links simultaneously.

Based on the current situation regarding satellite allotments and assignments for the Republic of Serbia and the adopted reguations, an objective was set by the Agency for the Republic of Serbia to seek to be assigned one same orbital position for both of the Plans (Appendices 30&30A and Appendix 30B), which would entail important benefits during implementation and exploitation. Following a months-long analysis and assessment of possible interferences of the future network of the Republic of Serbia with the existing satellite networks in the Plan/List, along with direct communication with the colleagues from the ITU, a proposal for our networks’ orbital positions and radio frequency channels was shaped. The performed analyses resulted in a proposal of a unique orbital position at 26.7ºW for the Republic of Serbia, officially submitted to the ITU and subsequently published (Submissions received under Resolution 559 [COM5/3] (WRC-19): https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/space/plans/Pages/Orbital_Pos_AI14_WRC19.aspx

The new network of the Republic of Serbia SRB00000 in the Appendix 30B Plan (published in BR IFIC No. 2936, on December 22, 2020) has orbital position 26.7ºW and a frequency band of 800 MHz, and the new network SRB_BSS in the Appendices 30&30A Plan (published in BR IFIC No. 2932, on October 27, 2020) is assigned the same orbital position 26.7ºW, with a frequency band of 270 MHz.

The acceptance of our proposal by the ITU and assignment of one same orbital position for both the FSS Plan (Appendix 30B) and BSS Plan (Appendices 30&30A) is of significance primarily because of the financial effect, whether the Republic of Serbia wants to set up its own satellite in the foreseeable future or wishes to lease its resources to another entity. It is far more affordable to set up one satellite for the whole frequency spectrum assigned to the FSS Plan (Appendix 30B) and the BSS Plan (Appendices 30&30A) (800 MHz + 270 MHz), instead of two satellites for two separate orbital positions and corresponding frequency bandwidths, taking into account that the equipment price and launching costs per satellite are in the range of 200 to 400 million US dollars.

Following the publishing date of the networks of the Republic of Serbia in BR IFIC, a coordination process was initiated with the administrations of the countries affected by our allotments and assignments. The degraded networks provide comments at our request, in the process of which the configurations are harmonized (the Republic of Serbia shall keep its former orbital position at 7°W, in the Appendices 30&30A Plan, until a new proposed configuration is assigned, and which shall also remain reserved for the Republic of Serbia, until registered into the Plan).

Along with the coordination process, the Agency has started the process of contribution preparation for the ITU WP4A group (Efficient orbit/spectrum utilization for FSS and BSS). The aim of this contribution is to amend the international regulation, namely the rules of coordination in the allotment process within the FSS Plan (Appendix 30B), in order to introduce less restrictive criteria for new applicant countries wishing to register in the Plan. We also expect the other new applicant countries to sign this contribution, since they have a common interest. If the proposition is accepted by the WP4A group, which is to meet in July 2021, the contribution will be submitted for adoption at the next World Radiocommunication Conference in 2023 (WRC-23).