Philippine amateurs may lose 70cm

Here is an email posted to the AMSAT-BB reflector from Eddie DU1EV and beneath it a report issued by the WIA.

I attended a public hearing at our national telecommunications commission (NTC) to oppose the allocation of several ham frequencies for wifi access.

As I see it, if 430 MHz and 2.4 GHz are allocated for broadband access it might be picked up by amateur satellites and hamper (render impossible) our communications via satellite.

Please visit http://www.ntc.gov.ph/ then click on "what's new" and click on "frequency band allocation for broadband wireless access"

During the hearing, the NTC said that it will receive comments up to 22 July 2005 (0900z).

If you are interested in opposing the said circular, may I request that you send a letter to ntc@ntc.gov.ph

I would appreciate receiving a copy of your letter at du1ev at amsat.org

If your National Society can also oppose this, I would appreciate it.

73
Eddie
DU1EV
--
EDUARDO VICTOR J. VALDEZ, ESQ. (EDDIE)
DU1EV N9EV JA1DHB
telephone: +63.917.814.2038
email: du1ev at amsat.org

WIA Report:

Phillippine Amateurs May Lose 70cm

Hams in the Philippines are wondering how long it will be before they are ordered off of the 70 centimeter band. This, after that nations National Telecommunications Commission announces the inclusion of all of that band in spectrum it is considering being made available for broadband wireless networks.

The regulatory agency made the suggestion in a Memorandum titled "Frequency Band Allocations for Broadband Wireless Access." The surprise was the inclusion of 410 to 495MHz in nine bands. This includes the Amateur and Amateur Satellite spectrum including the internationally agreed-to allocations.

Jose Mari Gonzalez, DU1JMG, is the Manilla based president of PARA which is the Philippines national Amateur Radio society. He says that PARA opposes both the memorandum and the potential loss of 70 centimeters. He notes that 430 to 440 MHz includes the international amateur satellite band. He says that if and when the Philippines National Telecommunications Council decides to remove 70 cms access from ham radio that his organization will file an official complaint to the IARU.

This would likely lead to a complaint by the IARU to the International Telecommunications Union that would hopefully warn the NTC not to change the internationally agreed frequency allocations.

For its part, the Philippines National Telecommunications Council says it proposes to reallocate spectrum for broadband wireless networks in line with the thrust of the government to promote and facilitate the development of information and communications technology. Right now only about 5% of the population in The Philippines has access to the Internet, much less broadband, and this is partly due to the lack of infrastructure.

(WIA. VK3PC)

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