Amateur Radio organisations including the UK Microwave Group, AMSAT-UK, BATC, RSGB and the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society (CARS) have put in a considerable amount of work over the last two years in responding to a number of consultations on UWB carried out by both the UK Regulator Ofcom and European Radiocommunications Office (ERO). 

The decision of the European Commission (EC) regarding Ultra-Wideband (UWB) is now available on the web as a PDF file. 

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2007/l_055/l_05520070223en00330036.pdf

Radio Amateurs opposed the use of UWB on frequencies below 6 GHz and the European Commission appears to agree with some of their concerns. In the decision the EC say

"The conditions in the 4,2 to 4,8 GHz band for equipment using ultra-wideband technology without appropriate mitigation techniques should be time limited and be replaced by more restrictive conditions beyond the date of 31 December 2010, because there is an expectation that equipment of this type should operate exclusively above 6 GHz in the longer term."

The wording does, however, leave the door open for some form of UWB below 6 GHz beyond that date  using mitigation techniques, so the situation will need to be kept under review. 

European Commission Information Society Reference Documents

http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/radio_spectrum/ref_documents/index_en.htm

Ofcom Proposals for Ultra-Wideband Wireless Services (Jan 2005)

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/jan2005/uwb.htm

Summary of Ofcom's UWB responses (March 2005)

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/mar2005/uwb_responses.htm

Ofcoms UWB Consultation (June 2005)

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/jun2005/uwb_consultation.htm

Ofcom – UWB interference report (Aug 2005)

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/aug2005/uwb_interference_report.htm

Threat to Amateur Radio Microwave Bands - European Radiocommunications Office

UWB Consultation (Nov 2005)

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/november2005/ero_uwb.htm

RSGB Responds to UWB (Jan 2006)

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/january2006/rsgb_uwb.htm 

US firm backs RSGB UWB stance (Jan 2006)

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/january2006/rsgb_uwb_stance.htm

CEPT UWB Decision Announced + New UWB Consultation (Apr 2006)

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/april2006/cept_uwb_decision.htm

Single market for next generation wireless devices (Feb 2007)

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/february2007/eu_wireless_devices.htm

UK Microwave Group – Papers and Submissions

http://www.microwavers.org/operatng.htm

Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Responses to Ofcom

http://www.g0mwt.org.uk/go/ofcom and http://www.g0mwt.org.uk/ofcomfold/

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