Editorial: Qualcomm to develop SDL chip for L-Band

Wassim Chourbaji, Qualcomm’s senior director for government affairs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, has told PolicyTracker that the company will develop a Supplemental Downlink (SDL) chip that can use the 1452-1492 MHz band by 2015.

The Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) approved a decision to harmonise the band for SDL at its meeting in Berlin earlier this month. Although Chourbaji doesn’t want Qualcomm to take “ownership” of the decision, the company has been a strong and consistent advocate for the use of the band by SDL.

Beyond the L-Band, the ECC meeting offered up several interesting morsels for spectrum experts to chew on. To the ire of satellite operators, the agency approved a framework for wireless broadband at 3.4 and 3.8 GHz.

It also agreed to develop a report on common coverage measurements for LTE; launched a consultation on the technical conditions for in-flight UMTS and LTE; and approved the introduction ofNarrow Band Digital Land Mobile PMR/PAMR in the 80 MHz, 160 MHz and 400 MHz bands.

All this should give us plenty to think about until their next meeting in March 2014