Report of the
Satellite Navigation & Communications (SN&C) Systems Advisory Committee
to the
APEC Transportation Working Group
Steering Committee on Safe and Environment-Friendly Transportation Systems

Tuesday, October 17, 2000

Miyazaki, Japan

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The Satellite Navigation & Communications (SN&C) Systems Advisory Committee met on Tuesday, October 17, 2000, during the 18th meeting of the APEC Transportation Working Group (TPT-WG) in Japan. Thirteen participants from eight economies were represented at the meeting including Brunei Darussalam; Hong Kong, China; Japan; Philippines; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; and the United States.

After the Chair reviewed the agenda, the Brunei Darussalam delegate highlighted outcomes of the Group of Experts on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Implementations¡¦ intersessional meeting (TPTWG18/SCSE/SNC/3). Twenty-four participants from ten economies, as well as a representative from the International Air Transport Association, attended the group¡¦s first meeting in Singapore on August 17 and 18, 2000. Although all participants were from the aviation sector, both public and private, the group noted its efforts to encourage maritime and land transport officials to participate in the GNSS implementation program. The experts group¡¦s goal is for all APEC economies to implement GNSS as a supplementary means of navigation for en-route, terminal, and non-precision approaches during 2001. To support this effort, the group proposed holding a five-day ¡§Conference on GNSS Implementation¡¨ in early 2001, which will provide a venue for all transportation modes to receive information on and develop understanding of GNSS implementation. Chinese Taipei volunteered to host this conference February 12-16, 2001, and will provide economies with an invitation and draft agenda by early November. All modes are encouraged to participate in this interactive workshop and conference. The SN&C Advisory Committee will meet following the conference to discuss the outcome and further develop parameters for a multi-modal regional GNSS implementation study.

The Chair then presented a report submitted by Australia on the ¡§Australian GNSS Coordination Committee¡¨ (AGCC) (TPTWG18/SCSE/SNC/2) whose members include GNSS users and providers across aviation, legal, communications, timing, geomatics and geophysics, maritime, defense, security, emergency services, land transport, academia, and industry. Of special note is AGCC¡¦s development of a ¡§Promotion and Education Working Group¡¨ to promote the importance of GNSS coordination and to educate the community in uses and value of GNSS. Furthermore, AGCC will investigate legal and safety issues associated with GNSS, which falls in line with the SN&C work done regarding spectrum management and protection during the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) 2000. AGCC is not only concerned with GNSS implementation in Australia, but recognizes its importance to trade for the wider Asia Pacific region. The Australian paper served as the basis for an engaging discussion on how other economies could further their work in the area of GNSS implementation. The Chair acknowledged the positive work begun by AGCC, encouraging other economies to use it as a model and to initiate similar forums to meet SN&C goals. The Chair asked that economies come prepared to discuss how they are progressing the implementation of GNSS during the next SN&C meeting.

At this time, the Chair commended the committee¡¦s work in securing GNSS spectrum protection at the WRC 2000 and discussed next steps for WRC 2003. It was noted that transportation spectrum will continue to be attacked as more users compete for spectrum. As spectrum protection is a critical issue to all modes of transportation but more specifically to GNSS users, the Chair asked economies to report on preparations for WRC 2003 at the February 2001 intersessional meeting. Recognizing that within some economies, frequency spectrum management falls under different ministries, experts (e.g., transportation v. communications) should be consulted in this report.

The participants then reviewed and updated the Terms of Reference and the revised Initial Task List from TPT-WG 17 (TPTWG17/SC/SNC/2/1,) which will be reflected in the SCSE report to TPT-WG 18. As a result of the review, economies noted that maritime and land transport representatives should be encouraged to participate in SN&C advisory committee meetings.

Before closing the meeting, the Chair noted that he had been the chair of the SN&C since its inception and offered up chairmanship of the SN&C Advisory Committee. After receiving no volunteers he asked economies to consider taking the position and continuing the positive activities of the committee. This will be addressed at the February 2001 SN&C meeting.

Recommendations to the Steering Committee: