Frequency Coordination
The international regulatory process by which satellite operators notify and negotiate with each other and with national administrations to avoid harmful interference between satellite networks sharing the same or adjacent frequency bands.
Full Definition
Frequency coordination is mandated by the ITU Radio Regulations and must be completed before a satellite network can be brought into service. The process involves filing network coordination requests with the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau (BR), conducting interference analyses with potentially affected networks, and negotiating coordination agreements with other administrations. At the national level, operators must also coordinate with their own regulatory authority (e.g., the FCC in the United States, Ofcom in the UK). Editors working on regulatory filings must ensure precise use of ITU terminology and consistent rendering of frequency values (in MHz or GHz as appropriate) and orbital positions (in degrees East or West).
Usage
Usage note: Two open words, not hyphenated. Distinguish from 'frequency assignment' (a national authority action) and 'orbital filing' (the ITU submission process). Regulatory documents must cite ITU Radio Regulations article numbers precisely.
In Context
- "The operator submitted a frequency coordination request to the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau for its new Ka-band network at 45.5°E." — ITU Regulatory Filing
- "Frequency coordination between the two adjacent satellite networks took 18 months before an agreement was reached." — Regulatory Compliance Report