Analysis on the Protection Distance for Spectrum
Sharing between IMT-2020(5G) and EESS Systems
in 25.5-27GHz Band
Jiajia Chen, Zhaojun Qian, Tan Wang
State Radio Monitoring Center, Beijing, China
E-mail: chenjiajia@srrc.org.cn, qianzhaojun@srrc.org.cn,
wangtan@srrc.org.cn
Abstract—Spectrum sharing between wireless systems
becomes a critical due to emerging new technologies and
spectrum shortage. Recently, IMT-2020(5G) systems has been
considered sharing spectrum with earth exploration satellite
services (EESS) in 25.5-27GHz band on co-primary basis, which
means the harmful interference probability may be inspired. In
this paper, to estimate the spectrum sharing between them, the
protection distances have been evaluated considering major
factors such as clutter loss and elevation angle of EESS earth
station, and using the long-term and short-term interference
criteria for coexistence. The results can be references for radio
management departments.  IMT-2020(5G) systems and existing service systems if we
Key words—spectrum sharing; EESS; IMT-2020(5G);
Sretection distance
I. INTRODUCTION
The future IMT-2020(5G) systems provide a wide variety
of service scenarios and requirements, especially in industrial
applications, intelligent manufacturing, robotics, telemedicine,
smart cities, and so on. Different service scenarios and
requirements need different requirements in peak rate, time
delay, and bandwidth. These enable future frequency
requirements for IMT systems to involve different low,
medium, and high frequency. The millimeter wave frequency
band is an important part of the future IMT-2020(5G) that it
provides hypervelocity, wide bandwidth and low delay rate,
mainly building micro base stations.
WRC-19 agenda item 1.13 issue considers future
frequency band used in IMT-2020(5G). The candidate
frequency band in millimeter wave includes 11 frequency
bands from frequency 24.25GHz-86GHz, refer to fixed,
978-1-5090-6414-4/17/$31.00 ©2017 IEEE
Xi Li
Beijing Credit Top Company Limited, Beijing, China,
E-mail: lixi@credit-top.com
fixed-satellite, inter-satellite, earth exploration-satellite, etc.
25.25-27.5GHz gains much attention because of low frequency
and high device maturity compared with other candidate
millimeter frequency bands.
According to ࠓ Regulations on the radio frequency
[1]
allocation of People̓s Republic of Chinaࠔ , the allocation
of 25.5-27GHz frequency band is shown in table I. As we
know, the radio frequency spectrum is a limited natural
resource essential. In order to ensure the normal work of
existing business systems and improve spectrum utilization, it
is needed to estimate the spectrum sharing possibility of
want to use the same spectrum band. Combined with typical
parameters of the IMT-2020(5G) system and the earth
exploration satellite services (EESS) provided by ITU
recommendations, the sum of interference power from
multiple IMT-2020(5G) micro base stations into a receiving
EESS earth station was calculated by modeling and computer
simulation. By using the long-term and short-term interference
criteria, the protection distances for the EESS earth station are
provided to share frequency in 25.5-27GHz between
IMT-2020(5G) systems and EESS systems.
TABLE I SPECTRUM ALLOCATION IN 25.5-27GHZ
25.5ü27
EESS(space to ground) 5.536B
Fixed
Inter-satellite 5.536
Mobile
Space research˄space to ground˅
[Satellite standard frequency and time signals˄ground to space˅]
5.536A
II. THE INTERFERENCE SCENARIO
The interference model of the single IMT-2020(5G)
system transmitter to EESS earth station is shown as Fig.1. If
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the interference is from only one IMT-2020(5G) transmitter,
the calculation of the interference power is as following: 6DWHOOLWH

= + ( , )+ ( )− ( , )− ( ) (1)
where㸪
,07
EDVH
VWDWLRQ
,07
EDVH

:the interference power received by earth ,07

EDVH
VWDWLRQ

VWDWLRQ

station(dBm); ,07
EDVH
VWDWLRQ

:the transmitting power of IMT-2020(5G) (DUWK

6WDWLRQ
&RRUGLQDWHDUHD

system(dBm);
,076HUYLFHDUHD

( , ) : the transmitting antenna gain of 'HVLUHGVLJQDO

IMT-2020(5G) micro base station(dB); ,QWHUIHUHQFHVLJQDO


( ): the receiving antenna gain of earth station(dB); Fig.2 Aggregated IMT base stations/UEs scenario
( , ): path loss of wide range, using P.452 propagation
model; III. THE TYPICAL PARAMETERS
( ): Clutter loss(dB). A. The Typical Parameters of IMT-2020(5G) System
The typical parameters of IMT-2020(5G) in this paper
refer to recommendation ITU-R M.2101[3] and Report ITU-R
6DWHOOLWH
WP5D/TEMP/0265[4], shown in table II. And the antenna
patterns of BS are figured in Fig.3 and 4 based on ITU-R
M.2101. The maximum gain is 26.072dB.
TABLE II.IMT-2020(5G) SYSTEM PARAMETERS
(DUWK
,07 6WDWLRQ &RRUGLQDWHDUHD Parameters Parameters
EDVH Item
VWDWLRQ (BS) (UE)
Antenna height(m) 6 1.5
8( 'HVLUHGVLJQDO
Antenna array configuration
,QWHUIHUHQFHVLJQDO 8x16 4x4
(Row × Column)
Sectorization Single sector
Fig.1 Single IMT interference scenario
Downtilt and pointing -10ºto UE To BS
The topology of equally-spaced IMT base stations located Antenna pattern ITU-R M.2101
Element gain˄dBi˅ 5
around EESS earth station is shown in Fig. 2 according to TG Horizontal/vertical 3 dB
65º for both H/V
5/1 chairman̓s report[2]. bandwidth of single element
Horizontal/vertical
The calculation of the aggregated interference power front-to-back ratio (dB)
30º for both H/V

from multi IMT-2020(5G) micro base stations and UEs Antenna polarization Linear ±45Ϩ
Horizontal/Vertical radiating
deployed in a given distance from the EESS earth station is as element spacing
0.5 of wavelength for both H/V

follows: Array Ohmic loss (dB) 3

/ Conducted power per antenna
= 10 ∑ 10 (2) element (dBm/200 MHz)
10

where㸪 BS maximum coverage angle

120º
in the horizontal plane
㸸the aggregated interference power received by the Deployment area 50 km2
earth station(dBW); Network loading factor 50%
TDD activity factor 80% 20%
㸸the interference power from the nth IMT micro base Density (BS/km2) 30˄urban˅,10˄suburb˅
station/UE (dBW). ITU-R P.452[5] ˈ ITU-R
Transportation Model
P.2108-0[6]
Hotspot coverage ratio(Ra)ˈ Ra=7%(urban), 3%(suburb),
Built-up area ratio(Rb) Rb=100%
Notes: this paper considers BS TDD activity factor=100%ˈUE TDD activity
factor=0% conditions.

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 G = 32 − 25logφ(dBi) 26.3° < < 48° (5)
G = −10(dBi) 48° ≤ ≤ 180° (6)
Where:
G: the gain relative to an isotropic antenna;
φ: the off-axis angle in the direction of the GSO
φmin=1° or 100 O/D degrees, whichever is the greater, for
D/O ≥ 50.
Fig.3 2D antenna pattern of BS φ min=2° or 114 (D/O)–1.09 degrees, whichever is the
greater, for D/O < 50.
When the antenna diameter of earth station D=14.6m㸪
f=26760MHz㸪㸪D/O >50, 100 O/D<1, φmin=1°.
According to ITU-R S.465-6 recommendation, the
following reference radiation patterns should be adopted for
angles between the direction considered and the axis of the
main beam for frequencies in the range from 2 to 31 GHz of
Non-GSO:
 G = 32 − 25logφ(dBi) ≤ < 48° (7)
Fig.4 3D antenna pattern of BS G = −10(dBi) 48° ≤ ≤ 180° (8)
Where:
B. The 7ypical Parameters of GSO/Non-GSO Systems
G: the gain relative to an isotropic antenna;
The EESS communication systems need to receive data
φ: the off-axis angle in the direction of the Non-GSO
from GSO satellites and Non-GSO satellites. So this paper
φmin=1° or 100 O/D degrees,, whichever is the greater,
establishes two systems-GSO communication systems and
for D/O ≥ 50.
Non-GSO communication systems. EESS systems include ES
φmin=2° or 114 (D/O)–1.09 degrees, whichever is the
and satellite. The parameters refer to
greater, for D/O < 50.
R15-TG5.1-C-0092!N01!MSW-E[7] and actual conditions in
When the antenna diameter of earth station D=14.6m㸪
China, shown in table III.
f=26703.4MHz㸪㸪D/O >50, 100 O/D<1, φmin=1°.
TABLE III. GSO/NON-GSO SYSTEM PARAMETERS
The antenna patterns of GSO/Non-GSO Earth station
Item GSO Non-GSO
Satellite’s trajectory 86E FY-3 receiving antenna are shown in fig.5-8. The maximum gain of
ES location 116.3Eˈ40.1N 130.3Eˈ46.7N GSO Earth station is 61.4dB, and the maximum gain of
Height˄m˅ 10
Carrier frequency˄MHz˅ 26760 26703.4 Non-GSO Earth station is 64.5dB:
Bandwidth˄MHz˅ 452 300
Antenna radius˄m˅ 7.3
ES antenna gain toward satellite
61.4 64.4
˄dBi˅
ES antenna receiving polarization RHCP
ES antenna pattern ITU-R S.580[8], ITU-R S.465-6[9]
ES receiving noise temperature˄K˅ 433 363
According to ITU-R S.580 and ITU-R S.465-6
recommendations, the following reference radiation patterns 
should be adopted for angles between the direction considered Fig.5 2D antenna pattern of GSO earth station
and the axis of the main beam for frequencies in the range
from 2 to 31 GHz of the GSO:
G = 29 − 25logφ(dBi) ≤ ≤ 20° (3)
G = −3.5(dBi) 20° < ≤ 26.3° (4)

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 The clutter loss not exceeded for p% of locations for the
terrestrial to terrestrial path, Lctt, is given by:
. . )−6
= −5log(10 + 10 ( /100)(dB) (9)
where Q-1(p/100) is the inverse complementary normal
distribution function, and
= 23.5 + 9.6log( )(dB) (10)
 = 32.98 + 23.9log( ) + 3log( ) (dB) (11)
Fig.6 3D antenna pattern of GSO earth station Where:
f: the carrier frequency(GHz);
d: path length(km);
p: percentage of locations, 0 < p < 100.

IV. SIMULATION

A. The Spectrum Sharing between IMT-2020(5G) Systems

 and GSO Systems
Fig.7 2D antenna pattern of Non-GSO earth station The interference power in the urban area would be worse
than in the suburb. So the protection distance of urban area is
also fit for suburb area.


Fig.8 3D antenna pattern of Non-GSO earth station

C. The Protection Criterion of GSO/Non-GSO Systems

According to ITU-R SA.1160-3[10] and SA.1027-5[11], the
Fig.9 Aggregated IMT base stations scenario
protection criterion is shown in table IV. The deployment of IMT-2020(5G) systems is shown in
TABLE IV. INTERFERENCE CRITERIA FOR STATIONS IN THE EESS AND
Fig.. The earth station is in the center. The deployment area
SATELLITE SERVICE USING SPACECRAFT IN THE GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT AND
of IMT-2020(5G) systems is about 50km2 in the outdoor
LOW-EARTH-ORBIT
urban, so network loading factor=50%, Ra=7%, Rb=100%,
ITEM GSO Non-GSO
and the BS’s density is 30 BS/km2. There are no BSs in the
Interfering signal power (dBW) in the
<-144.6 <-143 range of protection distance. IMT-2020 networks will only be
reference bandwidth to be exceeded
dBW/10MHz dBW/10MHz
no more than 20% of the time deployed in a hotspot area and not as seamless coverage. Some
Interfering signal power (dBW) in the <-133 <-116
areas will not deploy IMT systems. The max active number of
reference bandwidth to be exceeded dBW/10MHz dBW/10MHz
for no more than p% of the time (p=0.25) (p=0.005) BSs in a built-up area = (the number of BSs in 50km2-the

D. Propagation Model number of BSs in protection distance)*network loading factor

* Ra *Rb in table V. :KHQ simulating, the UEs are moving
The ITU P.452-16 recommendation is used for
freely in the cell, the antenna main lobe direction of the BS is
propagation model. The ITU P.2108 recommendation provides
10o downtilt in the horizon and points to the UE in orientation.
methods for estimating loss through clutter at frequencies
The smaller the elevation angle of EESS earth station is,
between 30 MHz and 100 GHz.

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the higher the interference power the earth station would When ES’s antenna main lobe direction points to
receive. The elevation angle of the earth station depends on the Non-GSO satellite and changes along with satellite’s trajectory,
relative position of the latitude of GSO satellite and the earth the elevation angle between ES’s antenna main lobe direction
station’s location. If the earth station is located in 116.3E㸪 and the horizontal plane will be changed in the range of 0o-90o.
40.1N, and the latitude of GSO satellite in our country is about When the elevation angle <5o, the communication cannot be
86E, the elevation angle of earth station would be the smallest. linked, the ES stops communicating with satellite.
TABLE V. THE MAX ACTIVE NUMBER OF BSS The followings fig.11 and Table VIII are the simulation
The number The number of results based on different protection distances. The total drops
Protection The max active
of BSs in BSs in protection
distance(km) number of BSs are 17354 on each scenario.
50km2 distance(delete)
0.4 7 53.8
0.6 19 53.3
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0.8 37 52.7
1 61 51.8
The followings Fig.10 and table VI are the simulation
results based on different protection distances. The total drops
are 345599 on each scenario.

Fig. 11 Cdf plot of interference from IMT systems into Non-GSO earth
station
TABLE VIII. INTERFERENCE MARGIN
99.995%
80% of
Protection Interference of the Interference
the time
distance Margin time Margin
Fig.10 Cdf plot of interference from IMT systems into GSO earth station (dBW/10
(km) (dB) (dBW/10 (dB)
MHz)
TABLE VI. INTERFERENCE MARGIN MHz)
0.4 -146.0 3.0 -120.3 4.3
80% of the 99.75% of 1 -159.7 16.7 -132 16.0
Protection Interference Interference
time the time
distance Margin Margin 1.6 -164.9 21.9 -141.5 25.5
(dBW/10 (dBW/10
(km) (dB) (dB) 2 -166.7 23.7 -142.3 26.3
MHz) MHz)
0.4 -149.9 5.3 -136.9 3.9
0.6 -156.1 11.5 -143.2 10.2
V. CONCLUSION
0.8 -160.1 15.5 -147.3 14.3
From the simulation result, in GSO scenario, when the BS
1 -163.6 19.0 -150.8 17.8
density=30BS/km2, the protection distance=0.4km, the
B. The Spectrum Sharing between IMT-2020(5G) Systems
interference margin is 3.dB. The interference probability
and Non-GSO Systems
from IMT systems into GSO systems is low. We suggest the
The deployment of IMT-2020(5G) systems is shown in protection distance is longer than 0.6km which the interference
Fig.9. And the max active number of BSs based on different margin is more than 10dB.
protection distance is shown in table VII. In Non-GSO scenario, when the BS density=30BS/km2,
TABLEVII. THE MAX ACTIVE NUMBER OF BSS the elevation angle of earth station is >5o, the protection
The number The number of
of BSs in
Protection
BSs in protection
The max active distance=0.4 the interference margin is 3.1dB. The
distance(km) number of BSs
50km2 distance(delete) interference probability from IMT systems into Non-GSO
0.4 7 53.8
1 61 51.8
systems is low. Considering the interference margin is 3.1dB
1543
1.6 169 48.1 when 0.4km protection distance and 16.7dB when 1km
2 271 44.5
protection distance, the protection distance is better longer

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 [3] ITU-R. “Modelling and simulation of IMT networks and systems for
than 0.8km. If the elevation angle of earth station is <5o, the use in sharing and compatibility studies”,
protection distance may be properly extended. Recommendation ITU-R M.2101-0,2017
[4] ITU-R. “Characteristics of terrestrial IMT systems for frequency
In sum, the interference probability between IMT systems sharing interference analyses in the frequency range between 24.25
and EESS systems in 25.5-27GHz band is low. In normal GHz and 86 GHz”, SWG Work for TG 5/1,2017.
[5] ITU-R. “Prediction procedure for the evaluation of interference between
condition the two services can share the same frequency band. stations on the surface of the earth at frequencies above about 0.1 GHz”,
Recommendation ITU-R P.452-16,2015.
The results can be references for the radio management
[6] ITU-R. “Prediction of Clutter Loss”, Recommendation ITU-R
departments. P.2108,2017.
[7] ITU-R. “System parameters and propagation models to be used in
ACKNOWLEDGMENT sharing and compatibility studies”, Annex 1 to Task Group 5/1
Chairman’s Report,2017.
This work was supported by the National Science and [8] ITU-R. “Radiation diagrams for use as design objectives for antennas of
earth stations operating with geostationary satellites”, Recommendation
Technology Major Project under Grants No. ITU-R S.580-6,2004.
[9] ITU-R. “Reference radiation pattern for earth station antennas in the
2015ZX03002008. fixed-satellite service for use in coordination and interference
assessment in the frequency range from 2 to 31GHz”, Recommendation
REFERENCE ITU-R S.465-6,2010
[10] ITU-R. “Aggregate interference criteria for data transmission systems
[1] Radio Regulation Bureau of Ministry of Industry and Information
in the Earth exploration-satellite and meteorological-satellite services
Technology. Regulations on the radio frequency allocation of People’s
using satellites in the geostationary orbit”, Recommendation ITU-R
Republic of China (2014 Edition) [M].Beijing: Posts and
SA.1160-3,2017.
Telecommunications Press, 2013.
[11] ITU-R. “Sharing criteria for space-to-Earth data transmission systems in
[2] ITU-R. “Sharing and compatibility of EESS/SRS and IMT operating in
the Earth exploration-satellite and meteorological-satellite services
the 24.25-27.5 GHz frequency range”Attachment 1 to Annex 3 to Task
using satellites in low-earth orbit”, Recommendation ITU-R
Group 5/1 Chairman’s Report,2017.
SA.1027-5,2017.

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