General
About Radiocommunications Agency Netherlands Electronic communication is developing at breakneck speed. This is set to continue in the coming years as it becomes increasingly important to the economy. In the dynamic field of electronic communication, Radiocommunications Agency Netherlands is responsible for obtaining and allocating frequency space and monitoring its use.
The day-to-day work of Radiocommunications Agency Netherlands covers the entire field of wireless and wired communication. The interrelationship between these two forms of communication is broadening our field of work. Wireless and wired applications are so interwoven that a problem in a wired network can have major consequences for wireless communication. Radiocommunications Agency Netherlands acts as the watchdog, implementer and expert across the entire domain of electronic communication.
As a specialised agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the three main tasks of Radiocommunications Agency Netherlands are to obtain, allocate and protect frequency space.
Space Activities
The Radiocommunications Agency Netherlands is the notifying administration for satellite filings with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Therefore the Agency participates in ITU-R World Radio Conferences and several ITU-R Study Groups.
In this role the Radiocommunications Agency Netherlands performs the filing, coordination and notification of orbital positions and corresponding frequencies. All satellite networks have to be notified in accordance with the procedures of the ITU Radio Regulations. After a successful completion of the procedures the Agency assigns the frequencies to the national satellite operators.
Under the Space Activities Act of the Netherlands a licence is required for the launching and operating of satellites in outer space. The Agency issues the licences and monitors space activities. The Agency also keeps the registry of space objects of the Netherlands. The main purpose of this Act is to ensure maximum coverage of liability of the space activities of the operator, and the prevention of space debris. The insurance has to cover damage done to persons or goods and damage done to the cosmic environment. The operator has to prove it is financially healthy for the period that the space activities take place. Also the operator has to prove that the technical requirements of the spacecraft/ satellite meet the required standards.
Licences may also be required for the use of Satellite News Gathering, VSATs and other satellite uplinks. In many cases the use of smaller terminals is licence exempt. This depends on the frequency bands, transmission power and physical location.
