The ANFR's participation in the "Paris 2024" Olympic and Paralympic Games
The success of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will also depend on the proper use of the frequency spectrum!
For the first time in 100 years, France will be hosting the Olympic Games in Paris, from 26 July to 11 August 2024, and the Paralympic Games, from 28 August to 8 September 2024. Along with London, Paris is the second city in the world to host the Summer Olympics three times, after 1900 and 1924.
This major event will bring together up to 206 nations. Optimum management of the radio frequency spectrum is therefore crucial if we are to achieve full success, not only at the forty or so event venues, but also through broadcasting on a global scale. In this context, the ANFR is working closely with the Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Paris 2024) and all the government bodies contributing to the success of this competition.
Developments in technology and use are increasing the need for specific frequencies. In addition to this trend, which the Paris Games are no exception to, the proximity of the Olympic venues to each other and their integration into the city make spectrum identification more complex in an environment where current wireless uses are already increasingly intense, especially in Paris.
For the 2024 Olympic Games, the challenge for the Agency will be iits ability to respond to these issues on a very large scale in a context where the number and simultaneity of sporting events and venues will be multiple.
Good management and technology, the keys to success
- Determining the frequencies that can be used at all the event venues, the Olympic Village, etc., whether to measure athletes' performances, the sequence and security of events or their broadcast. The determination of these frequencies, which may be used on a derogatory, temporary and localised basis, was the subject of prior work and discussions with the assigning authorities, as set out in the spectrum management plan for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, published in July 2022 by Paris 2024. Prepared by the ANFR, this document is intended for rights holders throughout the world who, since February 2023, have been able to formulate their frequency requests on the frequency booking portal for Paris 2024 according to three periods:
- a 1st period from February to the end of July 2023;
- a 2nd period starting at the beginning of September 2023;
- and the exceptional period up to the end of the Games.
- Assigning frequencies to users for each of the sites where they are authorised to use them.
The ANFR is already processing several thousand applications submitted by Paris 2024, to which it will notify its results so that the COJOP can issue authorisations from the beginning of next year. Similarly to the Tokyo Olympic Games, almost 100,000 applications are expected between now and the end of the Games
- Guarantee the effective availability of frequencies assigned to each site and, if necessary, eliminate the disturbances impacting them.
Spectrum availability during the Olympic Games will be ensured by:
- preventive action consisting of checking the conformity of radio equipment entering the Olympic and Paralympic venues with the authorisations issued, and labelling them for easier recognition on the sites. This is what is commonly known as test and tagging.
- a remedial action consisting of supervising the use of the spectrum on the sites, using a particularly wide range of radioelectric measuring equipment, including static systems, mobile equipment and portable equipment. This is monitoring.
The deployment strategy adopted for monitoring consists essentially of the temporary installation of static resources to provide complete coverage of the Olympic sites. Networks of equipment using the "time difference of arrival " (TDOA) technique will be installed at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games venues. Adapted temporary facilities will also be deployed in Tahiti for the surfing event.
This system may be supplemented by laboratory vehicles, which generally have a telescopic mast, which is useful for clearing the measurement antennae from obstacles on the ground. To pinpoint the location of interference, other portable equipment will be needed to pinpoint electromagnetic sources and detect interference : battery-powered portable receivers and spectrum analysers, antennae, cables, filters and other low-noise pre-amplifiers, etc..
Reinforcements from France and all over Europe
The supervision of the teams deployed at the Olympic and Paralympic sites, the coordination of the ANFR's entire operation, representation of the Agency at the Paris 2024 headquarters and interaction with the various government command posts that may be set up will all require a great deal of the ANFR's time during the Olympic Games.
Which is why the ANFR is strengthening its links with its European counterparts and several French government departments, as well as with higher education establishments, in order to have access to reinforcements.
Under agreements signed with 19 European frequency management authorities and 5 French government departments, 120 staff will be made available to the Agency for specific training. This reinforcement will be supplemented by agreements with university institutes of technology and engineering schools, which will result in the mobilisation of around a hundred students.
Preparation with a tried and tested system
The ANFR has already been able to test its system this summer during real sports competitions, known as test events, organised by Paris 2024 or third-party federations. It was in this spirit that the ANFR provided its support, in particular for the sailing competition in Marseilles in July, the Paris triathlon in August and the mountain bike races in Elancourt in September.
Training during such test events will continue for the ANFR at the beginning of 2024, intended to perfect the system and prepare for different scenarios.
As you can see, the ANFR is training like athletes to take part in this competition and contribute to its success!