As satellite systems serve vast geographical areas that go well beyond national borders, the frequency resources they use are mainly managed at the international level. ITU Member States have collectively agreed on mechanisms for access to orbital and spectrum resources. All these procedures are an important part of the international treaty known as the Radio Regulations.
To implement the provisions of this treaty at the French level, the Agency is in charge of the frequency assignment application process for satellite systems, which it forwards to the ITU on behalf of three intergovernmental organisations (the European Space Agency, EUTELSAT IGO, the Galileo programme), two French government operators and several commercial operators.
The Agency is also in charge of the international coordination of these assignments to guarantee that the applications can be operated in a controlled interference environment, both from the point of view of the interference that could be caused to the satellites of other countries and from the point of view of the interference that those satellites could cause to French satellites.
Finally, on behalf of the Minister for electronic communications, the Agency processes assignment operation authorisation applications, the final legal stage that allows private entities to operate their satellite system in clear and stable legal conditions.
The ANFR manages frequency assignment requests for satellite systems. More particularly, it receives the French requests, checks that they are compatible with the Radio Regulations and the national frequency band distribution table, then sends them to the ITU.
With the help of the entities that have applied for frequency assignments, the ANFR ensures the regulatory monitoring of satellite networks filed by France in its own name or on behalf of intergovernmental organisations.
It also conducts the bilateral coordination meetings necessary for the operation of satellite networks in cooperation with the applicants for assignments. On behalf of the Minister for electronic communications, the Agency also processes the frequency operation authorisation applications for those systems.
Finally, the ANFR can provide help and advice for start-ups and SMEs with space-related projects (link to the "Support for start-ups" section)