As part of an ambitious planning cycle, Bulgaria’s Communications Regulations Commission (CRC) implements features such as remote control and automatic test sequences to make its network more efficient and put the agency on a path to complying fully with the latest International Telecommunication Union (ITU) standards.

The Bulgarian CRC has taken further steps toward becoming a leader in monitoring and regulating radio frequency spectrum in Europe by acquiring and deploying the state-of-the-art R&S ARGUS 6.1 spectrum monitoring software, confirming the CRC’s long-standing technology relationship with Rohde & Schwarz. Ensuring interference-free reception of radiocommunications services is one of the CRC’s primary missions, and its system is one of the largest in Central & Eastern Europe.

The CRC’s system consists of 21 fixed and 8 mobile stations that use several types of Rohde & Schwarz receivers and direction finders acquired over the past 20 years. R&S ARGUS 6.1 will also play a vital role in enhancing the operation of Bulgaria’s large, complex national monitoring system. The software supports interactive operation and fully automatic measurements that allow preconfigured and autonomous monitoring of the spectrum in remote stations.

The CRC’s spectrum monitoring system is already experiencing the benefits of the performance and operational efficiency R&S ARGUS 6.1 offers, including:

● Measurements and analysis in line with the ITU spectrum monitoring handbook and ITU recommendations.

● Map-based operation and system status display.

● Open interface to exchange data with spectrum management applications.

● Simple scalability due to modular software architecture.

● Strong focus on user support

“The CRC takes very seriously its mission of managing the radio frequency spectrum and preventing its misuse. Effectively identifying and eliminating interference can best be accomplished by deploying world-class technology and partnering with leading technology companies such as Rohde & Schwarz. The CRC’s business relationship with Rohde & Schwarz has consistently proven productive,” said Elissaveta Sokolova, Head of Department at CRC.

Upgrading the software with R&S ARGUS 6.1 lays the foundation for the nationwide regeneration of the CRC’s spectrum monitoring system. The next step is to plan the extension of system hardware, i.e. monitoring receivers or direction finders. These improvements will increase operational efficiency and enhance the overall spectrum monitoring capabilities, future-proof and scalable.