MED Radio Spectrum Policy and Planning Update Brian Miller, Manager Ben Temple, Senior Policy Analyst Cristian Gomez, Planning Engineer.

MED Radio Spectrum Policy and Planning

Update

Brian Miller, Manager

Ben Temple, Senior Policy Analyst

Cristian Gomez, Planning Engineer

Agenda • Our Team [Brian]• Current Issues [Brian]• International Observations [Brian]• Radio Licensing Regime Review [Ben]• Digital LMR Update [Cristian]

Objective

‘To allocate and manage the spectrum in a way that maximises its value to New Zealand society’

Value can be considered in economic and social terms.

Key Outcomes • Efficient, Reliable and Responsive Infrastructure Services• Ease of Doing Business

Our Team • Policy staff (4)• Technical Planning staff (5)• Crown Spectrum Asset Manager (1)• Administrative Support (0.7)• Manager (1)

Digital Dividend Planning• 2009: Initial consultation and Government decisions• 2010: Digital TV transition plan• 2010: Consider DSO date• 2011: Finalise plans and process for allocation of 4G mobile spectrum• 2013 - 2015: DSO

2009 Cabinet Decisions

806 MHz

100% population coverage

502 MHz 694 MHz

Block A Core Nationwide

TV

Block B Additional Urban TV

Block C Rural

Broadband

Block D Nationwide New

Uses

Block C Rural

Broadband

Block B Additional Urban TV

Guard band Guard band

75%

Review of 806 - 960 MHz• No change to land mobile allocations• Open up 915 – 921 MHz band for short range devices • Open up 841 – 849 MHz for studio-to-transmitter links• Allow 2 mW low duty cycle devices in 868 – 870 MHz band

Managed Spectrum Park• 2575 – 2620 MHz• Five applications covering areas in North Island and Upper South island • Outcomes to be announced shortly• Now considering the approach to further allocations in the park

Documentation Review

Engineering Rules• PIB 38 - Radio Licences [updated version to be released for comment]• PIB 39 - Spectrum Licences [up to date]

NZ Spectrum Allocations• PIB 21 [pending]

Documentation Review

Channel Plans• PIB 22 Fixed Service [up to date]• PIB 23 Mobile Service [6.25 kHz channels to be added]

Policy Rules• Radio Licences [WIP]• Spectrum Licences [WIP]

Radio Broadcasting • Renewal of licences in April 2011• Transition to new FM frequency plan• Changes to Low Power FM Licence

International Trends • SMART is leading the way• Administrative incentive pricing• Intel: 60 GHz Wi-Gig plans• Ultra wideband is dead …?• Google: pushing white space technology• Continuing evolution of LTE and Wi-MAX • National broadband plans

USA FCC Broadband Plan• In ten years at least 100 million U.S.

homes should have affordable access to actual download speeds of at least 100 megabits per second and actual upload speeds of at least 50 megabits per second.

• Free up 500 MHz of spectrum for mobile broadband

Free Up 500 MHz• 300 MHz between 225 MHz and 3.7

GHz• Auction 700 MHz D ‘public safety’ block• Reallocate 120 MHz from television

bands – broadcasters to share in revenue

Radio Licensing Regime Review

• The objective was to gather better evidence and test the Ministry’s thinking.

• The Radio Licensing Regime (RLR) had not been reviewed since 1989 - there are potential issues but little conclusive evidence of problems, nor the scale of such problems, if any.

• Primarily an economic analysis – why?• RLR does not recognise economic values.• Radio Licences face no competitive pressure.• RLR is potentially ‘inefficient’.

RLR Review: Responses

Seventeen submissions:

• RLR is meeting objectives – satisfactory performance in accommodating new uses.

• Areas of current or potential congestion issues identified – most non-critical and being remedied, (e.g. K band for STLs in major centres). No quantitative $ data provided.

• Ministry should continue case-by-case consideration of congestion rather than a wholesale change of the RLR to either:

a) incorporate resource pricing; or b) conversion to MRR (more emphasis on potential competition effects

needed where this is considered).

RLR: Potential Improvements

• Support for status quo with potential for minor improvements.

• Decisions about new measures should focus on particular situations/problems in identified bands.

• Devolution of licensing functions not supported – ability to exclude and other competition risks.

• Support for more technical planning, but not to impose unnecessary costs on smaller users.

• ‘Use-or-lose’ power could be more accessible for users trying to access licensed but unused (or hoarded) spectrum.

RLR: Future WorkTechnical Planning • Tighter Rules – e.g. PIB 38.• More Spectrally Efficient Technology – Digital Planning.• Proactive Forecasting Tools – Strategy planning, balancing technical/economic

efficiency.

Congestion, Incumbency, Hoarding, and Non-use• Case by Case Management – Continued use of spectrum caps and eligibility

requirements where justified.• Local Measures – Review of the Radiocommunications Act to commence in 2011• Operational – Establish process to support ‘use-or-lose’ provisions and encourage

transfers.

Measuring Against Objectives – Spectrum Values• Explore a university partnership with a study programme. • To begin as a low cost exercise in academic research to benchmark the economic

value and utilisation of the spectrum – non-urgent.

Digital Land Mobile UpdateBands introduced

• All bands VHF and UHF have been opened for digital since 2008.

• Standards included: APCO P25 (12.5 kHz and 6.25 kHz), TETRA (800 MHz), DMR (below 800 MHz).

• Good uptake since the introduction of the new framework.

• Further work: ETSI DMR in the 800 MHz trunked band (DMR 800 MHz trunked standard was not available at the time of introducing digital in 800 MHz).

New projects:

• Full digitalisation of fixed link bands – to continue the move towards more efficient digital technologies. Fixed links also support backhaul land mobile networks. Work will commence end of this year.

Questions?