Major changes to land mobile under discussion

Major changes to land mobile frequencies and modes of operation are up for consideration in two papers released by the ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) just before its RadComms conference.

Nearly 400 industry people, from dealers to manufacturers, military personnel and broadcast radio and TV stations, along with government users, listened intently to three days of presentations in Melbourne that covered a wide range of topics.

These included an industry perspective on spectrum demand, government developments, lessons from the US on the internet and spectrum allocations, observing the Earth for a sustainable future, the future of land mobile for government use and future bandwidth requirements for intelligent transport systems.

The two discussion papers, ‘Spectrum Options: 403-520 MHz band’ and ‘Five-year Spectrum Outlook 2009-2014’ were of particular interest to many in the audience and came in for a good deal of discussion.

Although the deadline for commenting on these papers was July 18, the ACMA is expecting a good response to what is a move towards spectrum organisation in Australia. The full texts of each document can be found on the ACMA’s website.

The main points from these initiatives are:

Spectrum Option: 403-520 MHz

The paper is aimed at stimulating discussion and gathering information from stakeholders to help ACMA to develop future arrangements for the radiofrequency spectrum in the range 403-520 MHz (the 400 MHz band). The 400 MHz band is predominantly used by the land mobile service, but also accommodates other services, including the fixed (point-to-point and point-to-multipoint), radar and amateur services.

There has been increasing pressure from industry and users of the band to establish arrangements that will better accommodate future communication needs through current and emerging technologies.

Much of the band has become congested in the major capital cities and overall there is a growing need to support more spectrally efficient technologies.

These technologies include trunking and more extensive use of narrower bandwidth channels for land mobile and fixed services.

A further motivation for reviewing the band is to identify harmonised spectrum to facilitate radio communications interoperability of certain government agencies (such as police and other emergency services).

Consultation about possible future arrangements for the 400 MHz band provides an ideal opportunity for stakeholders to consider their needs and to put forward implementation strategies for improved interoperability.

This paper is looking for information and comment in the broad areas of:

• Options for improving technical efficiency such as reducing channel bandwidths, reviewing preferred transmit/receive frequency separations (also commonly referred to as ‘splits’), increased use of digital technologies and trunking systems and exploring opportunities for channel loading and sharing;
•  Consideration of the allocation and licensing mechanisms used in the band with the goal of improving allocative efficiency. This includes the possibility of increased use of market mechanisms to facilitate greater efficiencies in the band and of class licensing or spectrum licensing arrangements in various parts of the band;
• Consideration of new technologies and complementary uses of the band such as public mobile telephone services particularly suited for deployment interface regional and rural areas;
• Opportunities for the harmonisation of spectrum use by certain government agencies.

The paper is the initial public step in the review process. All responses will be taken into account by ACMA in formulating more detailed options and strategies.

Any detailed proposals for implementing changes will be discussed further with stakeholders and potentially affected incumbent licensees.

At the same time as releasing ‘Spectrum Options: 403-520 MHz’ for comment, ACMA also released:

• A consultation document on the Spectrum Management Principles, which outlines the principles ACMA is proposing to use to guide its approach to a range of spectrum management initiatives that it will be addressing in the next three to five years, including its approach to the 400 MHz band;
• The ‘Five-Year Spectrum Outlook 2009-2014’ paper, which outlines issues affecting spectrum requirements of key radio communications services over the next five years and ACMA’s proposed actions to address these issues;
• The ‘Independent Review of Government Spectrum Holdings’ (IRGSH) and the ACMA’s response to that document.

The management principles, once finalised, will establish the framework that will guide ACMA’s response to the demand pressures identified in the five-year outlook. These two documents are intended to outline the framework ACMA will apply and to place in context ACMA’s approach to spectrum management issues over the next three to five years.

These issues include, among others, any spectrum released after the analog television services are withdrawn; government spectrum holdings; expiring spectrum licences; the availability of spectrum for wireless access services and options for the 400 MHz band.

Spectrum management principles

This document proposes a set of high-level spectrum management principles. Their key theme is balancing the use of market mechanisms with regulatory intervention to maximise public benefit derived from using the spectrum.

The principles that ACMA is proposing to use in its management are:

• Allocate spectrum to the highest value use or uses;
• Enable and encourage users to move spectrum to its highest value use or uses;
• Use the least cost and least restrictive approach to achieving policy objectives;
• Balance certainty and flexibility;
• Balance the cost of interference and the benefits of greater spectrum use.

Five-year spectrum outlook

This document presents a spectrum demand analysis and indicative work program for the 2009-2014 time frame.

It consolidates the fundamental issues affecting spectrum requirements of key radio communications services and outlines ACMA’s preliminary thoughts on how best to manage the demand.

The document also highlights spectrum requirements that may arise beyond 2014.

These two documents are designed to increase the transparency, predictability and consistency of ACMA’s decision-making in a climate of rapid technological change.

Review of government spectrum holdings

ACMA commissioned SpectrumWise Radiocommunications Consulting in 2006 to examine the measures required to better achieve an appropriate balance between government and broader community use of the radiofrequency spectrum.

Government users account for almost half the use of the most valuable spectrum bands under 5 GHz. The sheer size and importance of government spectrum holdings and the different way they are often treated compared to other spectrum users made a comprehensive review of such holdings desirable.
The review was also timely given increasing spectrum demand pressures and technological change.

The review identified 30 individual recommendations for further consideration, some of which are not in the sole remit of ACMA. Three of the major areas identified in the review relate to:

• Increased transparency in the use of spectrum by government bodies;
• The need for increased sharing of government spectrum;
•  Increased use of market approaches to improve the management of government spectrum.

To a large extent, these recommendations are consistent with ACMA’s broader approach to spectrum management.

ACMA has issued a preliminary response paper – Improving the Management of Government Spectrum Holdings. However, extensive work will be necessary before detailed measures for implementation can be developed for some findings.

All these documents are available on the ACMA website (go to About ACMA news & media centre – Issues for comment).

ARCIA has appointed a working group to respond to the ACMA discussion paper regarding the 400 MHz spectrum.

The working team met on Tuesday 17 June 2008 to openly discuss the importance and key points to be included in the preparation of a draft response to the questions within the ACMA discussion papers.

The meeting attendees were representative of most aspects of the radio communications industry throughout Australia. The draft response will be available to ARCIA members for download and feedback in preparation for the final submission due 17 July.

ARCIA supports the review of the 400 MHz band by ACMA and sees the importance of reflecting a broad industry view that will enable the continued growth of the professional radio industry and ability to deliver new and highly efficient digital radio systems to the Australian marketplace.