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Coffee break
11.30 – 11.45
Topics Covered
UHF Strategic Review
Internet of Things consultation
Changes to field strength for Band One and Low Band DMR446 spectrum
Trigger stations
UHF Strategic Review
420MHz – 470MHz
UHF Strategic Review - Timetable
Timing Who Subject
April - Dec Baldock Monitoring of traffic in UHF conurbations to obtain a trend analysis of traffic levels April - Dec Baldock Measure against sites in Belgium for traffic
from narrowband and wideband devices July – Sept Business Radio Survey Monkey questionnaire published on
Business Radio website
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/UHFstrategic reviewsurvey
85 responses to dealer survey 2 responses from manufacturers Early 2016 Business Radio Publish consultation
UHF Summary of Responses - Manufacturer
• UHF core part of business for manufacturers • Long term investment
• Important to have harmonised spectrum across Europe – 10 year notice required
• Need for additional spectrum for onsite services
• Increase sharing but data services require exclusive access to spectrum • Split market with manufacturers having a majority of sales in either analogue
UHF Strategic Review –
UHF Equipment Supplier Survey – headlines
1/2
• 85 responses (14%) of which 90% outside of London • Published online and email sent to 3rd party contacts
• Responses from PMR, Maritime, PMSE, Scanning Telemetry, Paging and Fixed Links sectors (Q2)
• 96% of respondents plan to continue selling equipment in UHF for next 5 to 10 years, majority of systems are handhelds or single base with mobiles
UHF Equipment Supplier Survey – headlines
2/2
• 86% though voice would be main function of radio over next ten years (Q30) • Only 3.4% thought that data would replace voice as the primary application
(Q31)
• Even split as to whether data applications require exclusive spectrum, 37% Yes, 40% No (Q33)
• Even split again as to whether applications will require exclusive spectrum, 39% Yes, 30.5% No, 30.5% Don’t Know (Q36)
Q2: What are the sectors you sell to?
What are the sectors you sell to?
Answer Options Response Percent
Response Count Private Mobile Radio 85.5% 65
Maritime 19.7% 15
Programme Making and Special Events 21.1% 16 Scanning Telemetry 3.9% 3
Q4: What is a typical system that you sell to a customer?
What is a typical system that you sell to a customer? Answer Options Response
Percent
Response Count Handhelds only 84.5% 60 Single site with base station /
repeater and handhelds/mobiles 93.0% 66 Multiple site with base station /
repeater and handhelds/mobiles 66.2% 47 Trunked system 42.3% 30
Q6: Do you intend to continue selling equipment in UHF?
Do you intend to continue selling equipment in UHF?
Answer Options Response
Percent
Response Count
Yes 95.7% 67
Q7: Over what time period do you intend to continue selling
equipment in UHF?
Over what time period do you intend to continue selling equipment in UHF?
Answer Options Response Percent Response Count 0 - 3 years 0.0% 0 3 - 5 years 6.0% 4 5 - 10 years 73.1% 49 Don't know 20.9% 14
Q16: Does the current set of Ofcom licences meet the needs
of both you and your customer?
Does the current set of Ofcom licences meet the needs of both you and your customer?
Answer Options Response Percent
Response Count
Yes 72.6% 45
Q17: Is there sufficient spectrum to meet demand or do you
experience spectrum congestion which prevents you or your
customer applying for a licence?
Is there sufficient spectrum to meet demand or do you experience spectrum congestion which prevents you or your customer applying for a licence?
Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Yes 44.3% 27 No 47.5% 29 Don't know 8.2% 5
Q24: Is there a need to mandate a re-alignment of UHF2 for
you to remain in the PMR market?
Is there a need to mandate a re-alignment of UHF2 for you to remain in the PMR market?
Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Yes 8.2% 5 No 65.6% 40 Don't know 26.2% 16
Q30: Do you think voice will still be the main function of radio
within the next ten years?
Do you think voice will still be the main function of radio within the next ten years?
Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Yes 86.4% 51 No 6.8% 4 Don't know 6.8% 4
Q31: To what extent do you think data will replace voice as
the primary application for radio users within the next ten
years?
To what extent do you think data will replace voice as the primary application for radio users within the next ten years?
Answer Options Response Percent
Response Count We think that voice will remain the primary
application 66.1% 39
We think that data will become the primary
application 3.4% 2
We think that voice and data will be used equally 27.1% 16
Q33: Do you think data services will require exclusive access
to spectrum?
Do you think data services will require exclusive access to spectrum? Answer Options Response
Percent Response Count Yes 37.3% 22 No 40.7% 24 Don't know 22.0% 13
Q36: Do you think applications will require exclusive access
to spectrum?
Do you think applications will require exclusive access to spectrum?
Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Yes 39.0% 23 No 30.5% 18 Don't know 30.5% 18
Q37: What technologies or applications do you think you will
be offering customers in 2025 that are available now?
Answer Percentage Number of responses
Analogue 42.37% 25
Digital (FDMA / TDMA / TETRA) 94.92% 56
Scanning Telemetry 15.25% 9
Short Range Devices 45.76% 27
Maritime 32.20% 19
Emergency Services 28.81% 17
LTE 25.42% 15
Q39: Which technologies do you perceive will be used in
Private Mobile Radio PMR by 2025?
Answer Percentage Number of responses
Internet of Things 44.07% 26
Wideband 18.64% 11
IP based radios 84.75% 50
OTA programming 52.54% 31
Self-assigning radios 49.15% 29
Hybrid radios with PMR and LTE chipsets 57.63% 34 Are there other technologies you think will be adopted? 8.47% 5 Smart grid / smart metering 22.03% 13 Concatenating narrow band channels into a wideband channel 13.56% 8 Are there other sectors / technologies not listed above 3.39% 2
Internet of Things Consultation
• Published 10th September 2015
• Closing date for responses is 12th November 2015
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/radio-spectrum-internet-of-things/summary/more_radio_spectrum_internet_of_things.pdf
• 10.1MHz of spectrum released between 55MHz and 88MHz
• Primarily aimed at rural applications but any application considered
• Licensing through Business Radio products unless application determines that other or new product is required or if demand for spectrum is sufficient award process. May well need a new Interface Requirement as well.
Internet of Things
• Spectrum released
Start (MHz) End (MHz) Amount (MHz)
55.72625 60.0 4.24375 62.75625 64.8 2.04375 64.8875 66,2 1.3125 70.5 71.5 1 80.0 81.5 1.5 Total 10.1
Change to field strength level for
Band One
Change to field strength level for Band One
• Proposal to reduce wanted threshold to -92dBm, a reduction of 12dB • Noise floor measured at -104dBm in variety of urban/rural areas
• Can rise to -90dBm in urban areas
• At -116dBm as per licence, coverage appears to go a long way
• Therefore is nearly either impossible to satisfy boundary conditions or to deploy stations at more than about 10W ERP
• At -116dBm, a 1W station @15m that is 50km just about satisfies the requirements
Proposed Revision to PMR446
Spectrum
PMR446 / DMR446 proposed revision
Headline Detail
Draft ECC Decision on the harmonised frequency range 446.0-446.2 MHz (agreed in
July)
Additional spectrum for
analogue PMR446 and digital DMR446
Consultation published in March
Ofcom consultation published 31st July and closed 20th
September
Four responses regarding PMR446 Statement expected in November
Ofcom policy [email protected] Ofcom statement [email protected]
DMR446 spectrum
• 319 customers and 513 licences using 446.1 MHz to 446.2MHz • No new assignments since 2004
• Quiet life for licensees until now
• Likelihood of having to find new spectrum for licence holders • How noisy will it get if PMR446 moves in?
Assignment process for buildings
exceeding urban clutter height
Example UHF Calculation for Radiating Cable
• Radiating Cable (RC) with 100mW (10 dBm) • Typical RC coupling loss 50 dB
• Building attenuation ~ 10 dB
– Max level at outside wall of building= – +10 -50 -10 = -50 dBm
• To determine sterilised zone (-116 dBm) an additional 66 dB of path loss required (at 460 MHz) this would be around 100m
• Coverage outside the building would to -104 dBm would be to where an additional 54 dB path loss would extend to approx. 25m from the building
Terminals
• Typical terminal for use in a high rise building would be set to 250mW (~14 dBm)
• Building attenuation 10 dB
– Max level at outside wall 4 dBm
• Sterilised limit (-116 dBm would require 112 dB of path loss)
• To determine sterilised zone (-116 dBm) an additional 112 dB of path loss required (at 460 MHz) this would be around 22 km
• Coverage outside the building would to -104 dBm would be to where an additional 100 dB path loss would extend to approx. 5km from the building
Trigger Stations
• Should Ofcom record details of trigger stations?
• Guidance to be issued for licensees who are using Band III for their Business Radio Technically Assigned licence and have trigger stations deployed as part of the network on the potential impact of small scale DAB transmitters.
• Will ensure that the Ofcom DAB team have an accurate record of trigger station details and locations when planning the deployment of DAB
transmitters on communal sites.
• Test deployments of DAB transmitters will occur through 2015 and 2016 and commercial deployments from 2017.
Trigger Stations
• Ofcom will issue a licence variation
• If trigger station falls within coverage area of main base station then recorded as non-chargeable station
• Real antenna height required not 1.5 metres • Should this policy change apply to all bands?
• What is impact of data appearing on Wireless Telegraphy Act Register • Common Base Station information sheet
Trigger Stations
Trigger Station Limits
• Trigger stations will be permitted without prior authorisation anywhere within the coverage area (as defined by RA) and up to 45 km away from the base station, unless otherwise stated on the licence schedule. The engineering parameters are as follows:
• Antenna height 10 metres maximum above ground level.
• 3 or 5 element Yagi mandatory for VHF except within 5 kms of the base station and for Low Band.
MPT1327 Network Codes
• Interference case raised with Ofcom • Racial abuse on trunked system • Field Operations will investigate
• No network codes / IDs so system wide open
• Network owner has to confirm fit for purpose before further investigation by Ofcom. The owner may also be liable to pay for the initial investigation, if the interference is as a result of a lack of robustness etc.
MPT1327 Network Codes
• The need to maintain and update apparatus, replacing aged equipment, as appropriate.
• Emphasising the benefit of taking necessary security measures to protect systems from interference and hacking by abusers and competitors.
•
• Ofcom is not duty bound to provide an interference free environment.
• Ofcom is required (section 3, Communications Act 2003) to secure the optimal use for wireless telegraphy, of the electromagnetic spectrum.
• Section 4, Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 requires Ofcom to provide a service consisting in the giving of advice and assistance to persons complaining of interference with wireless telegraphy.
