3.5 GHz Allowing greater use of TDD. Decision Document 2 June 2015

Transcription

1 3.5 GHz Allowing greater use of Decision Document 2 June 2015

2 Contents Background... 3 Decisions... 3 Revised timeframe... 4 Rights expiry and review process... 4 Annex 1: List of TLAs and corresponding spectrum licensees under management rights 144, 145, 155 and 156 (as at 27 May 2015)... 5 Annex 2: Graphical illustration of channel arrangement in 3.5 GHz band (as at 27 May 2015) GHz Allowing greater use of

3 Background When management rights and spectrum licences within the 3.5 GHz band were allocated in the 2000 s, they were designed to be used by Frequency Division Duplex () equipment. Since then, there has been a shift internationally towards the manufacture and use of Time Division Duplex () equipment for Broadband Wireless Access (BWA). Nevertheless, while equipment is currently more widely available than, it is not clear whether this will be the case in the future. A number of overseas manufacturers have recently undertaken trials of equipment for the 3.5 GHz band. In October 2014, Radio Spectrum Management (RSM) sent letters to management right holders and those licensing spectrum from the in the 3.5 GHz band. The majority of responses to the letters supported a shift to enable greater use of equipment in the 3.5 GHz band. Some respondents expressed a preference to continue to use their equipment for the remainder of its usable life. In March 2015, RSM consulted current management right holders and those licensing spectrum from the on a proposal to allow greater use of equipment. RSM proposed that licensees be allowed to use equipment in the management rights and that unused spectrum in the middle of the band be made available for the trial of equipment. The majority of respondents supported the essence of the proposal. A number of respondents suggested alterations to the proposal to lower the risk of interference. Taking into account the feedback from the submissions, RSM has decided: 1) To make two 5 MHz channels in the frequency ranges of MHz and MHz available for trials by existing licensees and private management right holders. This will be done under the administrative radio licensing regime. An illustration of the 3.5 GHz band is shown in Annex 2. To reduce risk of interference, the frequencies between MHz and MHz will not be open for trial. Licences will be issued with a maximum of 12 months duration. The rules for temporary licensing in these frequencies will be specified in a public document. The issuing of licences will be at the discretion of the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (the Ministry). These licences will only be issued to entities that do not already have sufficient spectrum to trial. 2) To allow licensees to use equipment within their current licences. licensees wanting to do this will need RSM to amend the conditions on their licences which favour. Licensees wanting to do this will need an ARE (Approved Radio Engineer) to initiate and certify the licence modification requests 1 in the Register of Radio Frequencies. 1 as online Form 8 s GHz Allowing greater use of

4 Requests to modify licence conditions will need to be technically compatible with other incumbent licensees. In TLAs where there are two licensees, licensees will need to come to an agreement with the other spectrum licensee before approaching RSM. Licences modified to allow use will also have a new condition specifying that any deployment must transmit at a bandwidth no greater than 5 MHz. Revised timeframe Revised timeframe 2 June 2015 onwards spectrum licensees wanting to deploy equipment can submit online Form 8 modification requests to the Ministry to amend licence conditions. 2 June Sept 2015 Expressions of interest sought for radio licences to trial equipment in MHz and MHz. Expressions of interest are to be made by submitting certified licence applications online in the Register of Radio Frequencies. 2 Sept December 2016 Commencement of temporary radio licences to trial equipment onwards Review of 3.5 GHz band Rights expiry and review process The current management rights in the 3.5 GHz band expire in After this, there are a number of possible ways in which management rights could be allocated. The policy decisions on the allocation of the 3.5 GHz band after 2022 have not been made. We note that renewal or reallocation decisions will be made by the government of the day. The decision process is expected to occur in the 5 years prior to expiry. We anticipate that the overall 3.5 GHz band review could commence in If the management rights are being well utilised for BWA, management right holders may be offered an opportunity to renew some or all of their expiring rights. If the management rights remain under-utilised or are not being used for BWA, as they were designed, it is possible that they will be reallocated via competitive means GHz Allowing greater use of

5 Annex 1: List of TLAs and corresponding spectrum licensees under management rights 144, 145, 155 and 156 (as at 27 May 2015) Territorial Local MR 144 and 155 MR 145 and 156 Authorities (TLAs) MHz and MHz MHz and MHz Ashburton Whitfield Electricity Ashburton Auckland city Compass Callplus Banks Peninsula Buller Carterton Central Hawke s Bay Central Otago Christchurch city Whitfield Callplus Clutha Dunedin city Callplus Far North Franklin Compass Compass Gisborne Gisborne Net NZ Gore Grey Hamilton city Waihi Lightwire Hastings Hauraki Horowhenua Hurunui Scorch Communications Hutt city Smartlinx 3 NZ Wireless Invercargill city Kaikoura Kaipara Kapiti Coast Kawerau Mackenzie Alpine Energy Alpine Energy Manawatu Manukau Compass Callplus Marlborough Whitfield Masterton Matamata-Piako Napier city Nelson city Whitfield ThePacific.net New Plymouth North Shore city Compass Callplus Opotiki Otorohanga Palmerston North city Papakura Compass Callplus Porirua city NZ Wireless GHz Allowing greater use of

6 Territorial Local MR 144 and 155 MR 145 and 156 Authorities (TLAs) MHz and MHz MHz and MHz Queenstown-Lakes W. Preston Russell Watson Rangitikei Rodney Compass Callplus Rotorua Ruapehu Selwyn Whitfield Scorch Communications South Taranaki South Waikato South Wairarapa Southland Stratford Tararua Tasman Whitfield ThePacific.net Taupo Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board Tauranga Waihi Thames-Coromandel Timaru Whitfield Alpine Energy Upper Hutt city Waikato Waimakariri Whitfield Scorch Communications Waimate Alpine Energy Alpine Energy Waipa Wairoa Waitakere city Compass Callplus Waitaki Network Waitaki Waitomo Wanganui Wellington city NZ Wireless NZ Wireless Western Bay of Plenty Westland Whakatane Whangarei Callplus GHz Allowing greater use of

7 Annex 2: Graphical illustration of channel arrangement in 3.5 GHz band (as at 27 May 2015) Available technology & standards IEEE WiMAX Band Class Group 5L (200 MHz) 3GPP Band 42 TD-LTE (200 MHz) 3GPP Band 22 LTE (Mobile Tx 80 MHz) Changes to assignments Amateur / / Vodafone Compass Spark Kordia Current MRs MR144 MR145 MR189 MR149 MR200 MR201 MR185 Case 1 Case 2 Case 3 Case 4 MHz Available technology & standards IEEE WiMAX Band Class Group 5L (200 MHz) 3GPP Band 42 TD-LTE (200 MHz) 3GPP Band 22 LTE (Base Tx 80 MHz) Changes to assignments / / Vodafone Compass Spark Kordia Fixed Satellite (downlink) Current MRs MR155 MR156 MR190 MR160 MR202 MR203 MR186 Case 1 Case 2 Case 3 Case 4 MHz / GHz Allowing greater use of