Digital futures - Planning for digital television and new uses

Initial spectrum decisions – December 2009

Introduction

The discussion paper – Digital Futures: Planning for Digital Television and New Uses – received 48 submissions and the Government has now made initial decisions on the issues raised in the discussion paper. The media release of the Government announcements is available at the Beehive website:

Digital switchover – frequency allocations

These initial decisions will enable further planning work to proceed to facilitate future use of the present UHF television band (502 MHz to 806 MHz) after television Digital Switchover (DSO). The DSO date has not yet been set but is anticipated in the 2013 to 2015 period.

The main aspects of the decisions and future actions are outlined below.

Boundaries

Submissions and international trends have confirmed that future mobile use should be between 694 MHz and 806 MHz, and 694 MHz is therefore the most appropriate boundary between the television and non-television uses in the UHF band. This means that:

• 176 MHz (in the 502 – 694 MHz frequency range) will be designated for digital television use after DSO
• 112 MHz (694 – 806 MHz) above 694 MHz will be designated for new cellular technologies after DSO.

Digital Television

Of the 176 MHz designated for digital television use:

• 96 MHz will be reserved nationwide for digital terrestrial television
• The remaining 80 MHz will only be made available in areas where there is either existing or planned demand for digital terrestrial television.

In addition it is anticipated that some spectrum at either end of the television block will not be able to be used for technical reasons to manage the risk of interference between different uses (“guard bands”). In 2010 the Ministry will proceed with planning of this spectrum in order to determine suitable licences and any frequency changes that may be necessary for an all-digital television band plan after DSO.

The discussion paper proposed that the remaining spectrum in rural areas accounting for 25 percent of the population could be released for new uses such as rural broadband. The submissions however showed little obvious enthusiasm for use of this spectrum for that purpose. There is also uncertainty about which technologies (other than digital television) would be economically viable. A decision on the allocation of this spectrum will therefore take place by the end of 2011.

New Cellular Uses

The spectrum between 694 and 806 MHz is to be designated for new cellular technologies (fourth generation or “4G” technologies providing mobile phone and broadband services) after DSO. The next phase of planning is to finalise a technical frequency plan suitable for 4G usage, and following that, to determine a process for allocating the spectrum. The frequency plan needs to take account of what is being planned internationally, as well as the availability of equipment. This is to ensure that cost effective services and handsets will be available for use in New Zealand, and that both New Zealanders and visitors will be able to use international roaming services.

Once the detailed design work and further engagement with industry and Māori interests have taken place, there will be further Cabinet decisions required to confirm the band plan and the allocation process. It is expected that the Minister for Communications and Information Technology and the Minister of Māori Affairs will report back to Cabinet by the end of 2011 on these issues.

Radio Microphones

Radio microphones will continue to be authorised in the spectrum unused by television services in particular areas. In addition, there will be spectrum not able to be used for technical reasons to manage the risk of interference between different services (guard bands and inter-band gaps), and this will also be designated for use by radio microphones after DSO. Identification of these frequencies, and how they should best be used by radio microphones, will depend on the outcomes of further technical planning work, including the exact frequency limits and power levels.

Once these details are confirmed, the Ministry of Economic Development will initiate a five year transition period in conformity with the Radiocommunications Regulations. The changes will be advised through the Ministry of Economic Development Business Update service. In the interim, new general user licences will be created to authorise continuation of current use after the present licences expire in March 2010.

Radio Amateurs

The present analogue licences in the UHF band will cease at DSO, and any required digital television licences will be provided in the VHF bands thereafter. Discussions will be held with amateurs to confirm the preferred approach to allowing television use in the 54 – 68 MHz band.

The following VHF band allocations will also come into effect after DSO:

• 50 – 51 MHz: radio amateur non-television use on an exclusive basis
• 51 – 54 MHz: radio amateur non-television use on a shared basis.

174-230 MHz VHF Band

A review of possible future uses of this band will be completed before DSO or when clear demand becomes evident.

Regional Television Broadcasting

The present regional television services operate in particular areas and, provided that overall government objectives are not compromised, consideration will be given to offering these licensees a limited continuation of analogue broadcasting on existing frequencies after DSO.