Digital land mobile radio in VHF and UHF bands

Consultation on Digital Land Mobile Radio in the VHF and UHF bands

The Ministry of Economic Development released a discussion paper to facilitate industry consultation on the introduction of digital LMR technologies into the commercial land mobile bands located in the VHF and UHF parts of the radio spectrum.

Land mobile radio (LMR) is a radiocommunications service used by law enforcement, public safety and emergency responders, as well as commercial operators such as the transportation sector, utility companies, construction, and security companies. Digital LMR technologies use the radio spectrum more efficiently and provide more robust communications than analogue LMR technologies. Digital systems also have enhanced capabilities, such as better voice quality, short messaging and data services, GPS tracking and encryption.

Digital technologies have already been successfully introduced into one commercial LMR band (the 800 MHz TS band) to coexist with incumbent analogue technologies. This discussion paper consulted on the expansion of the licensing of digital LMR technologies to include the remaining commercial LMR bands. Land mobile bands assigned for government purposes (public protection and disaster relief) have already introduced digital LMR. The Ministry proposed to align New Zealand’s licensing framework for commercial digital LMR with international practice.

Submissions on the proposals contained in this paper closed on 4 September 2009.