3.2.4 Short-range devices

Short-range devices (SRDs) provide low-cost communications services in a wide range of applications, and usage has grown rapidly in recent years globally. The ITU Radio Recommendations ¹⁰ list the following types of applications for SRDs (not limited to 806-960 MHz band):

Telecommand; Telemetry; Voice and video; Equipment for detecting avalanche victims; Broadband radio local area networks (RLANs); Railway applications, including: Automatic vehicle identification (AVI), Balise system, Loop system; Road transport and traffic telematics (RTTTs) also known as transport information and control systems (TICSs); Equipment for detecting movement and equipment for alert; Alarms including: Alarm in general, Social alarms, Model control; Inductive applications; Radio microphones; RF identification (RFID) systems; Ultra low power active medical implant (ULP-AMI); Wireless audio applications; RF (radar) level gauges.

Three bands in the 806-960 MHz spectrum range are currently allocated for SRDs in New Zealand:

• 819-824 MHz

• 864-868 MHz

• 921-929 MHz

In addition, low power (3 mW) SRDs share the band 918-921 MHz that is currently allocated to STLs. A General User Radio Licence (GURL) for SRDs, issued in 2004, includes those operating in the 806-960 MHz band.

International standardisation, the use of new technologies, and rapid, low-cost deployment are opening up innovative new uses for the SRD radio spectrum, which could be expected to provide economic benefits for New Zealand. The 2004 study of SRD allocations undertaken by the Ministry found that there was growing demand in New Zealand in the 806-960 MHz band for the following applications in particular:

• Radio frequency identification (RFID) devices, used for supply chain management, e.g. tracking livestock or freight

• Medical telemetry

• Broadband wireless access equipment.

In addition, since 2004, advances have been made in the development of smart electricity meters using wireless mesh network technology, which can be used to remotely monitor usage of electricity. Smart meters are already being used in New Zealand by several energy companies.

The determining factor for utility of SRD allocations is the degree of harmonisation with the US and Europe, due to the ability of these markets to drive the development of new technology, and also with Australia due to common equipment distribution channels for the New Zealand market. Harmonisation is also a means of limiting the instance of interference – the ubiquitous nature of SRD devices in all manner of technologies means that can be difficult to control their use, even if operated on frequencies that are not permitted by current SRD licence.

As illustrated in Figure 3, SRD spectrum in the 806-960 MHz band in New Zealand is only partially aligned with these markets.

This situation arises because the ITU Radio Regulations provide a specific SRD allocation of 902-928 MHz in Region 2 (Americas), but make no such provision in Region 1 (Europe) or Region 3 (Asia including New Zealand), meaning that countries in those regions determine their own allocations. It is not possible to fully align with the US allocation, as the lower portion of this band (902-915 MHz) is held as a management right for cellular services. However, in the medium term, greater alignment with US and Australian SRD bands, using frequencies in the range 915-928 MHz, would be feasible, as was forecast in the Ministry’s 2004 and 2005 papers on allocations for SRDs and STLs. This is currently prevented by the allocation of the 915-921 MHz band to STLs.

In the US, this band is used for high volume products such as long range cordless phones, WLANs and RFID devices with a radiated power of up to 4 watts (RFID readers with a power output of 1 watt are suitable for shorter range applications, such as hand held devices used for warehouse stock control, and readers of up to 4 watts’ power output are more suited to RFID gateways, such as for shipping container control, or other applications where accurate reads at a distance are needed). In Australia, the band has been made available for similar types of SRDs with a radiated power of up to 1 watt, and in addition, Australia recently authorised a maximum high-power RFID system of 4 watts e.i.r.p. for the 920-926 MHz band. In New Zealand, the band is confined to 921-929 MHz, which makes it impractical for many of the devices to operate, and the power limit is 1 watt e.i.r.p..

Greater alignment with the EU SRD allocation (862-870 MHz) may also be possible, but is partly precluded by the use of part of this spectrum (868-869 MHz) for land mobile (simplex operation) purposes in New Zealand. SRD-type use is therefore presently limited to the 864-868 MHz and 869.2-869.25 MHz sub-bands. It is unclear how much demand exists for this spectrum to be harmonised; submissions received by the Ministry in response to its 2004 consultation on SRD bands showed a strong bias towards harmonisation with the US and Australia, rather than with Europe.

Lastly, the Ministry notes that the New Zealand SRD allocation at 819-824 MHz has no alignment with major trading partners’ allocations, suggesting limited utility.

In the US this band is part of the allocation for land mobile radio, and similarly in Australia most of this band is used for land mobile radio (820-825 MHz, paired with 865-870 MHz). In Europe this spectrum is designated as part of the broadcasting band (470-872 MHz), but SRDs such as radio microphones may also use this spectrum. In New Zealand, radio microphones are also licensed in the management right below 806 MHz on the basis of not causing interference to the television usage, and the requirements for radio microphone usage will be considered as a part of the process to replan usage of the spectrum as part of full transition of television broadcasting to digital technology (“Digital Switch-Over”).

Reallocating the 819-824 MHz band for a trunked land mobile radio service would not be feasible in New Zealand unless a suitable block of frequencies could be found to pair it with. The spectrum at 819-824 MHz could, however, be considered for TDD or unidirectional services that may have greater utility than the present use.

Question 5

With respect to the harmonisation of New Zealand’s SRD spectrum in the 806-960 MHz band, do you have a preferred ITU Region or trading partner with which New Zealand’s allocation should be harmonised? Please explain your preference.

Question 6

Are there significant SRD-type applications that are presently precluded from being deployed, or are more expensive to deploy, in New Zealand due to the lack of full harmonisation with one or more trading partners in the 806-960 MHz band? Please provide an indication of additional SRD product costs being incurred when supplied on frequencies currently allocated for this purpose in New Zealand.

Question 7

Does your organisation wish to supply or deploy high-powered SRDs in New Zealand in the 915-929 MHz band? If so, what are the technical parameters of the equipment and spectrum usage?

 Footnote

¹⁰ Rec ITU-R SM.1538-2