Land Mobile 004 - Operation of Personal Communications Services in the Band 1.7 GHz to 2.0 GHz

Operation of Personal Communications Services in the Band 1.7 GHz to 2.0 GHz

1. Policy

Effective immediately, trials for cordless telephony technologies known as Personal Communications Services (PCS) may be permitted on a limited basis as set out in this policy.
 

2. Policy

• Licences are issued for trials on a short term basis for a maximum period of six months;
• Commercial services are not to be provided while operating a trial licence. Equipment must be operated by the licensee for their own internal use;
• Full technical details of the apparatus to be used must be supplied to the Ministry;
• Companies must cooperate fully with the Ministry when it wishes to carry out investigations into possible interference mechanisms;
• Trials are to be operated on a non-interference basis. No interference may be created to the operation of other services and any interference received must be tolerated;
• No permanent licences are to be issued for PCS type operation until a report has been received form the 2 GHz Industry Study Group and the Minister has provided government approval of the disposition of the relevant frequencies;
• Licensees should be advised that the trial licence may be revoked to enable implementation of recommendations made by the 2 GHz Industry Study Group; and,
• Licensees may apply for a further trial licence for operation of a PCS service at the expiry of a previous trial period.
   

3. General Technical Considerations.

The frequency bands identified for use by PCS systems internationally between 1.7 GHz and 2.0 GHz are already in use for fixed link applications. As the use of any PCS system has the potential to create substantial interference, operation of any PCS trial must be coordinated with Engineering Services prior to the issue of any licence.
 

4. General

The objective of this policy is to permit the use of PCS systems, on a short term basis, to examine intra-service and inter-service interference and to fulfil the demand from industry to test systems operation.
 

5. Background

A number of applications have been received for PCS trials over the last two years. Trial licences have previously been granted on the following premise:

• Licences are issued on a temporary basis;
• Commercial services are not to be provided;
• Full technical details of the apparatus to be used must be supplied to the Ministry;
• Companies must cooperate fully with the Ministry when it desires that investigations into possible interference mechanisms be carried out.

Of the trial licences granted to date, measurements do not appear to have been carried out on a routine basis. Information and results from these trials is therefore very limited.

To date all trial applicants have been granted a continuation of their licence upon receipt of a fresh application. It appears that companies are primarily using the short term licences as a showcase of technology for their customers.

Regulation 15 requires the Secretary to have regard to international agreements, the public interest and technical compatibility when determining whether to grant a licence. If a licence can be issued in the first place, it is doubtful whether further licences can be declined unless changes have occurred in the interim period.

While there is an industry study group considering issues such as sharing it is not acceptable to grant permanent apparatus licences for operation of a PCS system.

Applications for operation of trials PCS operation will be processed by Licensing and Enforcement in the usual manner, with Engineering Services providing technical coordination.

Approved By:

Manager
Radio Spectrum Policy.