Radio Microphone Devices

With this licence you can operate radio microphones without the need to get a licence in your own name or pay licence fees.

Radio microphones devices are permitted for use in New Zealand under General User Licences in the following frequency ranges:

  • 502-606 MHz – 500 MHz band (see GURL-SRD and GUSL 272800)
  • 622-698 MHz – 600 MHz band (see GUSL 272800) 
  • 1785-1805 MHz – 1800 MHz band (see GURL-SRD)
  • Other frequency bands in the GURL-SRD may also be used (typically used for non-professional use at smaller events)

Under these General User Licences you can operate radio microphones without the need to get a licence in your own name or pay licence fees.

Wireless Multichannel Audio Systems (WMAS) have been permitted in the 510-606 MHz and the 1785-1805 MHz frequency bands. At this stage WMAS has not been enabled in the 622-698 MHz frequency band due to ongoing consideration of 600 MHz (see below).

About General User Licences (GULs)

The licences you operate under are a General User Spectrum Licence (GUSL) and a General User Radio Licence. This means that you share the spectrum with other users, you must tolerate interference, and you also must not cause interference to licenced systems. When operating in the 502-606 MHz and 622-698 MHz bands you need to utilise the unused channels and spaces / gaps in the spectrum with other licensed users — including digital television. You're a secondary user, and need to work around the primary user (for example, digital television). RSM provide information on Digital Television use in the Register of Radio Frequencies and the DTT channel usage table to assist.

Register of Radio Frequencies(external link)

Digital television channel usage table

Licence numbers

These are the following licences that cover radio microphones.

  • Licence numbers 272800 and 272801
  • Short Range Devices GURL.

GUSL 272800(external link) — Register of Radio Frequencies

GUSL 272801(external link) — Register of Radio Frequencies

Radiocommunications Regulations (General User Radio Licence for Short Range Devices) Notice 2019(external link) — Gazette.govt.nz

Fees

$0.00 - there's no fee for a General User Spectrum Licence (GUSL). All fees associated with this licence are paid for by Radio Spectrum Management (RSM).

Your responsibilities

You must follow the technical parameters and conditions of the licence, which include operating:

  • within the frequency ranges and bandwidths of 502-606 MHz, 622-698 MHz, and 1785-1805 MHz, and
  • up to the maximum power.

You must not operate in a way that causes interference to other licensed services. If you cause interference to other licensed services, you must stop transmitting.

Your equipment

Your equipment must comply with the relevant radio standards and relevant technical parameters for this licence.

We recommend purchasing equipment that you can use on the widest possible frequency range. This will allow you to work around television and other users. It will also give you flexibility if there are changes to spectrum use in the future.

Compliance labelling

If you bought your equipment in New Zealand, and it's labelled with an RSM-approved RCM mark or R-NZ label, you can start using it immediately. If it's not labelled with an RCM mark or R-NZ label, go back to your supplier and get New Zealand approved equipment.

If you bought your equipment online or overseas, you may not be able to set it up to operate on New Zealand frequencies. Go back to your supplier and ask for equipment with an approved RCM mark or R-NZ label.

Potential future use of 600 MHz for mobile 

There is ongoing work to look at new spectrum use in 600 MHz for mobile systems (for example, 5th Generation Mobile) in line with the Spectrum Outlook - 2023 to 2027. This new use may have an impact on radio microphones that operate in 600 MHz band as the spaces / gaps (usable frequencies) may change due to implementation of new systems. Details of this work are outlined under the ‘Future use of the 600 MHz spectrum project’.

New Zealand Spectrum Outlook 2023 to 2027: A forward looking view of radio spectrum management

Future use of the 600 MHz spectrum

While changes may be a few years away and there is no change for radio microphone users in the interim, users should be planning for 600 MHz mobile use in the future and the following guidance is provided:

  • Whilst decisions have not been made, the 612-652 MHz and 663-703 MHz frequency band is likely to be used for mobile in the future. It is envisaged that radio microphones will continue to be permitted to use these frequencies but practically they will receive interference from mobile systems in some areas (depending on the extent of mobile deployment).
  • Suppliers and users should ensure that any radio microphones have the capability to tune to ‘gaps’ (low interference frequency ranges).
    • In the 600 MHz band this includes 652-663 MHz.
    • In the 500 MHz band, gaps will depend on the specific geographical area – RSM provide a Digital television channel usage table for ease of reference.
  • Users should consider radio microphones that have a tuning range that covers the 500 MHz band as there are gaps in this band in all areas of the country.
  • Suppliers and users should consider new, more efficient Wireless Multichannel Audio Systems (WMAS) which are allowed to operate in the 500 MHz band and the 1800 MHz band.
  • Suppliers and users should make better use of the 1785-1805 MHz frequency band and other frequency bands that are available (in the SRD / other GUL notices).
  • In all cases radio microphones cannot cause interference to other licenced users (including Digital Terrestrial Television and Mobile systems) and this needs to be kept in mind as spectrum usage changes. 

Digital television channel usage table