0 Technical Advisory Group 8th October 2015
1 Visitor information Wi-fi network Ofcom Media - Password COTDsaT2HN (case sensitive) Prompted to Sign in to Wi-Fi network Agree to Terms of Use Press Continue Coffee break 11.30 11.45 Lunch 13.00 13.30
2 Topics Covered UHF Strategic Review Internet of Things consultation Changes to field strength for Band One and Low Band DMR446 spectrum Trigger stations MPT1327 Network Codes
3 UHF Strategic Review 420MHz 470MHz
4 UHF Strategic Review - Timetable Timing Who Subject April - Dec Baldock Monitoring of traffic in UHF conurbations to obtain a trend analysis of traffic levels April - Dec Baldock Measure against sites in Belgium for traffic from narrowband and wideband devices July Sept Business Radio Survey Monkey questionnaire published on Business Radio website https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/uhfstrategic reviewsurvey 85 responses to dealer survey 2 responses from manufacturers Early 2016 Business Radio Publish consultation
Future technologies include IP based radios OTA programming Hybrid PMR/LTE radios 5 UHF Summary of Responses - Manufacturer UHF core part of business for manufacturers Long term investment Important to have harmonised spectrum across Europe 10 year notice required Need for additional spectrum for onsite services Increase sharing but data services require exclusive access to spectrum Split market with manufacturers having a majority of sales in either analogue or digital
UHF Strategic Review Equipment Supplier Survey Powered by
7 UHF Equipment Supplier Survey headlines 1/2 85 responses (14%) of which 90% outside of London Published online and email sent to 3 rd party contacts Responses from PMR, Maritime, PMSE, Scanning Telemetry, Paging and Fixed Links sectors (Q2) 96% of respondents plan to continue selling equipment in UHF for next 5 to 10 years, majority of systems are handhelds or single base with mobiles 72% happy with current set of Business Radio licence products (Q16) Even split as to whether there is sufficient spectrum or whether lack of spectrum prevents assignments being made, 44% Yes, 47% No (Q17) 65% say no need to mandate re-alignment in UHF2 (Q24)
8 UHF Equipment Supplier Survey headlines 2/2 86% though voice would be main function of radio over next ten years (Q30) Only 3.4% thought that data would replace voice as the primary application (Q31) Even split as to whether data applications require exclusive spectrum, 37% Yes, 40% No (Q33) Even split again as to whether applications will require exclusive spectrum, 39% Yes, 30.5% No, 30.5% Don t Know (Q36) Current Technologies (Q37) Future Technologies (Q39)
9 Q2: What are the sectors you sell to? What are the sectors you sell to? Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Private Mobile Radio 85.5% 65 Maritime 19.7% 15 Programme Making and Special Events 21.1% 16 Scanning Telemetry 3.9% 3 Other 14.5% 11
10 Q4: What is a typical system that you sell to a customer? What is a typical system that you sell to a customer? Answer Options Response Response Percent Count Handhelds only 84.5% 60 Single site with base station / repeater and handhelds/mobiles 93.0% 66 Multiple site with base station / repeater and handhelds/mobiles 66.2% 47 Trunked system 42.3% 30 Other 8.5% 6
Q6: Do you intend to continue selling equipment in UHF? Do you intend to continue selling equipment in UHF? Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Yes 95.7% 67 No 4.3% 3 11
12 Q7: Over what time period do you intend to continue selling equipment in UHF? Over what time period do you intend to continue selling equipment in UHF? Answer Options Response Percent Response Count 0-3 years 0.0% 0 3-5 years 6.0% 4 5-10 years 73.1% 49 Don't know 20.9% 14
Q16: Does the current set of Ofcom licences meet the needs of both you and your customer? Does the current set of Ofcom licences meet the needs of both you and your customer? Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Yes 72.6% 45 No 22.6% 14 Don't know 4.8% 3 13
14 Q17: Is there sufficient spectrum to meet demand or do you experience spectrum congestion which prevents you or your customer applying for a licence? Is there sufficient spectrum to meet demand or do you experience spectrum congestion which prevents you or your customer applying for a licence? Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Yes No Don't know 44.3% 27 47.5% 29 8.2% 5
15 Q24: Is there a need to mandate a re-alignment of UHF2 for you to remain in the PMR market? Is there a need to mandate a re-alignment of UHF2 for you to remain in the PMR market? Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Yes 8.2% 5 No 65.6% 40 Don't know 26.2% 16
16 Q30: Do you think voice will still be the main function of radio within the next ten years? Do you think voice will still be the main function of radio within the next ten years? Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Yes 86.4% 51 No 6.8% 4 Don't know 6.8% 4
17 Q31: To what extent do you think data will replace voice as the primary application for radio users within the next ten years? To what extent do you think data will replace voice as the primary application for radio users within the next ten years? Answer Options We think that voice will remain the primary application We think that data will become the primary application Response Percent Response Count 66.1% 39 3.4% 2 We think that voice and data will be used equally 27.1% 16 Don't know 1.7% 1 Other 1.7% 1
18 Q33: Do you think data services will require exclusive access to spectrum? Do you think data services will require exclusive access to spectrum? Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Yes 37.3% 22 No 40.7% 24 Don't know 22.0% 13
Q36: Do you think applications will require exclusive access to spectrum? Do you think applications will require exclusive access to spectrum? Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Yes 39.0% 23 No 30.5% 18 Don't know 30.5% 18 19
20 Q37: What technologies or applications do you think you will be offering customers in 2025 that are available now? Answer Percentage Number of responses Analogue 42.37% 25 Digital (FDMA / TDMA / TETRA) 94.92% 56 Scanning Telemetry 15.25% 9 Short Range Devices 45.76% 27 Maritime 32.20% 19 Emergency Services 28.81% 17 LTE 25.42% 15 Other 6.78% 4 Back
21 Q39: Which technologies do you perceive will be used in Private Mobile Radio PMR by 2025? Answer Percentage Number of responses Internet of Things 44.07% 26 Wideband 18.64% 11 IP based radios 84.75% 50 OTA programming 52.54% 31 Self-assigning radios 49.15% 29 Hybrid radios with PMR and LTE chipsets 57.63% 34 Are there other technologies you think will be adopted? 8.47% 5 Smart grid / smart metering 22.03% 13 Concatenating narrow band channels into a wideband channel 13.56% 8 Are there other sectors / technologies not listed above 3.39% 2 Don't know 11.86% 7 Other 1.69% 1 Back
Internet of Things Consultation 22
23 Internet of Things Consultation Published 10 th September 2015 Closing date for responses is 12 th November 2015 http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/radio-spectrum-internet-ofthings/summary/more_radio_spectrum_internet_of_things.pdf 10.1MHz of spectrum released between 55MHz and 88MHz Primarily aimed at rural applications but any application considered Licensing through Business Radio products unless application determines that other or new product is required or if demand for spectrum is sufficient award process. May well need a new Interface Requirement as well. Ofcom contact is stephen.jones@ofcom.org.uk
24 Internet of Things Spectrum released Start (MHz) End (MHz) Amount (MHz) 55.72625 60.0 4.24375 62.75625 64.8 2.04375 64.8875 66,2 1.3125 70.5 71.5 1 80.0 81.5 1.5 Total 10.1
25 Change to field strength level for Band One
26 Change to field strength level for Band One Proposal to reduce wanted threshold to -92dBm, a reduction of 12dB Noise floor measured at -104dBm in variety of urban/rural areas Can rise to -90dBm in urban areas At -116dBm as per licence, coverage appears to go a long way Therefore is nearly either impossible to satisfy boundary conditions or to deploy stations at more than about 10W ERP At -116dBm, a 1W station @15m that is 50km just about satisfies the requirements In reality the above station would probably go 1-2 miles due to nature of Band I
27 Proposed Revision to PMR446 Spectrum
28 PMR446 / DMR446 proposed revision Headline Draft ECC Decision on the harmonised frequency range 446.0-446.2 MHz (agreed in July) Additional spectrum for analogue PMR446 and digital DMR446 Detail Consultation published in March Ofcom consultation published 31 st July and closed 20 th September Four responses regarding PMR446 Statement expected in November Ofcom policy robin.donoghue@ofcom.org.uk Ofcom statement paul.chapman@ofcom.org.uk
29 DMR446 spectrum 319 customers and 513 licences using 446.1 MHz to 446.2MHz No new assignments since 2004 Quiet life for licensees until now Likelihood of having to find new spectrum for licence holders How noisy will it get if PMR446 moves in? Can analogue radios adjust to DMR446 frequency range? Manufacturers have to re-design radios to reflect revised allocation? Feedback please
30 Assignment process for buildings exceeding urban clutter height Paul Jarvis
Example UHF Calculation for Radiating Cable Radiating Cable (RC) with 100mW (10 dbm) Typical RC coupling loss 50 db Building attenuation ~ 10 db Max level at outside wall of building= +10-50 -10 = -50 dbm To determine sterilised zone (-116 dbm) an additional 66 db of path loss required (at 460 MHz) this would be around 100m Coverage outside the building would to -104 dbm would be to where an additional 54 db path loss would extend to approx. 25m from the building Calculating the Free Space Path Loss using:
Terminals Typical terminal for use in a high rise building would be set to 250mW (~14 dbm) Building attenuation 10 db Max level at outside wall 4 dbm Sterilised limit (-116 dbm would require 112 db of path loss) To determine sterilised zone (-116 dbm) an additional 112 db of path loss required (at 460 MHz) this would be around 22 km Coverage outside the building would to -104 dbm would be to where an additional 100 db path loss would extend to approx. 5km from the building So terminals are the critical planning element Can Industry help us develop business rules for High Rise assignments?
Trigger Stations 33
34 Trigger Stations Should Ofcom record details of trigger stations? Guidance to be issued for licensees who are using Band III for their Business Radio Technically Assigned licence and have trigger stations deployed as part of the network on the potential impact of small scale DAB transmitters. Will ensure that the Ofcom DAB team have an accurate record of trigger station details and locations when planning the deployment of DAB transmitters on communal sites. Test deployments of DAB transmitters will occur through 2015 and 2016 and commercial deployments from 2017.
35 Trigger Stations Ofcom will issue a licence variation If trigger station falls within coverage area of main base station then recorded as non-chargeable station Real antenna height required not 1.5 metres Should this policy change apply to all bands? What is impact of data appearing on Wireless Telegraphy Act Register Common Base Station information sheet http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/ra/publication/ra_info/ra307.htm
36 Trigger Stations Trigger Station Limits Trigger stations will be permitted without prior authorisation anywhere within the coverage area (as defined by RA) and up to 45 km away from the base station, unless otherwise stated on the licence schedule. The engineering parameters are as follows: Antenna height 10 metres maximum above ground level. 3 or 5 element Yagi mandatory for VHF except within 5 kms of the base station and for Low Band. 8 element yagi mandatory for UHF except within 5 kms of the base station. ERP is not to exceed that of the base station but in all cases the ERP should be adjusted to give a maximum of 20 µv at the base receiver input.
MPT1327 Network Codes 37
38 MPT1327 Network Codes Interference case raised with Ofcom Racial abuse on trunked system Field Operations will investigate No network codes / IDs so system wide open Network owner has to confirm fit for purpose before further investigation by Ofcom. The owner may also be liable to pay for the initial investigation, if the interference is as a result of a lack of robustness etc. Ofcom will provide advice on ensuring network fit for purpose The racial abuse aspect of the case will be referred to the police and Ofcom will work with them in that respect
39 MPT1327 Network Codes The need to maintain and update apparatus, replacing aged equipment, as appropriate. Emphasising the benefit of taking necessary security measures to protect systems from interference and hacking by abusers and competitors. Ofcom is not duty bound to provide an interference free environment. Ofcom is required (section 3, Communications Act 2003) to secure the optimal use for wireless telegraphy, of the electromagnetic spectrum. Section 4, Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 requires Ofcom to provide a service consisting in the giving of advice and assistance to persons complaining of interference with wireless telegraphy. When determining whether to investigate any complaint of interference, Ofcom will take into account a number of factors, including available resources and current workloads. Ofcom will also consider the state of the system suffering from interference, among other things.
Lunch 40